Like most ancient civilizations the Egyptians had more than
their fair share of deities. Most were associated with everyday life sustaining
features eg. The water. The sun, fertility etc. Several deities had
significance on a regional level and were incorporated into the pantheon with
the spread of Egyptian Civilization.
Table 2 below outlines some of the key figures and
their principal area of influence.
Deity
|
Area of Influence
|
Point of Note
|
Amun
|
King of the gods. Shown with either a ram’s head or a man
wearing an ostrich plumed hat.
|
Associated with the city of Thebes. Joined with Ra to form
Amun-Ra.
|
Anubis
|
Jackal head god of the dead and embalming
|
Watched over the dead. Associated with the process of
Mummification.
|
Geb
|
God of the earth.
|
Shown as man lying below the arch of the goddess of the
sky, Nut.
|
Hathor
|
Goddess of love and joy.
|
Wife of Horus.
|
Horus
|
God of the Sky. Noted for Hawk head.
|
Pharaoh was seen as the living embodiment of Horus.
|
Isis
|
Protective goddess. Wife of Osiris. Mother of Horus.
|
Had a key role in Magic spells.
|
Nephthys
|
Protective goddess of the dead. Sister of Isis and Osiris
and the sister/wife of Seth.
|
Also known as the Lady of the Mansion.
|
Nun
|
God of chaos
|
Predates the universe.
|
Nut
|
Sky goddess.
|
Arched back carries the stars. Sister/wife of Geb.
|
Osiris
|
God of the dead. Ruler of the underworld.
|
Often depicted with a white cone headdress. Osiris was the
god of resurrection and the Nile.
|
Ptah
|
Craftsman god.
|
Creator god.
|
Ra
|
God of the Sun. Most important deity in Egypt.
|
Shown with hawk head and headdress with Sun disk.
|
Sekhmet
|
Goddess of War
|
Has the head of a lioness.
|
Seth
|
God of Chaos
|
Constantly threatened harmony in Egypt.
|
Thoth
|
God of writing and knowledge
|
Often depicted as an Ibis or a baboon holding a palette.
Gave the gift of hieroglyphic writing.
|
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