Religion Gods and Goddesses of Ancient

Egypt

Creation StoryOnly the ocean existed at first. Then Ra (the sun) came out of an egg that appeared on the surface of the water. Ra brought forth four children: the gods Shu and Geb and the goddesses Tefnut and Nut. Shu and Tefnut became the atmosphere. They stood on Geb who became the earth, and raised up Nut who became the sky. Ra ruled over all.

Geb and Nut later had two sons, Set(h) and Osiris, and two daughters Isis and Nephthys. Osiris succeeded Ra as king of the earth, helped by Isis, his sister-wife. Seth, however, hated his brother and killed him. Isis then embalmed her husband’s body with the help of the god Anubis, who thus became the god of embalming. The powerful charms of Isis resurrected Osiris, who became king of the netherworld, the land of the dead. Horus, who was the son of Osiris and Isis, later defeated Seth in a great battle and became king of the earth.

Ra / ReAppearance: A pharaoh wearing a sun

disk on his head

• almost universally worshipped as king of all the Egyptian gods

• he was a sun god that rode a chariot through the sky during the day

• he is only god said not to be a part of the earth but ages (grows old)

• becomes tired and decides to rule over the sky and leave earth to children

Amun• Worshipped at Thebes but by the

New Kingdom had become the most prominent god in all of Egypt

• closely associated with the ram, symbol of fertility

• can appear with various animal heads but when shown as king, he has two plumes and often sits on throne

• in New Kingdom, unites with god Re to become Amun-Re

• remains independent of the created universe

IsisAppearance: a beautiful woman

wearing magnificent clothes •called god-mother or giver of

life• taught man the secrets of

medicine, agriculture, and magic

•wife and sister of Osiris and mother of Horus

•protector of all females, children, and life

•most universally worshipped god of ancient Egypt

OsirisAppearance: green skinned

man dressed like a pharaoh. Mummified. Ram horns on hat

• Was lord of the earth/agriculture but after being murdered by brother, Set, becomes the god of the underworld and judge of souls

•Isis resurrected Osiris using what is now known as the Book of the Dead

HorusAppearance: falcon head on

human or body of lion/ sphynx

• god of rulers, law, young men, war

• Pharaohs were considered to be Horus’ physical manifestation/ avatar

• son of Osiris and Isis.• avenges death of father by

killing Set.

SetAppearance: Man with the

head of a jackal-like animal• god of winds, storms, chaos,

evil, darkness, strength, war, conflict

• not really worshipped just a figurehead for all things evil

• brother of Osiris and Isis. Killer of Osiris

AnubisAppearance: A man with the black head of a jackal-like animal. He is rarely shown fully-human

• very ancient god- was god of underworld before Osiris

• He watches over the mummification process to ensure that all is done properly.

• He conducts the souls through the underworld, testing them

• He places their heart on the Scales of Justice during the Judging of the Heart, and he feeds the souls of wicked people to Ammit

Ma’atAppearance: A woman wearing a crown with a huge ostrich feather

• maintains the order of the universe. Creates laws and metes out justice

• heart of dead is weighed against the feather of Ma’at to judge worthiness

• all gods defer to her