Family Man Through The Ages

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Egyptian Gods

The Ancient Egyptians believed in many gods and goddesses, with each one having a very important role. The Ancient Egyptians believed that it was important to recognise and worship all of these gods and goddesses so that life continued smoothly.

Anubis

Appears as a man with a Jackal's Head or as a Jackal. He was the god of embalming and the guardian of the cemeteries.

Because Jackals were often seen around cemeteries, the Ancient Egyptians believed that Anubis watched over the dead. He also watched over the mummification process of people when they died, with Priests often wearing a mask of Anubis during the mummification ceremonies.

Hathor

Translated as 'House of Horus'. She appears as a woman with the ears of a cow or a woman with a headdress of horns and a sun disk.

Hathor was also a protective goddess. She was the goddess of love, joy, music and dance. Hathor was the wife of Horus, and was sometimes thought of as the mother of the pharaoh.

Isis

Appears as a woman with headdress in the shape of a throne. Isis was a protective goddess and used powerful magic spells to help people in need. Isis was the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. Since each pharaoh was considered the 'living Horus', Isis was very important.

Isis is often shown holding Horus on her lap. She is associated with thrones because her lap was the first 'throne' that Horus sat upon.

Horus

One translation of this name is 'The One Far Above'. He appears as a man with the head of a Hawk.

Horus was the god of the sky and most people recognise him as the protector of the ruler of Egypt. The Egyptians believed that the Pharaohs were the 'living Horus' and worshipped them like a god. It is believed that Horus had to fight with his uncle, Seth, for the throne of Egypt and in the battle he lost an eye. The eye was restored to him and it became a symbol of protection to the Egyptians. Horus won the battle to gain the throne and became the ruler of the world of the living.

Amun

He appeared as a man with a ram's head or a man wearing an ostrich plumed crown. Amun was one of the most powerful gods in Ancient Egypt.

At the height of Egyptian civilisation he was called the 'King of the Gods'. Amun was important throughout the history of Ancient Egypt however, when Amun was combined with the sun god Ra he was even more powerful. He was then called Amun-Ra.

Khepri

Translates to 'He who is coming into being'. He appears as a man with the head of a scarab. Khepri was a sun god of creation and rebirth.

Scarab beetles lay their eggs in dung and when they are ready to hatch they crawl out of the dung ball. The Ancient Egyptians believed these beetles had appeared from nowhere in the same way as their creator god had appeared from nowhere. They therefore believed that the scarab beetle was special.

Osiris

appeared as a mummified man wearing a white crown with feathers called the Atef.

Osiris was the god of the dead, and ruler of the Underworld. As well as being a god of the dead, Osiris was a god of resurrection and fertility. In fact, the Ancient Egyptians believed that Osiris gave them the gift of barley, one of their most important crops.

Ra

Translates to 'Sun'. He appears as a man with hawk's head and headdress with a sun disk.

Ra was a sun god and he was one of the most important gods of the Ancient Egyptians. He sailed across the heavens in a boat called the 'Barque of Millions of Years'. At the end of each day Ra was thought to die and sail on through the Underworld, leaving behind the Moon to light the world above. At the next dawn he was born again.

Thoth

He appears as a man with the head of an ibis holding a writing palette. (The ibis is a bird with a long beak which it uses for prodding the mud to find small fish. It was a symbol of wisdom and learning because it has a beak shaped like a pen which it dips in the mud as if it was ink.)

Thoth was the god of Wisdom, Time, Writing and the Moon. The Ancient Egyptians believed that Thoth gave them the gift of writing. He was the measurer of the earth, the counter of the stars and the keeper and recorder of all knowledge.

Seth

He appeared as a man with the head of a strange animal representing chaos and evil. He was the god of chaos.

Seth represented everything that threatened harmony in Egypt. He was the brother of Osiris and Isis, as well as the brother/husband of Nepthys. He murdered his brother Osiris, and then battled with his nephew Horus to be the ruler of the living.

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