Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt

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A-C D-F G-I J-L M-O P-R S-U V-W X-Z

Amun - a creation deity who, along with his mate Amaunet , was created by Thoth. The Temple at Karnak, the largest religious structure ever created by man, was devoted to Amun who was sometimes called Amun-Re.

Ammut - Ammut (Ammit, Ahemait, Ammemet) was an Egyptian demoness. She was known as the 'Eater of Hearts', 'The Devourer' and 'Great of Death'. Ammut meted out punishment if one failed to pass the test of Ma'at. Ammut had the head of a crocodile, the body of a leopard and the backside of a hippopotamus. Staying on her good side was essential.

Anubis - the jackal headed god, inventor of embalming, whose purpose was to escort the dead to their judgment, and to protect them from the second (final) death in the afterlife. Another god you wanted on your side.

Atum - a primordial creator god. Father of Shu and Tefnut, Atum was later associated with Ra - the Lower Kingdom creator god.

Bastet - Cat-headed goddess of love, sex and fertility. Bastet was originally a lioness , but gradually began to be represented as a cat. Mummified cats were often buried near her shrines. Cats come by the attitude quite naturally, you know....

Horus - patron of upper Egypt (the Upper Kingdom), avenged his father Osiris by killing his uncle Set. Horus became the divine prototype for the Pharaoh.

Hathor - sky goddess, consort of Horus. A goddess of the dead, she was patron of love, drink, dance and foreign lands. The original party girl.

Heqet - One of the primordial gods of Hermopolis. It wasn't easy being green, but she managed quite well as consort to Khnum (another name for Ra).

Isis - the most important of the gods and goddesses , Isis was sister/wife to Osiris, and was generally believed to be the most powerful of all because she knew the secret name of Ra. Protected Horus as a child, returned Osiris to life and helped him rule the under world. Goddess of light, marital harmony, motherhood, healing and magic, Isis was the go-to girl.

Khepri - the Egyptian patron god of the sun, creation, life and resurrection. A scarab-headed man, a scarab or a man wearing a scarab as a crown. In some funerary papyri, he is shown as a scarab in a boat held aloft by Nun. Sometimes equated with Ra.

Khnum - a creator god represented as having formed humans on a pottery wheel. He did good work...

Ma'at - Her name literally means 'truth'. Ma'at was always in attendence at the judgment of the dead wherein the deceased's heart was weighed against a feather to judge the weight of sins committed in life.

Neith - Goddess of war and wisdom. Sister of Isis, Nephtys, and Selket, protectress of Duamutef (god of the stomach of the deceased). Mother of Sobek. War and wisdom, makes sense, doesn't it?

Nepthys - youngest child of Geb and Nut, goddess of the darkness, guardian of Hapi (protector of the lungs of the deceased). Known as 'the friend of the dead', she was definitely someone you wanted as a friend.

Nun - god of the chaos of water , Ra supposedly created himself out of Nun. Nun existed both outside the universe and as part of every body of water from the Nile to small temple pools. He was represented at various temples by the sacred lakes symbolizing the chaotic waters before the First Time.

Nut and Geb - Nut was the goddess of the sky, daughter of Shu and Tefnut, sister and wife of Geb, mother of Osiris, Set, Isis, and Nephthys. Nut was generally depicted as a woman with blue skin, and her body covered with stars, standing on all fours, leaning over her husband, representing the sky arched over the earth. Geb was the god of the earth. His sacred animal and symbol was the goose. He is generally represented as a man with green or black skin - the color of living things - and of the fertile Nile mud. Geb imprisoned the souls of the wicked, preventing them from ascending to heaven.

Osiris - One of the most popular gods in all the kingdoms and dynasties, Osiris was god of the dead. The ruler, protector, and judge of all the deceased. Son of Nut and Geb, brother to Set, Isis (who was also his wife), and Nepthys, father of Horus and possibly Anubis. He was murdered by his brother Set but resurrected by Isis - making him the first person to die and earning him the title 'lord of the dead'. Legend says he ruled the world of men after Ra abandoned it to reclaim the skies. Osiris was purportedly buried in a tomb at Abydos.

Ptah - The creator of the universe in the Memphite tradition and creator under the direction of Thoth in other myths, Ptah fashioned the bodies for men to live in after death. Husband of Sekmet.

Ra (Re) - The god of the sun, his name literally means 'creator'. Represented as a hawk-headed man or haek, Ra ruled the skies. father of Shu and Tefnut, grandfather of Nut and Geb, great-grandfather of Osiris, Set, Isis, and Nephthys, and great-great-grandfather to Horus. While he was surpassed in popularity by Osiris and Isis, Ra is known as Re netjer-aa neb-pet "Re, the great god, Lord of Heaven".

Selkhet - Scorpion goddess, the scorpion on her crown struck death upon the wicked, but she was also the one petitioned to help those afflicted by scorpion stings. Selkhet bound up demons who threatened Ra and sent scorpions to protect Isis from Set.

Set - In early legends, Set was not a nice guy. Set represented the fierce desert storms. In Lower Kingdom myth he was known as the patron deity of lower Egypt, but in later myths became known as the enemy of Horus. In later years he became popular again as benevolent guardian againt the harsh desert and protector of Egypt from foreigners

Sobek - Worshipped to appease the animals, the 'crocodile god' Sobek was considered a fourfold deity who represented the four elemental gods (Re of fire, Shu of air, Geb of earth, and Osiris of water). In the Book of the Dead, Sobek assisted in the birth of Horus; fetched Isis and Nephthys to protect the deceased, and aided in the destruction of Set.

Tefnut - The goddess of moisture and clouds, daughter of Re, sister and wife of Shu, mother of Geb and Nut. Depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness, which was her sacred animal.

Thoth - The god of wisdom, Thoth was said to be self-created at the beginning of time, along with his consort Ma'at . Represented as a man with the head of an ibis, Thoth carried a pen and scrolls upon which he recorded all things. He attended nearly all major scenes involving the gods, but was especially present at the judgement of the deceased. Thoth also served as the messenger of the gods. He was god of the moon, time, magic, and writing, and was believed to be the inventor of hieroglyphs, which the Egyptians called medju-netjer or "words of the gods".

Wadjet - (also called Wadjet, Edjo, Udjo, and Buto) Wadjet was the snake-headed protector of Lower Egypt, the delta region.