Sky Bull - The deity who presided over the heavens and the afterlife as a protector, also known as "Bull of the West" for his association with the afterlife. H orus, the falcon-headed god, is a familiar ancient Egyptian god. Ra was among the most important and popular gods of Egypt. Men and women revered her equally and carried talismans of her cult. Her name means "Holy" and she is always depicted as a slim naked woman holding the symbols of eroticism and fertility; lotus blossoms in her right hand and snakes or papyrus stems in her left. There were two up until a couple of months ago. One of the crows separates from the group, transforms into a medicine woman with long raven colored hair and donning a cloak of dark feathers. Her nurturing qualities were later absorbed by Isis. Ptah-Sokar-Osiris - A hybrid god of these three associated with creation, death, and rebirth. Mau - The divine cat who, in some stories, is present at the dawn of creation as an aspect of Ra. There was also a Little Ennead venerated at Heliopolis of minor deities. The gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt were an integral part of the people's everyday lives. Male: Egyptian-Amsi: Personification of reproduction. Tefnut - Goddess of moisture, sister of Shu, daughter of Atum (Ra) at the creation of the world. Their relationship was so intimate that it disturbed Atum who pushed Nut high above Geb and fixed her there. Hes credited with the discovery of the Elder futhark runes. Cavern Deities - A group of nameless gods who lived in caverns in the underworld and punished the wicked and helped the souls of the justified dead. The White Tower in London was located where the Tower of London stands today. In this capacity, she appeared as a fire-breathing cobra who drove away the enemies of the king. Kauket, his feminine balance, was depicted as a woman with the head of a serpent also called "Bringer-in-of-the-Darkness" who presided over the hours of twilight when the sun was setting and guided the sun barge into the underworld. Ihy - God of music and joy, specifically the music of the sistrum. At the end of the battle, the goddess Morrigan assumed the appearance of a crow: all the corpses of her proteges who died in the war were collected near her and the cry of the animal was the voice of the divinity that spread in a song mournful and desperate funeral. His name means "Crocodile" and he was lord of marshes and wetlands and any other wet areas of Egypt. These spirits symbolically united Upper and Lower Egypt and served the king in life and through death. Ogdoad - The eight gods representing primordial elements of creation: Nu and Naunet (water); Heh and Hauhet (infinity); Kek and Kauket (darkness); Amun and Amaunet (hiddenness, obscurity). Although the name 'Horus' might refer to a number of avian deities it principally designates two: Horus the Elder, one of the first five gods born at the beginning of creation, and Horus the Younger who was the son of Osiris and Isis. He was venerated in Greece as the god of secrets, silence, and confidentiality. They buried 4 million of these ibis mummies at Saqqara alone! Imhotep - The vizier of king Djoser (c. 2670 BCE) who designed and built the Step Pyramid. Bat - An early cow goddess associated with fertility and success. 12 Animal Hieroglyphs and How the Ancient Egyptians Used Them Apophis, the Egyptian God of Chaos, was a snake - literally. Every attempt has been made to create a comprehensive listing but minor regional deities have been omitted if their role seems uncertain or they were transformed into major gods. Thoughts? These transformations were sometimes dramatic, as in the case of Set who went from a hero protector-god to a villain and the world's first murderer. Apep (Apophis) - Apep, the celestial serpent assaulted the sun barge of Ra every night as it made its way through the underworld toward the dawn. Further, the star Sirius was associated with Sothis and then Isis while Orion represented the god Sah, "Father of the Gods". She is only mentioned in a Fifth Dynasty (2498-2345 BCE) inscription as a goddess of a region of Egypt inhabited mainly by Libyans - the 3rd Lower Egypt nome (province). She was known as "Smiter of the Nubians" in this regard but she also brought natural disaster. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Who is Khonshu in Moon Knight? Marvel character explained - Radio Times Osiris-Apis - The Apis bull, traditionally associated with the god Ptah, became linked to Osiris as the latter god grew more popular. In the story, after Osiris is murdered by his brother Set, Horus is raised by his mother in the Delta swamps. Imsety - A protector god, one of the Four Sons of Horus who protected the canopic jar holding the liver. He presided over the west, had the form of a hawk, and was watched over by Serket. egyptian god stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. The name means "Great of Magic"and is associated with the uraeus and the crown of Lower Egypt. Uat-Ur - The personification of the Mediterranean Sea. The ancient Egyptians observed the female hippopotamus to be extremely protective of her children which led to the form of this goddess. Sia is depicted as a man standing at the right side of Ptah (later, Atum/Ra) and held his papyrus scroll. Cite This Work The people in the room all gasp, and I wake up. Nu (Nun) and Naunet - Nu was the personification of the primordial chaos from which the world arose. Daughter of Hathor and Horus. After Atum transformed into the monstrous Demogorge and drove off the destructive Elder Gods that threatened Earth, he eventually came to be known as "Ammon Ra" and was . Meskhenet - Goddess of childbirth and one of the oldest deities of Egypt. Gods of Chaos: 7 Different Chaos Gods from Around the World In some texts she is referred to as the Mother of the Gods while in others she is a virgin and, in still others, sensuous and erotic, described as the most beautiful goddess. He was the son of Tasenetnofret, a local goddess of Kom Ombo who was a manifestation of Hathor. He is known as "The Victorious Herdsman" for a popular spell recited in his name for protection before going hunting. This text was recited regularly at festivals, services, and funerals throughout Egypt. It is not surprising then that there were over 2,000 deities in the Egyptian pantheon. Were having fun and playing around almost like children, though we are adults. Morgan Le Fay is mostly known for her role in the King Arthur legend, but is believed to have first been a goddess of Celtic origin. Because of her connection to magic, shapeshifting and being a psychopomp (guiding Arthur to the afterlife), she also has an inseparable link to the crow. They painted images of Bastet on their shields and drove animals in front of their army knowing the Egyptians would rather surrender than offend their goddess. Thank you for your help! Weneg - A protective god first referenced in the Old Kingdom period (c. 2613-2181 BCE) who held up the sky and maintained order between the heavens and the earth. License. Banebdjedet - A fertility/virility god who appears as a ram or a man with a ram's head, associated with the city of Mendes, eventually another name for Osiris. Set is often characterized as "evil", and did manifest many evil qualities, but was not regarded by the ancient Egyptians as an embodiment of evil or darkness. Ipy - A Mother Goddess associated in some texts with the mother of Osiris, also known as Opet and "The Great Opet". Fascinating article and I love your site! Depicted as a bull running. His name means "Powerful" or "Mighty". Reshep - A Syrian war god assimilated into Egyptian worship during the period of the New Kingdom (1570-1069 BCE). He is depicted as a red beast with cloven hooves and a forked tale and is the prototype for the later iconography of the Christian Devil. The boy was going to die from the venom but Isis saved him and forgave the woman. Iusaaset - A very early Mother Goddess referred to as "Grandmother of the Gods" and linked to Atum at the creation of the world. With the Egyptian God Journal, your youthful imagination will embark on a journey through the Gilded Deserts of Hyperia. There are over 2,000 deities in the ancient Egyptian pantheon. Wadjet is known as Weret-Hekau, as is Isis, but the name seems to have also designated a specific goddess of protection depicted as a rearing serpent although this could simply be Wadjet in her aggressive form. Rainbow Crow - A Native American Story Retold by Judith Shaw Kemetic culture relied on the principle of Ma'at, or order. Pharaoh, long after the Egyptian people had forgotten God's providence in sending an Israelite named Joseph to them to help their economy thrive, chose disobedience instead. If we translate it word by word, it translates to "flip the well on its face and the daughter will look like her mother.". He possibly an aspect of the god Nefertum, also a son of Bastet, and formed a triad with Nefertum and Imhotep at Memphis. She was a consort of Horus and associated with the vengeful aspects of Sekhmet and the justice of Isis. Haroeris - The Greek name for the sky aspect of Horus the Elder (also known as Horus the Great who appeared in the earthly realm as a falcon. But in another version of the tale, Baba Yaga transforms into a crow in the end. Anubis - God of the dead associated with embalming. Ra (Atum or Re) - The great sun god of Heliopolis whose cult spread across Egypt to become the most popular by the Fifth Dynasty (2498-2345 BCE). Early African tribes worshiped these birdlike gods and honored their feathers as a means of sacred ritual. She was originally Inanna of the Sumerians and Akkadians, who became Ishtar to the Assyrians and influenced the development of other similar goddesses such as Aphrodite of the Greeks, Astarte of the Phoenicians, Hathor of the Egyptians, and Sauska of the Hittites, among others. Mehen - The serpent god who wrapped himself around Ra in the sun barge to protect him from Apep's attacks. When the eye returned with them, Atum was so happy he cried and his tears created human beings. In the story of the creation of the world, Atum is angered by the intimate relationship between Geb (earth) and Nut (sky) and so separates them, declaring that Nut may not give birth to her children on any day of the year. In the modern day, the caduceus is frequently confused with the Rod of Asclepius in iconography related to the medical profession. In every story told of him, Thoth is the divine friend and benefactor of humanity who gave people understanding through the gift of the written word. Rainbow Crow was the most beautiful bird of all - with feathers that shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow and a song that rang out the sweetest of all birdsong. She was later absorbed into Hathor. When these crocodiles died they were mummified and buried with all the care given to a person. In sacrificing himself, he is given the runes as a divine reward. Ruty - The twin lion gods who represented the eastern and western horizons. So he could forever guard his people and watch the coastline for foreign invaders. The story of Menhit, Onuris, and the Eye of Ra is an example of the Distant Goddess motif where the eye leaves Ra and returns or is returned, bringing transformation. Nephthys - A funerary goddess, one of the first five gods born of Geb and Nut after the creation of the world, wife of Set, twin sister of Isis, and mother of Anubis. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. I embrace them while everyone watches in wonder. Seshat (Sefkhet-Abwy or Safekh-Aubi) - She was the goddess of writing, books, notations, and measurements. As a mother goddess, she is the mediator of the gods' disputes, most famously as the goddess who settles the question of whether Horus or Set should rule Egypt when the tribunal of the gods cannot decide. Her name first appears on stone jars at Saqqara which were placed inside the lower chambers of Djoser's Step Pyramid (c. 2670 BCE) and she is thought to be an older goddess from the Predynastic Period of Egypt (c. 6000-3150 BCE). While shes known for her battle-role, there are those who also say she is a fertility goddess and values sovereignty above all. The Eye of Horus, an ancient Egyptian symbol and amulet depicting the Eye of a falcon-headed god, was used by Egyptians to protect Pharaohs from harm in their final resting place. Taweret is a goddess of childbirth and fertility who was very popular throughout Egypt's history. Scholars and folklorists have noticed the similarities between the Arthurian character and goddess Morgan Le Fay and the Celtic war goddess The Morrigan. The name "Nebt-het" means the "lady of the house." She was worshipped as a cow-goddess in the Predynastic Period (c. 6000-3150 BCE) associated with Sirius. Peteese and Pihor - Two human brothers known as "the sons of Kuper" who drowned in the Nile River near Dendur. Actually, since you want to get technical and correct something super silly and minor, the true blackbird is a thrush. Egyptian Gods - The Complete List - World History Encyclopedia Mut - An early mother goddess who most likely had a minor role during the Predynastic Period (c. 6000-3150 BCE) but who later became prominent as the wife of Amun and mother of Khonsu, part of the Theban Triad. Ra had a vat of beer dyed red to attract Sekhmet's blood lust and left it at Dendera where she drank it and fell into a deep sleep; when she woke she was the benevolent Hathor. The ritual known as Overthrowing of Apophis was performed in temples to help the gods and departed souls protect the barge and ensure the coming of day. In some versions of the story it is Khonsu who loses the gamble with Thoth. She is a goddess of the dead and oversees funerary rites. Asar was a revered king who was murdered by a usurper but became king of the afterlife, or spiritual realm. He was born at the beginning of creation of Atum (Ra) and sent to create the world with his sister Tefnut (goddess of moisture). Top 6 superstitions you may encounter in Egypt - EgyptToday Bastet was one of the most popular deities of ancient Egypt. When Ra became tired of the sins of humanity, he sent Sekhmet to destroy them. The Cult of Isis was the strongest opponent of the new religion of Christianity between the 4th-6th centuries CE, and iconography, as well as tenets of belief, of the Isis cult were incorporated into the new faith. The story of Mau and the tree is told in Spell 17 of the Egyptian Book of the Dead where it is clear the cat is Ra personified. These nine gods decide whether Set or Horus should rule in the story The Contendings of Horus and Set. She was thought to have invented birth and was closely associated with living and growing things. Unut (Wenet or Wenut) - A protective goddess worshipped at Hermopolis and known as "The Swift One". She was also referred to as Uajyt in her aggressive form and was the counter-balance to the more motherly Nekhbet, her sister. In the tale of Vasalisa and Baba Yaga, three horsemen are key components so we assume horses are one of Baba Yagas animal familiars. She was part of the Triad of Heliopolis along with Mnevis and Anubis. Asclepius (Aesculapius) - A god of healing of the Greeks also worshipped in Egypt at Saqqara and identified with the deified Imhotep. She was a minor goddess who was eventually totally eclipsed by Hathor in regard to music. DNA. I cannot tell if they are male or female but 4 definitely were youngsters when I started feeding them. Ravens, crows, jackdaws, magpies & jays are all corvids. Mehet-Weret - An ancient sky goddess and one of the oldest deities of Egypt. In most Egyptian fables, he is portrayed as the ultimate enemy of the sun god - Ra. In the afterlife she helped guide the souls of the dead toward paradise and was one of the deities aboard the sun barge of Ra who defended it from Apep. The people of Egypt would leave bowls of offerings by caves for them. In iconography she appears like either of these two but with a crocodile head. Books Kek and Kauket were the male/female aspects of darkness but not in any way associated with evil. Native Americans associate the crow with renewal and rebirth. This interpretation is likely as his other names include "Lord of Slaughter" and "The Scarlet Lord" referring to his punishment of those who violated the sacred order life presided over by the goddess. Khepri - An aspect of Ra the sun god in his morning form, represented by the scarab beetle. Mark, J. J. 3 Manga "Egyptian God" cards. Ptah was the great god of Memphis, creator of the world, lord of truth, and chief god of the city of Memphis and its surrounding area c. 3000 BCE. His association with the Sphinx of Giza comes from these foreign workers who believed the Sphinx represented Haurun and built a shrine to their god in front of the statue. Linked by the Greeks with the Furies because of his vengeful nature. There is a time for every action and aspect of existence within ma'at but all must be recognized and acted upon at appropriate times. One of the most famous, Ragnar Lodbrok, used this species in his banner.