Pantheon of the principal Egyptian gods and goddesses
Name of
God
Ra
Aten
Picture
What s/he is the Patron of
The “all father” or “great she he,” the Atum (also referred to as
Temu, Tem, Ra-Atum, and Atum-Ra) sun god emerged from the
primordial mound (which in turn emerged from the primordial seas)
in the form of an egg; he was the creator of the universe and is
the chief god of the pantheon; rarely depicted as human, he was
often portrayed as a double-plumed crown or as one of his many
totem animals. Worshipped widely throughout Egypt, his cult
centre was Heliopolis
God of the disk of the sun; he formed the basis of the heretical
monotheistic religion of Pharaoh Akhenaten
Shu
God of cool, dry air; he became jealous of the earth and sky and so
he squeezed in between them; depicted with solar disk on his head
Sekhmet
Goddess of moisture and warm air; she supported the sky goddess
(Nut) and the god of air (Shu)
Geb
God of the earth; he is represented in the form of a man. Husband
and brother of sky goddess Nut. Also the father of Osiris, Isis,
Nephthys and Seth. When Seth and Horus fought for the throne
of Egypt, Geb made Horus the ruler of the living. Egyptians
believed earthquakes were Geb’s laughter
Goddess of the sky, the firmament; having swallowed the sun in the
evening, the orb travelled through her and then each morning, she
gave birth to a new sun. Depicted as naked and outstretched
across the horizon with stars as clothing
Nut
Seth
God of the desert, evil, strength, storms, winds, war, and conflict.
Depicted as a man with the head of a jackal-like animal; also shown
as a man with red hair and eyes, or wearing a red mantle.
Egyptians believed that bright red was the colour of evil.
Nephthys
Twin of Isis; goddess of the dead, funerals, the house, and women.
Osiris
Isis
God of past Pharaohs, agriculture, fertility, death, and
resurrection; he alone was the “decider” if one was able to enjoy an
afterlife. Worshiped throughout Egypt, cult centre was Abydos.
Goddess of women, mothers, children, magic, and medicine; sister
and wife of Osiris.
Anubis
God of embalming, mummification, and the path through the
underworld; heard prayers for the dead. Depicted as a black
jackal-headed god
Horus
God of the living Pharaoh, rules, law, war, young men, light, the sun.
Most common form was a falcon-headed man.
Ptah
God of creation, craftsmen, and artisans. Man with a punt beard,
wrapped up like a mummy, with hands free which grip a great staff
made up of symbols for life, stability, and power.
Thoth
God of knowledge, secrets, magic, writing, scribes. Man with the
head of an ibis holding a scribe’s palette and stylus. Worshiped
throughout all Egypt, cult center was Hermopolis.
Khnum
God of the creation of people and animals, he molded human infants
on a potter’s wheel and create one’s ka (“spirit double”). Depicted
as ram-headed.
Ma’at
Goddess of truth, law, justice and universal, divine order (i.e.
balance); known by her feather.