25 Egyptian gods (biography, personality and legacy)

The Egyptian gods were the fundamental figures for the beliefs and rituals in the society of Ancient Egypt.. These beliefs formed a whole complex system of interaction between the gods and the civil people, who were convinced of the control and supernatural powers that these divinities had, capable of altering the destiny of the people.

In this way, the attributes, offerings, prayers and other rituals dedicated to the Egyptian gods, They were exclusively aimed at gaining their sympathy and being able to count on their favors.

On the other hand, a well-known figure from Ancient Egypt is the Pharaohthat, in addition to governing, served as a link between the divinity and the people. The citizens expressed all kinds of obeisances to keep their gods "happy" and that they maintained a state of order and permanent peace.

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The most important Egyptian gods

Below you can find a list of the most significant Egyptian gods, with a brief description of each one and explanations about the influence they had throughout history.

• Related article: "Types of religion (and their differences in beliefs and ideas)"

1. geb

He was the father god of Seth, Nephythys, and Osiris, and was often depicted as a man with a goose on his head. He did not attribute any type of cult of his own due to his condition as an earthly god. He was a symbol of fertility and the earthquakes in Egypt were related to the god Geb with his laughter.

2. ammit

The body of this female god It was made up of three different animals: a lion, a crocodile and a hippopotamus.. Unlike the rest of the gods, Ammit was considered a demon, and was feared for all that he represented (death).

3. Shu

Father of Nut and Geb, and husband of Tefnut. Together with his wife, They were the first Egyptian gods created by Atum. He was the god of air and sunlight; Shu's main task was to support the body of the goddess Nun and thus separate heaven from earth.

4. nut

Mother goddess of Nephythys, Seth, Isis and Osiris. Due to the composition of her body, thin, thin and elongated, symbolized heaven. According to ancient Egypt, Nut swallowed the sun every evening and gave it light at dawn. The graphic representation of him is in many temples, as well as on the coffins of the dead.

5. amun

This god was also known as Ammon, and was the main deity of the city of Thebes. He was the patron of the pharaohs of the same city, and was placed in the highest level of the pantheon along with the god Ra. The fusion between Amun and Ra gave birth to the god Amun-Ra, and he was baptized as "the king of the gods".

6. Anubis

This god was represented as a man with the head of a jackal. Son of Seth and Nephythys, he was the protector of the dead. Anubis was in charge of bringing the dead to the day of their final judgment. He was also related to the process of mummification and preservation of the bodies.

7. Amheh

He was a god of the underworld, whose name It had the meaning of "devourer of eternity". He was represented to him as a man with the head of a hound who lived in a lake of fire.

8. Anat

This female goddess was highly regarded in ancient Egyptian culture. Many temples were dedicated to him.her, since she represented the goddess of war. The same god Ramses named his daughter Bint Anat (daughter of Anat in Arabic).

9. kiss

Contrary to the other gods, Bes was drawn looking straight ahead, and not in profile. He was a stocky, short-limbed being with his tongue hanging out, and was considered the god of childbirth. It is believed that Bes drove away demons at night and protected people from dangerous animals.

10. Hapi

He was the god who represented the flow of the Nile River. He was a man with large breasts and a belly and with an ornamentation on his head made of aquatic plants. It is believed that he lived in the caves of the river and The cult of him was forged around the city of Aswan.

11. Horus

Main enemy of the god Seth, this god was the son of Isis and Osiris. The representation of him has always been diffuse: some Egyptologists claim that he was a man with the head of a falcon, others as a whole falcon and some affirm that Horus was a child with curls sitting on his mother's lap.

After killing the god Seth, he became the king of Egypt, he was the god of heaven and was considered the protector of kings.

12. Imhotep

He was one of the few commoners to be granted divine status.. He was an Egyptian mathematical expert and served as a chancellor during the Third Dynasty era. He himself had his own tomb built in what would be his last home (it has been hidden ever since and his whereabouts have still not been known).

13. Isis

A fundamental figure in the mythology of ancient Egypt, Isis was the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She was related to funeral rituals and she is said to have created the first mummy with the dismembered remains of Osiris.

When she resurrected Osiris, she gave life to Horus, so she was also considered the goddess of life, healing, and a protector of kings. For ancient culture, Isis represented the ideal, loving, devoted and caring wife.

14. Nephythys

Daughter of Geb and Nut, sister of Isis, wife of Seth and mother of Anubis, this goddess was known as the "lady of palaces". Like the goddess Isis, Nephythys It is considered the Egyptian goddess protector of the dead.

15. Osiris

One of the most important gods, he was the first king of Egypt. It was assumed that it was he who brought civilization to the human race. Raised by his wife Isis, he thus became the god of the underworld and the chief judge of death.

16. ra

He was the supreme god of the sun, depicted as a falcon-headed man. Every night he traveled to the underworlds to fight evil and chaos, and at dawn he was reborn. The Egyptian kings claimed to be direct descendants of Ra, which is why they called themselves “Sons of Ra”.

17. Seth

He was the son of Geb and Nut, brother of Osiris. He was considered the god of darkness, confusion, and chaos. He was depicted as a man with a long-snouted head and long ears, possibly the skull of an aardvark. Seth killed his brother and he stole the throne of Egypt, and most of the gods hated him. Horus managed to kill Seth, in what was considered the battle between good and evil.

18. Tefnut

Goddess of moisture and corrosion, she was the wife of Shu and mother of Nut and Geb. Along with her husband, she was the first god created by Atum. She has been depicted in two ways: woman with the head of a lion or like a lioness.

19. ptah

He was considered to be the creator of the world through his thoughts and prayers, and therefore he was considered the creator god. Ptah was related to the craftsmen and had a temple in his honor.

20. nefertum

According to Egyptian mythology, it was first a lotus flower that existed during the creation of the world and arose from the source of life. He was considered the son of the creator god, Ptah, and the goddess Sekhmet.. He was typically depicted as a handsome and stocky young man.

21. Mehen

Egyptian god represented by a large snake, he was also considered another protective deity. She made inroads with the god Ra during his nocturnal descent into darkness (remember that Ra was a protector of good).

22. Khonsu

His name means "traveller", perhaps related to the trip he made to the moon every night. This god had a major role in the creation of life and creatures. In this way he was considered the god of the moon.

23. Khnum

He is one of the oldest Egyptian gods in mythology, and is depicted as a ram-headed man. Originally considered the source of the Nile River, he was also considered the creator of children making them out of mud to introduce them into the wombs of their mothers.

24. Ishtar

She was the goddess of love, fertility, sex, war, and power. She was the daughter of Anu. It is believed that she was the divine personification of the planet Venus.

25. khepri

This Egyptian god is the favorite of science fiction novels and movies. He was related to the blue beetle. Khepri symbolizes creation and rebirth. He was drawn as a man with the head of a beetle.