The Ancient Egyptians provided the world with one of the best known and most complex pantheons in existence! There are over one-hundred Egyptian pantheons. Members of the Egyptian pantheon were represented as animal forms and similar to human forms in nature. Each Egyptian pantheon display its own symbol of their divinity. For instance, Sekhmet, in most her images, is shown with the head of a lioness and the body of a woman. Moreover, ancient Egyptian religion enclose the beliefs and also the rituals of ancient Egypt. Back then, there were many gods and goddesses, and each area/kingdom believed and worshiped the one that best fit their life and that made them happy. Ancient Egyptians believed that their gods and goddesses also lived, died, birthed, ate, drank, and had normal human emotions just like people. Ancient Egyptians' religion was a complicated sequence of beliefs that had deities express very important aspects of everyday life, such as the weather, the sun, the crops, the death, the burial, etc. The myths about these deities, just like other religions, were meant to explain the origins and also the behaviors of those forces they represented. Religion was one of the most important things in ancient Egyptians' lives. (2) Furthermore, the Egyptian myths were all symbolic in a way because the stories intended to clarify and explain the gods and the goddesses' actions and roles in nature. The nature of the gods, their deeds, and the customs surrounding their worship in the Egyptian mythology, strongly reflected/showed the physical characteristics of the country and its very unique culture. Other characters in Egypt's myths also reflected the local heritage, back then. Almost all of the ancient Egyptians lived in a close, very fertile strip of land bordering the Nile River (longest river in the world). To conclude, Egyptians believed in a pantheon of gods and goddesses which were involved in all of the aspects of nature and all of the human society in Egypt. Therefore, their religious practices were accomplishments to sustain and mollify these phenomena and try to turn them to human advantages. Egyptian pantheon influenced the Egyptian’s society, culture, religion, myths/stories, etc. (2)
Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
Amun- he was one of the most powerful god in Egypt. He was called the “King of the Gods.” Amun became so much powerful when he was combined with the sun god Ra. His name then became Amun-Ra. He appeared as a man with a ram-head and wearing an ostrich plumed hat. (6)(3)
Amun
Anubis- he was the god of embalming (treating a dead body with preservatives to keep it looking lifelike) and the dead. Most of ancient Egyptians believed that Anubis watched over the dead because jackals were most seen in cemeteries. He watched over the process of mummifying people when they died which made priest sometimes wear a mask of Anubis during the mummification ceremonies to represent a "jackal". He appeared as a man with a jackal head. (5)(4)
Anubis
Atum-he was a creator god. Ancient Egyptians believed that Atum was the first god to exist on earth. He appeared as a man with a double crown. Moreover, Atum was the creator’s original form, living inside Nun, the primordial waters of chaos.(5)(3)
Atum
Bastet- she was a protective goddess that appeared as a woman and had a head of a cat. She's a very gentle protective goddess, but sometimes she appeared with the head of a lioness to protect the king in battle. (6)(4)
Bastet
Geb- he was the god of the Earth. Ancient Egyptians believed that earthquakes were caused by Geb's laughter. He appeared as a man lying down below the arch of the sky goddess Nut, and a man with a goose on his head. (5)(3)
Geb
Hathor- she was the goddess of love, joy, and protectiveness. She was the married to Horus. She was always connected with foreign places and materials. She appeared as a woman with the ears of a cow and with a headdress of horns and a sun disk. (6)(1)
Hathor
Horus- he was the god of the sky (the one far above). He’s most known for being the protector of the ruler of Egypt. Ancient Egyptians believed that he might have been the son of Isis and Osiris. He appeared as a man with the head of a hawk. (6) (1)
Horus
Isis- she was the protective goddess who used powerful magic spells to help people in need. Because her lap was the first throne that Horus sat upon, Isis was associated with thrones. She appeared as a woman with a headdress in the shape of a throne and had a pair of cow horns with a sun disk. (5)
Isis
Khepri- he was the god of creation, the movement of the sun, and rebirth who appeared as a man with the head of a scarab. Ancient Egyptians believed that he had appeared from nowhere. (5)(3)
Khepri
Khnum- he was the creator god, and god of the inundation (the yearly flooding of the Nile River). He made bodies of human children at a potter’s wheel. He appeared as a man with the head of a curly horned ram. (6) (1)
Khnum
Ma'at-she was the goddess of truth, justice, and harmony. In addition, she also collaborated with the balance of things on Earth. She was believed to be the daughter of sun god Ra. She appeared as a woman with a feather on her head. (5)(4)
Ma'at
Nephthys- she was the protective goddess of the dead that was believed to be the sister of Isis and Osiris, and the sister/wife of Seth. Also, she was the mother of Anubis. She is most seen on coffins. She appeared as a woman with headdress showing her name in hieroglyphs form (form of writing used by ancient Egyptians). (6)
Nephthys
Nun- he was the waters of CHAOS! Ancient Egyptians believed that Nun was the only thing that existed on Earth before there was land. Later, the first land rose out of Nun. He also collaborated with the chaos that existed at the edges of the universe. He appeared as a man with a bark (a boat). (5) (1)
Nun
Nut- she was the sky-goddess, whose body created a canopy over the Earth. Nut was believed to be the sister/wife of Geb. Ancient Egyptians believed that Nut swallowed the sun-god, Ra, at the end of the day and gave birth to him again in the next morning which made sun go and disappear, and so on. She appeared as a woman whose body arches across the sky wearing a dress decorated with stars. (6) (1)
Nut
Osiris -he was the god of the dead and he was also the ruler of the underworld. He was also the god of rebirth and fertility which made ancient Egyptians believe that Osiris gave them the gift barley (most important crops of theirs). He appeared as a mummified man wearing a white cone-like headdress with feathers. (6)
Osiris
Ptah- he was the god of craftsmen that appeared as a man wrapped in a tight white cloak carrying a staff. He was the third highest god in Egypt. He fashioned the universe through words of POWER and also by THOUGHT, as well as creating different parts by hand. (6)
Ptah
Ra- he was the god of the sun. He was the most important Egyptian god. The ancient Egyptians believed that he traveled through the underworld at night. In the underworld, Ra appeared as a man with the head of a ram. He appeared as a man with hawk head and headdress with a sun disk. (6) (1)
Ra (aka Re)
Sekhmet- she was the goddess of war (the powerful one). She appeared as a woman with the head of a lioness. With leonine head, female human body and the strength of her father, she is the noontime sun --- intense blinding heat. (5)
Sekhmet
Seth- he was also the god of chaos. He represented everything that threatened harmony in Egypt. At a certain time, Seth was once collaborated with royalty. He battled with his nephew Horus and killed his brother Osiris to be the ruler of the living. He appeared as a man with the head of a “Seth animal” (unidentifiable). (5)(4)
Seth
Shu- he was the god of the air (he who rises up) who held up the figure of Nut so that the Earth and also the sky were separated. He appeared as a man wearing a headdress with feather, and a lion. (6)(4)
Shu
Sobek- he was the Nile god that appeared with the head of a crocodile and a headdress of feathers and a sun-disk. He was the protector of the King. (5)
Sobek
Thoth- he was the god of writing and knowledge. Ancient Egyptians believed that Thoth gave them the gift of hieroglyphic (form of writing of writing used by ancient Egyptians) writing. He was also connected with the moon. He appeared as a man with the head of an ibis holding a writing palette.
Thoth
The Influences that Egyptian Pantheon had over Ancient Egyptians
Egyptian pantheon has influenced ancient Egyptians’ rituals in the society, beliefs/values in the society, myth/stories, day-to-day practices/lifestyle, and even traditions. Ancient Egyptians built many/great temples that are the landmarks of Egypt today which makes people want to visit Egypt. Building a temple for the gods/goddesses, ancient Egyptians believed it was one of their rituals. In Egypt, temples were constructed of stones because they wanted them to last forever. The temples were built to make houses for the gods so they could stay in them forever. One of the great temples is the Kom Ombo Temple located in the Kom Ombo city in Egypt. The Temple was built for the God Sobek (right side of the temple), the crocodile God, together with his wife, in another form of the Goddess Hathor. The left side of the Temple was built for the God Horus (god of victory). Horus was known as the good doctor here because of its healing power! It become a major pilgrimage site. According to Egyptian mythology, Sobek is an enemy of Horus because of its alliance with the wicked god Seth. In order to make both of the gods happy, the people of the place built the double Kom Ombo temple. People built it that way to make them happy and satisfied.
The Great Kom Ombo Temple in Egypt!
Egyptian religion was highly ritualistic because it involved daily ceremonial activities and regular, popular festivals, or even public celebrations. Egyptians made calendars to record the dates of birthdays, festivals, feasts, and the holidays such as New Year’s Day in Egypt. In addition, ancient Egyptians lifestyle was very normal by eating, drinking, and celebrating.Beer was the most popular drink in Egypt. Supposedly, it was made from bread. Milk was a very prized beverage. They never ate pork because they thought it was not clean. (2)
Moreover, Egyptian pantheons have influenced ancient Egyptians’ traditions such as the burial masks. Back then, the most important process of the funeral ceremony in ancient Egypt was the mummification of the body which was put into a stone coffin enameled and decorated with gold and gems. After that, they put a sculpted mask on the face of the deceased. This mask helped to strengthen the spirit of the mummy and also guard the soul from evil spirits when it is on its way to the after-world. This was on of the most common tradition they used to do. (2)
Furthermore, myths/stories were also a big part of ancient Egyptians. The myths/stories told by people from different cultures, country, and even ethnic backgrounds were meant to explain the world in which they live in. Therefore, that’s just like how myths/stories of ancient Egypt were. For example, the myth story of Ra, which was the story of Ra’s revenge of mankind and how Isis tricked him into telling her his secret name. All in all, Egyptian Pantheons have been a great influence to ancient Egyptians. It influenced ancient Egyptians’ rituals in the society, beliefs/values in the society, myth/stories, day-to-day practices/lifestyle, and even traditions. The Ancient Egyptians provided the world with one of the best recognized and most intricate pantheons in existence.
1. "Ancient Egyptian Gods, Osiris, Isis, Hathor, Horus, Ra, Amun, Anubis, Nut, Ptah - Photos of Egypt - Images of Ancient Egypt - Pictures of Egypt - Photos of Ancient Egypt - Karnak, Pyramids, Tutankhamun, Abu Simbel, Aswan, The Nile, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Feluccas, Valley of the Kings, The Sphinx." Photos of Egypt - Images of Ancient Egypt - Pictures of Egypt - Photos of Ancient Egypt - Photographs of Egypt - Karnak, Pyramids, Tutankhamun, Abu Simbel, Aswan, The Nile, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Feluccas, Valley of the Kings, The Sphinx. Nickolson. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://www.thenileandegypt.com/deities.html>.
Shahad Ameen 6th Hour
Overview
The Ancient Egyptians provided the world with one of the best known and most complex pantheons in existence! There are over one-hundred Egyptian pantheons. Members of the Egyptian pantheon were represented as animal forms and similar to human forms in nature. Each Egyptian pantheon display its own symbol of their divinity. For instance, Sekhmet, in most her images, is shown with the head of a lioness and the body of a woman. Moreover, ancient Egyptian religion enclose the beliefs and also the rituals of ancient Egypt. Back then, there were many gods and goddesses, and each area/kingdom believed and worshiped the one that best fit their life and that made them happy. Ancient Egyptians believed that their gods and goddesses also lived, died, birthed, ate, drank, and had normal human emotions just like people. Ancient Egyptians' religion was a complicated sequence of beliefs that had deities express very important aspects of everyday life, such as the weather, the sun, the crops, the death, the burial, etc. The myths about these deities, just like other religions, were meant to explain the origins and also the behaviors of those forces they represented. Religion was one of the most important things in ancient Egyptians' lives. (2)Furthermore, the Egyptian myths were all symbolic in a way because the stories intended to clarify and explain the gods and the goddesses' actions and roles in nature. The nature of the gods, their deeds, and the customs surrounding their worship in the Egyptian mythology, strongly reflected/showed the physical characteristics of the country and its very unique culture. Other characters in Egypt's myths also reflected the local heritage, back then. Almost all of the ancient Egyptians lived in a close, very fertile strip of land bordering the Nile River (longest river in the world). To conclude, Egyptians believed in a pantheon of gods and goddesses which were involved in all of the aspects of nature and all of the human society in Egypt. Therefore, their religious practices were accomplishments to sustain and mollify these phenomena and try to turn them to human advantages. Egyptian pantheon influenced the Egyptian’s society, culture, religion, myths/stories, etc. (2)
Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
Amun- he was one of the most powerful god in Egypt. He was called the “King of the Gods.” Amun became so much powerful when he was combined with the sun god Ra. His name then became Amun-Ra. He appeared as a man with a ram-head and wearing an ostrich plumed hat. (6)(3)Bastet- she was a protective goddess that appeared as a woman and had a head of a cat. She's a very gentle protective goddess, but sometimes she appeared with the head of a lioness to protect the king in battle. (6)(4)
Geb- he was the god of the Earth. Ancient Egyptians believed that earthquakes were caused by Geb's laughter. He appeared as a man lying down below the arch of the sky goddess Nut, and a man with a goose on his head. (5)(3)
Hathor- she was the goddess of love, joy, and protectiveness. She was the married to Horus. She was always connected with foreign places and materials. She appeared as a woman with the ears of a cow and with a headdress of horns and a sun disk. (6)(1)
Horus- he was the god of the sky (the one far above). He’s most known for being the protector of the ruler of Egypt. Ancient Egyptians believed that he might have been the son of Isis and Osiris. He appeared as a man with the head of a hawk. (6) (1)
Isis- she was the protective goddess who used powerful magic spells to help people in need. Because her lap was the first throne that Horus sat upon, Isis was associated with thrones. She appeared as a woman with a headdress in the shape of a throne and had a pair of cow horns with a sun disk. (5)
Khepri- he was the god of creation, the movement of the sun, and rebirth who appeared as a man with the head of a scarab. Ancient Egyptians believed that he had appeared from nowhere. (5)(3)
things on Earth. She was believed to be the daughter of sun god Ra. She appeared as a woman with a feather on her head. (5)(4)
Nun- he was the waters of CHAOS! Ancient Egyptians believed that Nun was the only thing that existed on Earth before there was land. Later, the first land rose out of Nun. He also collaborated with the chaos that existed at the edges of the universe. He appeared as a man with a bark (a boat). (5) (1)
Nut- she was the sky-goddess, whose body created a canopy over the Earth. Nut was believed to be the sister/wife of Geb. Ancient Egyptians believed that Nut swallowed the sun-god, Ra, at the end of the day and gave birth to him again in the next morning which made sun go and disappear, and so on. She appeared as a woman whose body arches across the sky wearing a dress decorated with stars. (6) (1)
Osiris -he was the god of the dead and he was also the ruler of the underworld. He was also the god of rebirth and fertility which made ancient Egyptians believe that Osiris gave them the gift barley (most important crops of theirs). He appeared as a mummified man wearing a white cone-like headdress with feathers. (6)
Sekhmet- she was the goddess of war (the powerful one). She appeared as a woman with the head of a lioness. With leonine head, female human body and the strength of her father, she is the noontime sun --- intense blinding heat. (5)
Seth- he was also the god of chaos. He represented everything that threatened harmony in Egypt. At a certain time, Seth was once collaborated with royalty. He battled with his nephew Horus and killed his brother Osiris to be the ruler of the living. He appeared as a man with the head of a “Seth animal” (unidentifiable). (5)(4)
The Influences that Egyptian Pantheon had over Ancient Egyptians
Egyptian pantheon has influenced ancient Egyptians’ rituals in the society, beliefs/values in the society, myth/stories, day-to-day practices/lifestyle, and even traditions. Ancient Egyptians built many/great temples that are the landmarks of Egypt today which makes people want to visit Egypt. Building a temple for the gods/goddesses, ancient Egyptians believed it was one of their rituals. In Egypt, temples were constructed of stones because they wanted them to last forever. The temples were built to make houses for the gods so they could stay in them forever. One of the great temples is the Kom Ombo Temple located in the Kom Ombo city in Egypt. The Temple was built for the God Sobek (right side of the temple), the crocodile God, together with his wife, in another form of the Goddess Hathor. The left side of the Temple was built for the God Horus (god of victory). Horus was known as the good doctor here because of its healing power! It become a major pilgrimage site. According to Egyptian mythology, Sobek is an enemy of Horus because of its alliance with the wicked god Seth. In order to make both of the gods happy, the people of the place built the double Kom Ombo temple. People built it that way to make them happy and satisfied.Egyptian religion was highly ritualistic because it involved daily ceremonial activities and regular, popular festivals, or even public celebrations. Egyptians made calendars to record the dates of birthdays, festivals, feasts, and the holidays such as New Year’s Day in Egypt. In addition, ancient Egyptians lifestyle was very normal by eating, drinking, and celebrating.Beer was the most popular drink in Egypt. Supposedly, it was made from bread. Milk was a very prized beverage. They never ate pork because they thought it was not clean. (2)
Moreover, Egyptian pantheons have influenced ancient Egyptians’ traditions such as the burial masks. Back then, the most important process of the funeral ceremony in ancient Egypt was the mummification of the body which was put into a stone coffin enameled and decorated with gold and gems. After that, they put a sculpted mask on the face of the deceased. This mask helped to strengthen the spirit of the mummy and also guard the soul from evil spirits when it is on its way to the after-world. This was on of the most common tradition they used to do. (2)
Furthermore, myths/stories were also a big part of ancient Egyptians. The myths/stories told by people from different cultures, country, and even ethnic backgrounds were meant to explain the world in which they live in. Therefore, that’s just like how myths/stories of ancient Egypt were. For example, the myth story of Ra, which was the story of Ra’s revenge of mankind and how Isis tricked him into telling her his secret name. All in all, Egyptian Pantheons have been a great influence to ancient Egyptians. It influenced ancient Egyptians’ rituals in the society, beliefs/values in the society, myth/stories, day-to-day practices/lifestyle, and even traditions. The Ancient Egyptians provided the world with one of the best recognized and most intricate pantheons in existence.
The list of the Egyptian Pantheon Myths:
Bibliography
1. "Ancient Egyptian Gods, Osiris, Isis, Hathor, Horus, Ra, Amun, Anubis, Nut, Ptah - Photos of Egypt - Images of Ancient Egypt - Pictures of Egypt - Photos of Ancient Egypt - Karnak, Pyramids, Tutankhamun, Abu Simbel, Aswan, The Nile, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Feluccas, Valley of the Kings, The Sphinx." Photos of Egypt - Images of Ancient Egypt - Pictures of Egypt - Photos of Ancient Egypt - Photographs of Egypt - Karnak, Pyramids, Tutankhamun, Abu Simbel, Aswan, The Nile, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Feluccas, Valley of the Kings, The Sphinx. Nickolson. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://www.thenileandegypt.com/deities.html>.
2. "Ancient Egyptian Religion." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_religion>.
3. "Ancient Egypt: the Mythology." Ancient Egypt: the Mythology and Egyptian Myths. 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://www.egyptianmyths.net/>.
4. "An Egyptian Pantheon." An Egyptian Pantheon. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://my.raex.com/~obsidian/EgyPan.html>.
5. "Gods and Goddesses." Introduction. The British Museum. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/gods/explore/main.html>.
6. "Nekhebet." Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. 2004. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://www.nekhebet.com/r_gods1.html>.