Ancient Egyptian gods information. All interesting in art and beyond

In ancient Egypt, there were a very large number of gods. Each city had its own pantheon or ennead- 9 main deities that people worshiped. However, for the first time such an ennead appeared in the city of Heliopolis (Heliopolis). It has been known since the time of the Early Kingdom, that is, from the origins of Egyptian civilization.

The priests who lived in this city were considered the most influential and powerful. It was they who named the very first nine deities. Therefore, it is believed that the main gods ancient egypt originated in Heliopolis, and the pantheon itself began to be called heliopolis or great ennead. Below is a list of the supreme deities and their brief description.

God Ra

This is the supreme ancient Egyptian deity. It personified the sun. After the creation of the world, Ra began to reign over him, and this was the most fertile time for people. The power of the god was in his mysterious name. Other celestials wanted to know this name in order to gain the same power, but the sun god did not tell anyone.

A very long time passed, and Ra grew old. He lost his vigilance and gave his mysterious name to his great-granddaughter Isis. After that, a period of chaos ensued, and people stopped obeying the supreme deity. Then the sun god decided to leave the earth and go to heaven.

But he did not forget the people and continued to take care of them. Every morning he boarded a boat called Atet, and the sun disk shone over his head. In this boat, Ra sailed through the sky and illuminated the earth from dawn until noon. Then, between noon and dusk, he transferred to another boat called Sektet and went to the underworld in it to illuminate the ordeals of the afterlife.

In this mournful place, the sun god met every night with huge kite Apophis, personifying evil and darkness. A battle began between Ra and the serpent, and the sun god was always the winner. But evil and darkness were reborn by the next night, and the battle was repeated again.

The ancient Egyptians depicted the god Ra with the body of a man and the head of a falcon, which was crowned with a solar disk. On it lay the goddess Wajit in the form of a cobra. She was considered the patroness of Lower Egypt and its pharaohs. This god had other names in some religious centers. In Thebes he was called Amon-Ra, in Elephantine Khnum-Ra. But this did not change the main essence of the solar deity, who had the status of the main god of Ancient Egypt.

God Shu

This deity represented air space illuminated by the sun. Shu was the son of Ra, and when he ascended to heaven, he began to reign in his place. He ruled the sky, earth, mountains, winds, seas. As the millennia passed, Shu also ascended to heaven. According to its status, it was considered the second after Ra.

In some images, he was shown as a man with a lion's head. He sat on a throne carried by lions. But there are many more images of the god of air in the form ordinary person with a pen in my head. It symbolized the goddess of truth, Maat.

Goddess Tefnut

This deity also belonged to the main gods of Ancient Egypt. Tefnut is the goddess of heat and moisture. She was the daughter of the god Ra and was the wife sibling Shu. The husband and wife were twins. But even before the marriage, the god Ra removed his daughter to Nubia, having quarreled with her, and a drought set in Egypt. Then the sun god returned his daughter, and she married Shu.

The return of Tefnut and her marriage became a symbol of the flowering of nature. Most often, the goddess was depicted as a man with the head of a lioness and a fiery disk above his head. The disk indicated her connection with the father of Ra, since the daughter was considered his fiery eye. When the sun god appeared early in the morning on the horizon, the fiery eye shone in his forehead and burned all enemies and ill-wishers.

God Geb

Geb is the god of the earth, the son of Shu and Tefnut. He married sister Nut - the goddess of the sky - and this couple had children: Osiris, Isis, Set, Nephthys. It is noteworthy that Geb constantly quarreled with Nut, who before dawn ate her children - heavenly bodies, but again gave birth to them on the eve of twilight.

These quarrels tired Shu's father, and he separated the spouses. He lifted chickpeas high into the sky, and left Hebe on the ground. He reigned after his father, and then transferred his power to his son Osiris. He was often portrayed as a human. Green colour sitting on a throne with a royal crown on his head.

Goddess Nut

Nut is the goddess of the sky, the daughter of Shu and Tefnut, the sister and wife of Geb. She was the mother of Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys. In the morning, the sky goddess swallowed the stars, and in the late evening she gave birth to them, thus symbolizing the change of day and night. She had an inextricable connection with the world of the dead.

She raised the dead into the sky and guarded the tombs of the dead. Depicted as a woman with a curved body. It stretched across the horizon and touched the ground with the tips of its fingers and toes. Often, under the curved body of Nut, Geb was depicted lying on the ground.

I must say that the main gods of Ancient Egypt would have lost a lot without Osiris. He was the great-great-grandson of the god Ra and ruled the earth after his father Geb. During his reign, he taught people many things. useful things. He married his own sister Isis, and Seth and Nephthys were his brother and sister. But Seth, who lived in the south of Egypt in the desert, began to envy his successful brother, killed him and appropriated royal power.

Set not only killed, but dismembered the body of Osiris into 14 pieces and scattered them across the lands of Egypt. But the faithful wife Isis found all the pieces, put them together and called a guide to the underworld of Anubis. He made a mummy from the body of Osiris, which became the first in Egypt. After that, Isis turned into a female kite, spread herself over the body of her husband and brother, and became pregnant from him. Thus was born Horus, who became the last of the gods who ruled the earth. After him, power passed to the pharaohs.

Horus defeated Set, sent him back south into the desert, and revived his father with his left eye. After that, he remained to rule on earth, and Osiris began to reign in the afterlife. God was depicted as a man in white clothes and with a green face. In his hands he held a flail and a scepter, and a crown crowned his head.

Isis (Isis) was extremely popular in ancient Egypt, was considered the goddess of fertility, symbolized motherhood and femininity. She was the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. The Egyptians believed that the Nile flooded when Isis cries, mourning Osiris, who left her and left to rule the kingdom of the dead.

The significance of this goddess increased significantly during the Middle Kingdom, when funerary texts began to be used not only by the pharaohs and their families, but also by all other inhabitants of Egypt. Isis was depicted as a man with a throne on his head, which personified the power of the pharaohs.

Seth (Seth) - younger son Hebe and Nut, brother of Osiris, Isis and Nephthys. He married the latter. He was born on the third New Year's Day, jumping out of his mother's side. The ancient Egyptians considered this day unlucky, therefore, until the day ended, they did nothing. Set was considered the god of war, chaos and sandstorms. He personified evil, which is similar to Satan. Killing Osiris a short time reigned on earth until he was overthrown by Horus. After that, he ended up in the desert in the south of Egypt, from where he sent sandstorms to fertile lands.

Set was depicted as a man with the head of an aardvark or a donkey. It had long ears and a red mane in many depictions. Sometimes this god was given red eyes. This color symbolized the sand of the desert and death. The pig was considered a sacred animal of the god of sandstorms. Therefore, pigs were classified as unclean animals.

The youngest of the children of Geb and Nut, named Nephthys, also belonged to the main gods of Ancient Egypt. She was born on the last day of the year. The ancient Egyptians saw this goddess as the complement of Isis. She was considered the goddess of creation, which permeates the entire world. Nephthys ruled over everything ephemeral, which could not be seen, touched or smelled. She had a connection with the world of the dead, and at night accompanied Ra in his voyage through the underworld.

She was considered the wife of Seth, but did not have pronounced negative traits characteristic of her husband. They portrayed this goddess in a human female form. Her head was crowned with a hieroglyph denoting the name of the goddess. She was depicted on sarcophagi as a woman with wings, symbolizing the protector of the dead.

The mythology of Ancient Egypt is interesting and it is connected to a greater extent with numerous gods. people for everyone important event or natural phenomenon invented their patron, but they differed outward signs and .

Major gods of ancient Egypt

The religion of the country is distinguished by the presence of numerous beliefs, which directly affected appearance gods, which in most cases are presented as a hybrid of man and animal. Egyptian gods and their meaning for people great value, which is confirmed by numerous temples, statues and images. Among them, one can single out the main deities who were responsible for important aspects of the life of the Egyptians.

Egyptian god Amon Ra

In ancient times, this deity was depicted as a man with a ram's head, or completely in the form of an animal. In his hands he holds a cross with a noose, which symbolizes life and immortality. It united the gods of Ancient Egypt Amon and Ra, so it has the power and influence of both. He was kind to people, helping them in difficult situations, therefore, was presented as a caring and fair creator of all things.

And Amon illuminated the earth, moving across the sky along the river, and at night changing to the underground Nile in order to return to their home. People believed that every day at exactly midnight he fights with a huge snake. Amon Ra was considered the main patron of the pharaohs. In mythology, you can see that the cult of this god is constantly changing its significance, then falling, then rising.

Egyptian god Osiris

In ancient Egypt, the deity was represented in the form of a man wrapped in a shroud, which added to the resemblance to a mummy. Osiris was the ruler of the underworld, so a crown always crowned his head. According to the mythology of Ancient Egypt, this was the first king of this country, therefore, in the hands are symbols of power - a whip and a scepter. His skin is black and this color symbolizes rebirth and new life. Osiris is always accompanied by a plant, such as a lotus, a vine and a tree.

The Egyptian god of fertility is multifaceted, meaning Osiris performed many duties. He was revered as the patron of vegetation and the productive forces of nature. Osiris was considered the main patron and protector of people, and also the lord of the underworld, who judged dead people. Osiris taught people to cultivate the land, grow grapes, treat various diseases and perform other important work.

Egyptian God Anubis

The main feature of this deity is the body of a man with the head of a black dog or jackal. This animal was not chosen at all by chance, the thing is that the Egyptians often saw it in cemeteries, which is why they were associated with the afterlife. In some images, Anubis is represented entirely in the form of a wolf or a jackal, which lies on a chest. In ancient Egypt, the jackal-headed god of the dead had several important responsibilities.

1. He protected the graves, so people often carved prayers to Anubis on the tombs.
2. He took part in the embalming of gods and pharaohs. Many depictions of the mummification process featured a priest wearing a dog mask.
3. Guide of dead souls to the afterlife. In ancient Egypt, it was believed that Anubis escorted people to the court of Osiris.

He weighed the heart of a dead person to determine whether the soul was worthy to go to the afterlife. A heart is placed on the scales on one side, and the goddess Maat in the form of an ostrich feather on the other.

egyptian god set

They represented a deity with a human body and the head of a mythical animal, which combines a dog and a tapir. Another one distinguishing feature- heavy wig Seth is the brother of Osiris and, in the understanding of the ancient Egyptians, is the god of evil. He was often depicted with the head of a sacred animal - a donkey. Seth was considered the personification of war, drought and death. All troubles and misfortunes were attributed to this god of Ancient Egypt. He was not renounced only because he was considered the main protector of Ra during the night fight with the serpent.

Egyptian God Horus

This deity has several incarnations, but the most famous is a man with a falcon's head, on which there is certainly a crown. Its symbol is the sun with outstretched wings. The Egyptian god of the sun during the fight lost his eye, which became an important sign in mythology. It is a symbol of wisdom, clairvoyance and eternal life. In ancient Egypt, the Eye of Horus was worn as an amulet.

According to ancient beliefs, Horus was revered as a predatory deity who dug into his victim with falcon claws. There is another myth where he moves across the sky in a boat. The sun god Horus helped resurrect Osiris, for which he received the throne in gratitude and became the ruler. He was patronized by many gods, teaching magic and various wisdom.

Egyptian God Geb

Several original images found by archaeologists have survived to this day. Geb is the patron of the earth, which the Egyptians sought to convey in an external image: the body is elongated, like a plain, arms raised up - the personification of the slopes. In ancient Egypt, he was represented with his wife Nut, the patroness of heaven. Although there are many drawings, there is not much information about the powers and purposes of Geb. The god of the earth in Egypt was the father of Osiris and Isis. There was a whole cult, which included people who worked in the fields to protect themselves from hunger and ensure a good harvest.

Egyptian God Thoth

The deity was represented in two guises and in ancient times, it was an ibis bird with a long curved beak. He was considered a symbol of dawn and a harbinger of abundance. AT late period Thoth was represented as a baboon. There are gods of Ancient Egypt who live among people and include the One who was the patron of wisdom and helped everyone to learn science. It was believed that he taught the Egyptians how to write, count, and also created a calendar.

Thoth is the god of the moon and through its phases he was associated with various astronomical and astrological observations. This was the reason for the transformation into a deity of wisdom and magic. Thoth was considered the founder of numerous rites of religious content. In some sources, he is ranked among the deities of time. In the pantheon of the gods of ancient Egypt, Thoth took the place of the scribe, the vizier of Ra and the secretary of court affairs.

Egyptian god Aten

The deity of the solar disk, which was represented with rays in the form of palms, stretching to the earth and people. This is what distinguished him from other humanoid gods. The most famous image is presented on the back of the throne of Tutankhamun. There is an opinion that the cult of this deity influenced the formation and development of Jewish monotheism. This sun god in Egypt combines male and female features at the same time. In ancient times, another term was used - "silver of the Aten", which denoted the moon.

Egyptian god Ptah

The deity was represented as a man who, unlike others, did not wear a crown, and his head was covered with a headdress that looked like a helmet. Like other gods of ancient Egypt associated with the earth (Osiris and Sokar), Ptah is clothed in a shroud, which bared only his hands and head. External similarity led to the fact that there was a merger into one common deity Ptah-Sokar-Osiris. The Egyptians considered him a beautiful god, but many archaeological finds refute this opinion, since portraits have been found where he is represented in the form of a dwarf trampling animals underfoot.

Ptah is the patron of the city of Memphis, where there was a myth that he created everything on earth with the power of thought and the word, so he was considered the creator. He had a connection with the earth, the burial place of the dead and sources of fertility. Another purpose of Ptah is the Egyptian god of art, which is why he was considered a blacksmith and sculptor of mankind, and also the patron of artisans.

Egyptian God Apis

The Egyptians had many sacred animals, but the most revered was the bull - Apis. He had a real incarnation and he was credited with 29 signs that were known only to the priests. According to them, the birth of a new god in the form of a black bull was determined, and this was a famous holiday of Ancient Egypt. The bull was settled in the temple and was surrounded by divine honors throughout his life. Once a year, before the start of agricultural work, Apis was harnessed, and the pharaoh plowed a furrow. This provided a good harvest in the future. After the death of the bull, they solemnly buried it.

Apis, the god of Egypt, patronizing fertility, was depicted with a snow-white skin with several black spots, and their number was strictly determined. He is presented with different necklaces, which corresponded to different festive rites. Between the horns is the solar disk of the god Ra. Apis could also take human form with the head of a bull, but such a representation was common in the Late Period.

pantheon of egyptian gods

Since its inception ancient civilization there was a belief in Higher power. The pantheon was inhabited by gods who had different abilities. They did not always treat people favorably, so the Egyptians built temples in their honor, brought gifts and prayed. The pantheon of the gods of Egypt has more than two thousand names, but less than a hundred of them can be attributed to the main group. Some deities were worshiped only in certain regions or tribes. Another important point- the hierarchy could change depending on the dominant political force.

The main monuments that reflected the mythological ideas of the Egyptians are a variety of religious texts: hymns and prayers to the gods, records of funeral rites on the walls of tombs...

Egyptian gods

amon

Amon ("hidden", "hidden"), in Egyptian mythology, the god of the sun. The sacred animal of Amun is the ram and the goose (both symbols of wisdom). God was depicted as a man (sometimes with a ram's head), with a scepter and a crown, with two high feathers and a solar disk. The cult of Amun originated in Thebes and then spread throughout Egypt. Amon's wife, the sky goddess Mut, and son, the moon god Khonsu, formed the Theban triad with him. During the Middle Kingdom, Amon began to be called Amon-Ra, since the cults of the two deities united, acquiring a state character. Amun later acquired the status of a beloved and especially revered god of the pharaohs, and during the Eighteenth Dynasty of the pharaohs was declared the head of the Egyptian gods. Amon-Ra gave victories to the pharaoh and was considered his father. Amon was also revered as a wise, omniscient god, "the king of all gods", a heavenly intercessor, a protector of the oppressed ("a vizier for the poor").

Anubis

Anubis, in Egyptian mythology, the god - the patron of the dead, the son of the god of vegetation Osiris and Nephthys, the sister of Isis. Nephthys hid the newborn Anubis from her husband Seth in the swamps of the Nile Delta. The mother goddess Isis found the young god and raised him.
Later, when Set killed Osiris, Anubis, organizing the burial of the deceased god, wrapped his body in fabrics soaked in a special composition, thus making the first mummy. Therefore, Anubis is considered the creator of funeral rites and is called the god of embalming. Anubis also helped judge the dead and accompanied the righteous to the throne of Osiris. Anubis was depicted as a black jackal or wild dog Sab (or a man with the head of a jackal or a dog).
The center of the cult of Anubis is the city of the 17th nome Kas (Greek Kinopol - "dog city").

Apis

Apis, in Egyptian mythology, the god of fertility in the form of a bull with a solar disk. Memphis was the center of the Apis cult. Apis was considered the Ba (soul) of the god Ptah, the patron saint of Memphis, as well as the sun god Ra. The living embodiment of the god was a black bull with special white marks. The Egyptians believed that the ritual run of the sacred bull fertilizes the fields. Apis was associated with the cult of the dead and was considered the bull of Osiris. On sarcophagi, Apis was often depicted running with a mummy on his back. Under the Ptolemies, there was a complete merger of Apis and Osiris in a single deity Serapis. To keep the sacred bulls in Memphis, not far from the temple of Ptah, a special Apeion was built. The cow that gave birth to Apis was also revered and kept in a special building. In the event of the death of a bull, the whole country was plunged into mourning, and his burial and the choice of a successor were considered important. public affairs. Apis was embalmed and buried according to a special ritual in a special crypt of the Serapenium near Memphis.

Apop

Apep, in Egyptian mythology, a gigantic serpent, personifying darkness and evil, the eternal enemy of the sun god Ra. Apop lived in the depths of the earth, where his struggle with Ra took place. Every night, Apep lay in wait for Ra, sailing in a solar boat along the underground Nile, and drank all the water from the river. In the nightly battle with Apophis, Ra always came out victorious and forced the monster to vomit water back.
In another myth, Ra, in the form of a red cat, cut off the head of the serpent Apep under the sacred symokor, the tree of life, of the city of Heliopolis. Later, the Egyptians considered Apep the image of the evil god of the desert, Seth.

Aton

Aten ("disk of the sun"), in Egyptian mythology, the god is the personification of the solar disk. The heyday of the cult of this god dates back to the reign of Amenhotep IV (1368 - 1351 BC). At the beginning of his reign, Aten acted as the embodiment of all the main gods of the sun. Amenhotep IV then declared the Aten one god all of Egypt, forbidding the worship of other gods. He changed his name Amenhotep ("Amon is pleased") to Akhenaten ("pleasing to the Aten" or "useful to the Aten"). The pharaoh himself, who considered himself his son, became the high priest of the god. Aten was depicted as a solar disk with rays that ended in hands holding the ankh sign of life, a symbol of the fact that life was given to people, animals and plants by Aton. It was believed that the sun-god is present in every object and living being. Aten was depicted as a solar disk, the rays of which end in open palms.

Geb

Geb, in Egyptian mythology, the god of the earth, the son of the air god Shu and the goddess of moisture Tefnut. Geb quarreled with his sister and wife Nut ("heaven"), as she daily ate her children - heavenly bodies, and then gave birth to them again. Shu separated the couple. He left Geb below, and lifted Nut up. The children of Geb were Osiris, Seth, Isis, Nephthys. The soul (Ba) of Hebe was embodied in Khnum, the god of fertility. The ancients believed that Geb is kind: he protects the living and the dead from snakes living in the earth, people need plants, which is why he was sometimes depicted with a green face. Geb was associated with the underworld of the dead, and his title "prince of princes" gave him the right to be considered the ruler of Egypt. Geb's heir is Osiris, from him the throne passed to Horus, and the pharaohs, who considered their power as given by the gods, were considered the successors and servants of Horus.

Gore

Horus, Horus ("height", "sky"), in Egyptian mythology, the god of the sky and the sun in the guise of a falcon, a man with the head of a falcon or a winged sun, the son of the fertility goddess Isis and Osiris, the god of productive forces. His symbol is a solar disk with outstretched wings. Initially, the falcon god was revered as a predatory god of hunting, claws digging into prey. According to the myth, Isis conceived Horus from the dead Osiris, who was treacherously killed by the formidable god of the desert, Seth, his brother. Having retired deep into the swampy Nile Delta, Isis gave birth and raised a son, who, having matured, in a dispute with Seth, seeks to recognize himself as the sole heir of Osiris. In the battle with Seth, the killer of his father, Horus is first defeated - Seth tore out his eye, the wonderful Eye, but then Horus defeated Seth and deprived him of his masculinity. As a sign of submission, he placed the sandal of Osiris on Set's head. He gave his wonderful Eye of Horus to be swallowed by his father, and he came to life. The resurrected Osiris gave his throne in Egypt to Horus, and he himself became the king of the underworld.

Min

Min, in Egyptian mythology, the god of fertility, the "producer of crops", who was depicted with a standing phallus and a raised whip in his right hand, as well as in a crown adorned with two long feathers. It is believed that Ming was originally revered as a creator god, but in ancient times he began to be worshiped as the god of roads and the protector of those wandering through the desert. The Ming was also considered the protector of the harvest. The main holiday in his honor was called the Feast of the Steps. Sitting on his step, the god accepted the first sheaf cut by the pharaoh himself.
Ming, as the "lord of the deserts", was also the patron of foreigners; patron of Coptos. Ming patronized the reproduction of livestock, therefore he was also revered as the god of cattle breeding.

Nun

Nun, in Egyptian mythology, the embodiment of the water element, which existed at the dawn of time and contained the life force. In the image of Nun, ideas about water as a river, sea, rain, etc. are merged. Nun and his wife Naunet, personifying the sky across which the sun swims at night, were the first pair of gods, all the gods descended from them: Atum, Hapi, Khnum , as well as Khepri and others. It was believed that Nun headed the council of the gods, where the lioness goddess Hathor-Sekhmet was entrusted with punishing people who plotted evil against the solar god Ra.

Osiris

Osiris, in Egyptian mythology, the god of the productive forces of nature, the lord of the underworld, the judge in the realm of the dead. Osiris was the eldest son of the earth god Geb and the sky goddess Nut, the brother and husband of Isis. He reigned on earth after the gods Pa, Shu and Geb and taught the Egyptians agriculture, viticulture and winemaking, mining and processing of copper and gold ore, medical art, city building, and established the cult of the gods. Set, his brother, the evil god of the desert, decided to kill Osiris and made a sarcophagus according to the measurements of his elder brother. Having arranged a feast, he invited Osiris and announced that the sarcophagus would be presented to the one who would fit. When Osiris lay down in the capcophagus, the conspirators slammed the lid, filled it with lead and threw it into the waters of the Nile. The faithful wife of Osiris, Isis, found the body of her husband, miraculously extracted the life force hidden in it and conceived from the dead Osiris a son named Horus. When Horus grew up, he took revenge on Set. Horus gave his magical Eye, torn out by Set at the beginning of the battle, to be swallowed by his dead father. Osiris came to life, but did not want to return to earth, and, leaving the throne to Horus, began to reign and judge in the afterlife. Usually Osiris was depicted as a man with green skin, sitting among the trees, or with a vine wrapped around his figure. It was believed that, like everything flora, Osiris dies annually and is reborn to a new life, but the fertilizing life force it persists even in the dead.

Ptah

Ptah, in Egyptian mythology, the creator god, patron of arts and crafts, especially revered in Memphis. Ptah created the first eight gods (his incarnations - Ptah), the world and everything that exists in it (animals, plants, people, cities, temples, crafts, arts, etc.) "with language and heart." Having conceived the creation in his heart, he expressed his thoughts in words. Sometimes Ptah was called the father of even such gods as Ra and Osiris. The wife of Ptah was the goddess of war Sekhmet, the son was Nefertum, the god of vegetation. In Greek mythology, Hephaestus most closely matches it. Ptah was depicted as a mummy with an open head, with a rod standing on a hieroglyph meaning truth.

Ra

Ra, Re, in Egyptian mythology, the god of the sun, embodied in the form of a falcon, a huge cat or a man with a falcon head crowned with a solar disk. Ra, god of the sun, was the father of Wajit, the cobra of the North, which protected the pharaoh from the scorching rays of the sun. According to the myth, during the day, the beneficent Ra, illuminating the earth, sails along the celestial Nile in the Mandzhet barque, in the evening he transfers to the Mesektet barque and continues his journey along the underground Nile in it, and in the morning, having defeated the Apep serpent in a nightly battle, reappears on the horizon. A number of myths about Ra are associated with the Egyptians' ideas about the change of seasons. The spring flowering of nature heralded the return of the goddess of moisture Tefnut, the fiery Eye shining on the forehead of Ra, and her marriage to Shu. The summer heat was explained by the anger of Ra on people. According to the myth, when Ra grew old, and people stopped revering him and even "planned evil deeds against him," Ra immediately gathered a council of the gods, headed by Nun (or Atum), at which it was decided to punish the human race. The goddess Sekhmet (Hathor), in the form of a lioness, killed and devoured people until, by cunning, she was able to drink barley beer red as blood. Intoxicated, the goddess fell asleep and forgot about revenge, and Ra, having proclaimed Geb as his viceroy on earth, climbed onto the back of a heavenly cow and from there continued to rule the world. The ancient Greeks identified Ra with Helios.

Sobek

Sobek, Sebek, in Egyptian mythology, the god of water and the flood of the Nile, whose sacred animal was the crocodile. He was depicted as a crocodile or as a man with the head of a crocodile. The center of his cult is the city of Khatnecher-Sobek (Greek: Krokodilopol), the capital of Fayum. It was believed that in the lake adjoining the main sanctuary of Sobek, the crocodile Petsukhos was kept, as a living embodiment of God. Admirers of Sobek, who sought his protection, drank water from the lake and fed delicacies to the crocodile. In the II millennium BC. e. many kings called themselves Sebekhotep, that is, "Sebek is pleased." It is believed that the ancients perceived Sebek as the main deity, giving fertility and abundance, as well as the protector of people and gods. According to some myths, the evil god Set took refuge in the body of Sobek to avoid punishment for the murder of Osiris. Sobek is sometimes considered the son of Neith, the great mother of the gods, the goddess of war, hunting, water and the sea, who is also credited with the birth of the terrible serpent Apep.

Set

Seth, in Egyptian mythology, the god of the desert, that is, "foreign countries", the personification of the evil inclination, the brother and murderer of Osiris, one of the four children of the earth god Geb and Nut, the goddess of heaven. The sacred animals of Set were considered a pig ("abomination for the gods"), an antelope, a giraffe, and the donkey was the main one. The Egyptians imagined him as a man with a thin long torso and a donkey's head. Some myths attributed to Set the salvation of Ra from the serpent Apep - Set pierced the giant Apep, personifying darkness and evil, with a harpoon. At the same time, Set also embodied the evil principle - as the deity of the merciless desert, the god of strangers: he cut down sacred trees, ate the sacred cat of the goddess Bast, etc. In Greek mythology, Set was identified with Typhon, a dragon-headed serpent, and was considered the son of Gaia and Tartar.

That

God Thoth, weighing the soul. Drawing from the "Book of the Dead" by Hunifer, ca. 1320 BC

Thoth, Dzhehuti, in Egyptian mythology, the god of the moon, wisdom, counting and writing, the patron of sciences, scribes, sacred books, the creator of the calendar. The goddess of truth and order, Maat, was considered the wife of Thoth. The sacred animal of Thoth was the ibis, and therefore the god was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis. The Egyptians associated the arrival of the ibis-Thoth with the seasonal floods of the Nile. When Thoth returned Tefnut (or Hathor, as one of the myths says) to Egypt, nature flourished. He, identified with the moon, was considered the heart of the god Ra and was depicted behind the Pa-sun, since he was reputed to be his night substitute. Thoth was credited with creating the entire intellectual life of Egypt. "Lord of time", he divided it into years, months, days and kept track of them. Wise Thoth wrote down the birthdays and deaths of people, kept chronicles, and also created writing and taught the Egyptians counting, writing, mathematics, medicine and other sciences.

It is known that his daughter or sister (wife) was the goddess of writing Seshat; Thoth's attribute is the scribe's palette. Under his patronage were all the archives and the famous library of Hermopol, the center of the cult of Thoth. God "ruled all languages" and was himself considered the language of the god Ptah. As a vizier and scribe of the gods, Thoth was present at the trial of Osiris and recorded the results of weighing the soul of the deceased. Since Thoth participated in the justification of Osiris and gave the order for his embalming, he took part in the funeral ritual of every deceased Egyptian and led him to the kingdom of the dead. On this basis, Thoth is identified with the Greek herald of the gods, Hermes, who was considered a psychopomp ("leader of the soul"). He was often depicted with a baboon, one of his sacred animals.

Khonsu

Khonsu ("passing"), in Egyptian mythology, the god of the moon, the god of time and its measurement, the son of Amon and the sky goddess Mut. Khonsu was also revered as the god of travel. On the images of Khonsu that have come down to us, we most often see a young man with a sickle and a moon disk on his head, sometimes he appears in the guise of a child god with a finger at his mouth and a “curl of youth”, which the boys wore on the side of their heads until adulthood. The center of the cult of Khonsu is Thebes, in Karnak was his main temple.

Khnum

Khnum ("creator"), in Egyptian mythology, the god of fertility, the creator who created the world from clay on his potter's wheel. He is often depicted as a man with a ram's head, sitting in front of a potter's wheel, on which stands a figurine of a creature he has just created. It was believed that Khnum created gods, people, and also controlled the floods of the Nile. According to one of the legends, the scientist and sage Imhotep, a dignitary and architect of Pharaoh Djoser (III millennium BC), in connection with a seven-year famine, advised Djoser to make a rich offering to the god of fertility. Pharaoh followed this advice, and Khnum appeared to him in a dream, promising to release the waters of the Nile. That year the country received a wonderful harvest.

Shu

Shu ("empty"), in Egyptian mythology, the god of air, separating heaven and earth, the son of the solar god Ra-Atum, the husband and brother of the goddess of moisture Tefnut. He was most often depicted as a man standing on one knee with his hands raised, with which he supports the sky above the earth. Shu is one of the judges of the dead in the underworld. In the myth of the return of Tefnut, the solar Eye, from Nubia, Shu, together with Thoth, having taken the form of a baboon, returned the goddess to Egypt with singing and dancing, where, after her marriage with Shu, the spring flowering of nature began.

Mythology. Encyclopedia, - M.: Belfax, 2002
Legends and myths of Ancient Egypt, - M.: Summer Garden, 2001

amon

In mythology, the ancient Egyptians is one of the gods of the sun. He was depicted as a man with a ram's head, since the sacred animals for him were a ram and a goose, which symbolized wisdom. The god Amon had a wife - the goddess Mut, and also a son - the god Khonsu. Initially, the cult of worshiping the god originated in Thebes, but gradually it began to be worshiped throughout ancient Egypt.

Anubis

This is one of the most ancient and revered gods of the ancient Egyptians. It was believed that he punishes sinners who went to hell. And it determines who should go to another world, and who should stay in the world of the living. Anubis was depicted as a man with the head of a jackal, which symbolized the protection of the dead and communication with them.

Apis

He was revered by the Egyptians as the god of fertility. Depicted in the form of a black bull with a solar circle. The cult originally originated in Memphis. During the reign of the Ptolemies, Apis and the god Osiris merged into a single god Serapis. The sacred animal of this god was considered a black bull with special white marks, for which Apeion was built. If the bull died, then in mourning was declared, and the funeral was carried out with a special ritual.

Aton

He was in ancient Egypt the deity of the solar spirit. Depicted in the form of the sun, the rays of which were open palms. There is a version that the temple of the Aten may have been located in the city of Heliopolis. For a long time he was a minor deity.

acker

One of the most ancient gods in Egyptian mythology. He was the god of the earth, the patron of the dead. He was often depicted as a lion.

Also one of the most ancient Egyptian gods. He was considered a deity of the Libyan desert. The Egyptians portrayed him as a man with a falcon's head. The sacred animal of the god was the falcon.

Beh (Buhis)

Initially, he was a god of local significance, but then became a common Egyptian deity. Depicted as a bull of a reddish or black and white suit. The cult of the god originated in the Egyptian city of Hermont. The sacred animal of the god was a white bull with black markings.

This is the ancient Egyptian god of the earth. He was depicted as a man who wore the crown of Upper or Lower Egypt on his head. God Geb was considered the god of a good beginning, who guards the living and the dead from snakes that live in the earth.

Horus (Chorus)

In ancient Egyptian mythology, it is the god of Heaven and the Sun. Most often, the Egyptians portrayed him in the form of a falcon or as a man with a falcon's head. At first it was considered a predatory god, digging its claws into its prey. Then he was considered the patron of power.

Duamutif

An ancient Egyptian god of minor importance in mythology. Initially considered one of the star-gods. It was believed that he guards and accompanies the dead, and also takes part in the embalming of bodies. They depicted God in the form of a canopy, with a jackal's head, in which the stomach of a deceased person is placed.

Isis

This is the most powerful and powerful goddess of Egyptian mythology. She is the goddess of the moon, marital fidelity, fertility and navigation. In her submission to the elements of wind and water. The Egyptians depicted Isis as a winged woman or falcon. The goddess patronized women in childbirth and was the protector of the family and children. The sacred animal of the goddess is a white cow.

Maat

She is the Egyptian goddess of justice, truth and harmony. The origin of the cult takes place in the Theban necropolis. The goddess was mostly depicted with an ostrich feather in her hair. She put this feather on the scales to determine how sinlessly the dead person lived. If the sins did not outweigh the pen, then the deceased person went to live in paradise.

The ancient Egyptian god of fertility, contributing to productivity, reproduction of people and livestock. Depicted as a man with a protruding phallus, right hand, which was raised and held by a whip. On his head was a crown with two feathers.

Later, the god Ming became the patron of trade, the protector of caravans.

Nefertum

Ancient Egyptian god of vegetation, god of spirits. He was the patron saint of perfumers. He was merciless to the enemies of the pharaohs and the enemies of Egypt. Most often depicted as a young man or child who sits in a lotus flower. His head was decorated with a lotus flower, with two feathers sticking out of it. Sometimes depicted with the head of a lion.

Ancient Egyptian sky goddess. She was associated with the cult of the dead, whom she raised to heaven and guarded their tombs. The image of Nut was often placed on the inside of the lid of the sarcophagus.

She was also called the mother of the stars, from which the gods are born. She is the mother of such gods as: Osiris, Seti, Isis, Nephthys and Horus.

An ancient Egyptian god representing the water element. It was believed that Nun and his wife Naunet were the progenitors of all the gods.

Osiris

One of major gods ancient Egyptians. He was considered the patron of productive relics, the king of the underworld, as well as a judge in the kingdom of the dead.

Tradition says that Osiris taught the Egyptian people farming, crafts, medical arts and more, so that civilization could develop.

Ptah

In the mythology of the ancient Egyptians, this is the creator god, who was the patron of crafts and arts. He was revered not only in Egypt, but also beyond its borders. The goddess of war - Sekhmet was his wife, and the god Nefertum was his son. Depicted as a man in robes with an open head, holding a staff of "truth" in his hands.

The ancient Egyptian god of the Sun, who occupies an important place in ancient Egyptian mythology. He was embodied in the form of a falcon or a man with the head of a falcon, as well as in the form of a giant cat. Portrayed as a pharaoh. There is an opinion that the cult of Ra contributed to the strengthening of power.

Also, the idea of ​​the change of day and night, the series of seasons was associated with the god Ra among the ancient Egyptians.

In mythology, the ancient Egyptians also bore the name Orion. He was considered the father of the stars and the god of the constellations. He was mentioned in the mythology of the Old Kingdom as the father of the gods. He was also considered the patron saint of dead people in the afterlife.

The star belt of Orion became the basis for compiling the calendar of the ancient Egyptians.

Sebek

In ancient Egyptian mythology, the god of Water, who, according to legend, is the incarnation of the murdered god Osiris. Basically, he was depicted in the guise of a crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile. He was the patron saint of fishermen and hunters. The domain of the god was the valley of the Nile.

The center of the cult of worship of the god Sebek in ancient Egypt was the city of Shebet. In this city there was a labyrinth temple, in which the representative of God, the crocodile, lived.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, this is the god of the desert, the god of foreign countries. It was considered the personification of an evil inclination. He was revered as a warrior god. Patronized the pharaohs. Depicted as a man with a thin body and the head of a donkey. The sacred animals were the antelope, the giraffe, the pig, and the donkey, which was the main animal among them.

Thot (Jehuti)

Ancient Egyptian god of wisdom and knowledge, the moon. God Thoth patronized sacred books, sciences and scribes. He was the conductor of the soul of a deceased person to the kingdom of the dead. The sacred animal of God was the ibis. Depicted most often with the head of an ibis. His wife was the goddess Maat.

Khonsu

Ancient Egyptian god of time and god of the moon, god of travel. He was a patron of medicine. The ancient Egyptians portrayed a man on whose head was a sickle of the moon, and in it was a lunar disk.

Khnum

The ancient Egyptians had a god of fertility, who was also considered the creator of the world. According to legend, he created the world from clay on a divine potter's wheel. In ancient times, he was depicted as a man with a ram's head, who sits at his potter's wheel, and in the circle is a creature created by God. He was the ruler of the dangerous rapids of the Nile.

The ancient Egyptian god of Air, who divided the earth and sky. As a result, he was often depicted as a seated man with his arms raised up to hold the sky.

Most of all, the god Shu was revered in the city of Leontopol.

The gods described in this article make up a very small part of the total number of gods that were revered in ancient Egypt. Everything that the Egyptians saw in nature soon began to be revered and deified. For each time of day or action of the Egyptians, a god was assigned. Often, gods revered in one city began to be revered throughout Egypt and even beyond its borders.

Ancient Egypt, in spite of everything, remains one of the most mysterious civilizations. It is still called the “gift of the Nile” and is considered the birthplace of the pyramids and the Sphinx, which fixed its eyes on the boundless sands. The past and present of this state are intertwined with threads historical events and amazing stories. Ancient Egyptian myths are a truly valuable gift that helps modern historians unravel many of the mysteries of this country's past. It is in them that the meaning of existence and their interaction with the outside world is laid.

Features of Egyptian mythology

Even without being a historian, any person is aware that the mythology of any ancient civilization is based on the worldview of a particular people. The ancient mythology of Egypt has amazing features that are contained in numerous symbols hiding behind ordinary events. It is almost impossible to understand them through a cold mind. To do this, it is necessary to take a philosophical look at what is hidden behind a string of words. What does it consist main feature these ancient tales and legends? Ancient Egyptian mythology, first of all, urged a person not to oppose ongoing events, not to go against what is now commonly called fate, because everything done contrary to the “wise order” will turn against humanity.

Heroes of the myths of ancient Egypt

The first myths in Egypt were written, or rather, told, even before the construction of the famous pyramids. They contained legends about the creation of all life on earth. In addition, the ancient mythology of Egypt contained stories about the struggle of the gods for power. Unlike many eastern peoples, the Egyptians did not like to include in myths ordinary people Therefore, their main characters have always been numerous gods. Some Egyptians revered and loved, while others were afraid or frankly afraid. At the same time, the population of Ancient Egypt was considered close to the divine principle, because, according to the same myths, the gods lived among people in ancient times, and their direct descendants became kings and took care of their people.

Gods-villains and gods-helpers

About what and about whom did the mythology of ancient Egypt tell? Gods are the main characters of similar works in many other civilizations. And ancient Egyptian is no exception. As mentioned above, the Egyptians divided all the gods into good and evil. If it was possible to “negotiate” with the former with the help of offerings, then the latter did not know mercy and could moderate their anger only after huge sacrifices were made to them in the form of human lives. It's time to remember all the higher beings that ancient Egyptian mythology has ever mentioned.

There were several supreme gods in Egypt, it depended primarily on the regions of this state. Everywhere the Egyptians revered and respected the sun god Ra, and the pharaohs were considered his children. In Thebes (Upper Egypt) he was considered to be Amon-Ra, the god of the wind and sun, while in Lower Egypt, Atum, the god of the setting sun, ruled. In Heliopolis, located in Lower Egypt, Geb, the god of the earth, was recognized as the main deity, and in Memphis - Ptah. Here is such a diversity. It is worth noting that in ancient Egyptian mythology, the sun god was not alone. In those days, the Egyptians extolled not only the luminary itself, but also the stages of its existence on earth: the morning and evening sun. In addition, the god of the solar disk Aten was perceived as a separate divine principle.

In addition to the creatures described above, the myths about the ancient gods of Egypt also mentioned other equally important and influential entities. Positive roles in this case belonged to Amat for sins), Apis (the patron of fertility and strength), and Horus (the god of dawn or the rising sun). In addition, often with positive side myths mentioned Anubis, Isis, Osiris and Ptah. The following were considered cruel and, therefore, unloved higher beings in Egypt: Sebek - the god of lakes and rivers, who could only be appeased by bringing him big sacrifices, Seth is the lord of the winds and the desert, Sekhmet is the goddess of war, cruel and merciless to all people.

Particularly interesting are the ancient Egyptian myths about heaven and earth, that is, the world. AT different centers Egypt the main role was assigned to one deity, while others were either assistants to him, or resisted and plotted. There was only one point of contact between these cosmogonistic directions - the deity Nun, symbolizing the Primordial Chaos.

Creation myths according to Heliopolis

The population of the Egyptian city of Heliopolis and its environs believed that the creation of the world, or rather, of everything that exists on earth, took place thanks to Atum. In their opinion, it was this god who was the very first creature that arose in the depths of Nun - a boundless, cold and dark substance. Not finding a solid place from which he could try to create light and heat, Atum created Ben-Ben - a hill rising in the middle of a cold lifeless ocean.

After some thought about what else to create, God decided to create Shu (the god of the wind), who could set the ocean surface in motion, and Tefnut (the goddess of world order), who was called upon to ensure that Shu did not destroy what will be created next. Nun, seeing such a miracle, endowed Shu and Tefnut with one soul for two. Since there was no light in this new world, the first gods were suddenly lost. Atum sent his Eye to search for them, which soon led his children to their ancestor. For joy, Atum shed tears, they dripped onto the earth's firmament and turned into people.

Shu and Tefnut, meanwhile, gave birth to Geb and Nut, who soon began to live as husband and wife. Soon the goddess of the sky Nut gave birth to Osiris, Set and Horus, Isis and Nephthys. The whole divine family, according to this myth, makes up the Great Nine gods of Egypt. But this is far from the only version of the order of appearance of higher beings, and hence their supremacy. The ancient mythology of Egypt contains several more stories on this subject.

Creation of the World: Memphis Cosmogony

According to the version of the creation of the world, set forth in the scrolls that were found in Memphis, the first god that arose in the depths of Nun was Ptah, representing the earth's firmament. By an effort of will, he uprooted himself from the earth and found a body. Ptah decided to create faithful helpers for himself from the same material from which he himself arose, that is, from the earth. Atum was the first to be born, who, at the behest of his father, recreated the Great Nine Gods of Egypt from the darkness of Nun. Ptah could only endow them with wisdom and power.

Theban version of the origin of the world

In Thebes, the story is somewhat different from those followed in other areas of Ancient Egypt. The first and most significant difference is the number of gods: if in other versions it was the Great Nine, then Theban suggests the presence of three supreme beings: Mina - Amon - the god of the sun, and the god of war Montu. Ming was considered the creator of the whole world. Somewhat later, Min and Amon were already presented as a single deity, symbolizing the sun, which gives light, warmth and rich harvests.

Germanic cosmogony on the origin of the world

The most numerous pantheon of the ancient Egyptian "original" gods existed in the mythological version of the creation of the world, found in Hermopolis. In the abyss of the Great Chaos (Nun), forces aimed at destruction reigned, consisting of three pairs of deities: Nisa and Niaut, symbolizing the void, Tenema and Tenemuit, denoting disappearance in darkness, and Gerech and Gerecht, the gods of night and darkness. They were opposed by four pairs of deities endowed with positive powers: Huh and Hauhet (gods of infinity), Nun and Naunet Kuk and Kauket (gods of darkness), Amon and Amaunet (invisible gods). This is the so-called Great Eight. floating for a long time in the waters of the ocean, they created an egg and placed it on the only place above the water - Fire Hill. After some time, a young Ra hatched from him, who was given the name Khepri. So there were nine gods, and they were able to start creating people.

Life after death in the myths of the Egyptians

The myths and legends of Ancient Egypt were not only devoted to the creation of the world. The faith that prevailed in this country assumed the existence of life after death. In Egyptian mythology, the underworld was a large full-flowing river, between the banks of which boats scurried. According to myths, the souls of dead people, after the extinction of the body, ended up in such a boat and made a long journey between the world of the living and the dead. Only after reaching the opposite shore, the soul of the deceased could calm down. The success of this journey was ensured by the gods: Anubis was responsible for the safety of the body before and after burial, Selket protected the souls of the dead, Sokar guarded the gates of the underworld, Upuat accompanied the souls during the journey along the River of the Dead.

Of great importance was also the preservation of the body of the deceased, for which he was mummified, preserving the internal organs in separate vessels. According to legend, a person could be reborn if all the rituals were carried out exactly as prescribed by the great wise law.

The struggle between good and evil in Egyptian myths

The ancient mythology of Egypt did not bypass such a topic as the struggle between good and evil. To date, many stories have been translated about how the gods of Egypt fought evil divine beings, which were most often represented in the form of crocodiles and hippos. The main fighter against them was, of course, the god of the Sun, and the main assistants in restoring order were the original gods - Shu, Montu, Nut and others. According to mythology, the battles of Ra with evil take place every day, and not only in the world of the living, but also in the realm of the dead.