GODS AND GODDESSES

Ancient Egyptians believed that their gods inhabited every part of the natural world. Their comprehension of life and the afterlife was intimately linked to and guided by the many gods and goddesses they worshiped. In this complex family of gods and goddesses, some have multiple names, many have legends associated with them, and some take on multiple forms. Some were regional or served various elements of one concept, such as Kephri, the rising sun, and Atum, the setting sun-both aspects of the sun god Re. Although they were visualized in human or animal form, or as animal-headed humans, the Egyptians did not worship the images themselves, but rather the force or power they associated with them.

It was the pharaoh’s duty to build temples and to ensure that offerings were made to the gods housed within them. In return the gods would bestow blessings on the people, such as victory in battle, bountiful harvests and recovery from sickness. In his role as king, the pharaoh was believed to have been appointed by the gods and he derived his power from them forming a link between the gods and the world of humankind. However, he was to some extent a servant of the gods. It was the high priests who acted on behalf of the ruler in the great state temples erected throughout the country, which played a vital role in the structure of Egyptian civilization.

With regard to the afterlife, Egyptians were careful to equip their dead with detailed instructions for safe passage through the perils of the underworld (netherworld), a journey that was required in order to achieve immortality. Sacred objects were also placed in the tombs including images of protective deities that were first dedicated in temples. Those gods and goddesses that were connected to the netherworld, regeneration and the solar cycle of rebirth took precedence.

• Osiris – One of the most popular and well-known gods, Osiris was the absolute ruler of the underworld and presided over the travels of the sun and of the deceased during the twelve hours of the night. With Re, the primary god of the sun and creator of the universe, he judged the soul of the deceased by weighing their heart against a feather, known as the feather of truth, to determine if he or she merited admittance to the afterlife. Usually represented as a mummified man sitting on a throne, Osiris wore either the crown of Upper Egypt or the tall atef-crown, a tall white crown with a plume on each side and a small disk at the top. Sometimes he was shown holding a flail and the crook, symbols of royal authority. The king identified himself with Osiris.
  
  

• Isis – The sister and wife of Osiris, Isis had strong associations with regeneration, birth and magical protection. Because she healed Osiris with magic after he was torn apart and killed by his brother, it was believed she could ease the passage to the afterlife and that she could aid in the purification and mummification of the dead. Seen as a beautiful young woman with a crown of cow horns and sometimes a sun disk, she shared characteristics with Hathor – both were patronesses of fertility and deities of the sky.
  
  

• Horus – This falcon god, the son of Osiris and Isis, reigned as god of the sky and served as the embodiment and protector of the king. He watched over and guided souls through the underworld. His symbol was the wedjat (Eye of Horus), representing the triumph of good over evil.
  
  

• Sakhmet – Strong and sometimes vengeful, the lioness goddess Sakhmet was a fierce protector of the sun god. The goddess of war, she could determine people’s luck, protect their health, and ensure annual flooding of the Nile.
  
  

• Thoth – The moon god, Thoth was responsible for writing and knowledge. Sometimes he was shown as an ibis or ibis-headed human, or sometimes as a baboon, a symbol of wisdom.  The ability to write was a sacred and magical act and Thoth guarded the sacred hieroglyphs and protected scribes. He was scribe of the gods, recording the verdict of Osiris when weighing the hearts of the dead.
  
  

• Maat – The personification of truth and justice, Maat was represented as a goddess but was more of an abstract idea. Maat means “things as they ought to be” and was considered to be the order of the universe. Represented with a feather on her head, she appears in the weighing of the heart ceremony when the heart of the deceased is weighed against a feather.
  
  

• Hathor – This sky goddess, traced back to very ancient times, was associated with the stars and known as one of Re’s children. The wife of Horus, her name means “Temple of Horus.” She was consistently represented as a cow or as a human with cow ears or horns. She was concerned with nourishment and child-rearing and was strongly associated with love, regeneration, song, and dance.
  
  

• Anubis – Most often seen as either a jackal-headed god in human form or a seated black jackal, Anubis was frequently depicted as the embalmer, who tends to the mummy on its bed. He is associated with the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony (for details see page  10, “Mummification”) and the judgment of the dead.
  
  

• Khepri – An incarnation of Re, Khepri was represented by a scarab beetle and signified the rising aspect of the sun and rebirth.