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Gods
We know of hundreds of gods and goddesses worshipped by the ancientEgyptians as their names, personalities and appearances havesurvived in the artwork the civilisation left behind. Many of thesehad the same or similar roles. This is due to both the complexnature of the religion and the political organisation of the state.
Local areas had local gods, with each city or region often havingtheir own deities that they worshipped. If a city came toprominence under a ruler or powerful official, then the local godsrose alongside them. These became ‘state’ gods, worshipped by thewealthy and elite in the temples. However, the general populationcontinued to worship their local gods as well. Some gods,therefore, were preferred by certain classes of people, some wereonly worshipped in certain areas, and others prominent only incertain periods. In later times, different dieties were frequentlycombined or merged.
Osiris, chief god of the dead and the afterlife, is usuallydepicted as a mummy-shaped human wearing the atef crown (a whitecrown flanked by ostrich feathers) and holding a crook and a flail(signs of kingship and justice) Occasionally, Osiris’ skin is greenor black, a reference to his aspects of vegetation and fertileearth.
Anubis was the jackal-headed god of embalming and mummification andthe patron god of embalmers. He was also a guardian of the dead anda guide through the underworld.
Neith was the mother of the sun god Re and a goddess of hunting andwarfare.
The dwarf Bes was a popular household god and mainly responsiblefor protecting the family and ensuring a safe childbirth inparticular. Artists often depicted him facing forward, rather thanin profile.
Sakhmet was goddess of war, destruction and misfortune. The name isderived from the ancient Egyptian word sekhem, meaning ‘powerful’.She is an aggressive deity who is usually depicted as a lion-headedfigure.
The cat-headed goddess Bastet was the gentle counterpart to thelion-headed Sakhmet. She was protector of the home and pregnantwomen and was also linked to worship of the moon.
Horus, the falcon-headed sky god, was the son of Osiris and Isisand the embodiment of divine kingship. His eye, or udjat (sometimesspelt wedjat), was a powerful protective amulet. Rulers of Egyptwere considered to be earthly representations of Horus so manyfalcon statues and images bear the crown of Upper and Lower Egypt.
Human-headed Imsety, a son of Horus, was the protector of theliver.
Baboon-headed Hapy, a son of Horus, was the guardian of the lungs.
Falcon-headed Qebehsenuef, a son of Horus, protector of theintestines.
Jackal-headed Duamutef, a son of Horus, keeper of the stomach.
Thoth, a moon-god, was the god of wisdom, maker of laws and chiefscribe to the gods. He was also a guide and helper to the spiritsof dead people travelling in the underworld. Artists depicted himas an ibis, a baboon or a man with the head of either of theseanimals.
Isis was the wife-sister of Osiris and a powerful goddess ofprotection.
Nephthys was the sister of Isis and Osiris and a protector of thedead.
