Gods and Mythology of Ancient Egypt
Man's first gods were the forces of nature. Terrifying and unpredictable, they were feared rather than revered by our ancestors. Yet while much of the world was in darkness, worshipping cruel incarnations of natural forces, a river valley in Africa held a people who followed a different path. They worshipped gods that were beautiful to behold, luminous beings that walked the earth, guiding the human race to Paradise. They had human forms but were much more powerful; yet like humans, they got angry, despaired, fought with one another, had children, and fell in love. They lived lives that were very much like those of the people who worshipped them, the ancient Egyptians.
They were gods to be feared yes, as all gods are, but they were also gods to be loved. What's more, the Egyptians enjoyed talking about the gods. Like the gods of the Greeks and Romans, the Egyptian gods seemed to be made for storytelling. There were tales to educate, tales to entertain, and tales with morals, and in those stories, the gods didn't seem so far away and unreachable. It was comforting to hear that the gods also wept for those they had lost, to hear about the gods laughing, to learn that the gods faced many of the same problems that the people did, albeit on a grander scale. In learning about the gods on such an intimate level, the Egyptians could better relate to the universe around them.
The ancient Egyptians practiced a belief system that was part totemism, part polytheism, and part ancestor worship. There were numerous gods, but rather than living on an isolated mountain or in an unreachable heaven, many of them lived invisibly in the mortal world, acting through sacred sites, items, animals, or even chosen people. Furthermore, the spirits of the deceased, if remembered and honored, could aid and guide the living from the Afterlife.
Here we will explore the religion of the ancient Egyptians, how it evolved, how it affected their lives and their development as a civilization. But most importantly, we will try to understand a people through what they believed and in doing so, give them that which they sought most: immortality.
See our Complete Section on the Ancient Egyptian Religion
The Gods
- Aken Ferryman of the Underworld
- Aker Guardian and Gatekeeper of the Underworld
- Am-Heh - Devourer of Millions
- Ament Greeter of the Dead
- Ammit Devourer of the Wicked
- Amun and Amun-Re The King of the Gods
- Anat Mother of Gods
- Andjety A precursor of Osiris
- Anqet The Embracer, Goddess of Fertility and the Nile at Aswan
- Anubis God of Embalming
- Anuke Goddess of War
- Anuket Goddess of the Nile
- Apep The Great Destroyer
- Arensnuphis Anthropomorphic Nubian Deity
- As Kindly God of the Desert
- Astarte, Warrior Goddess of Canaan
- Aten The Sun Disk and later God
- Atum The All-Father
- Auf (Efu Ra) An aspect of the sun god Ra
- Baal, God of Thunder
- Ba-Pef - The Soul
- Babi - The Dominant Male Baboon God
- Banebdjetet God of Lower Egypt
- Bast Beautiful Cat-Goddess
- Bat - Ancient Cow Goddess
- Benu (Bennu) - The Bird of Creation
- Bes Protector of Childbirth
- Dedwen - Nubian God of Resources
- Denwen - The Fiery Serpent
- The Ennead The Nine Great Osirian Gods
- Fetket - The Sun God's Butler
- Geb God of the Earth
- Gengen Wer - The Great Honker
- Hapi God of the Nile River
- Hathor Goddess of Music and Dance
- Hatmehyt - The Fish Goddess
- Haurun, The Victorious Herdsman
- Heh and Hauhet Deities of Infinity and Eternity
- Heqet Frog Goddess
- Heret-Kau - She who is Above the Spirits
- Heryshef, Ruler of the Riverbanks
- Heset Goddess of Plenty
- Hetepes-Sekhus - An Eye of Re
- Hike God of Magic and Medicine
- Horus King of the Gods on Earth
- Hu God of the Spoken Word
- Iabet, Cleanser of Re, Personification of the East
- Ihy - The Child God
- Imhotep Lord of Science and Thought
- Ipy (Opet), A Mother of Osiris
- Isis Queen of the Gods
- Iusaas - Creator Goddess
- Kabechet Helper of Anubis
- Kek and Kauket, Deities of Darkness, Obscurity and Night
- Khenmu The Great Potter
- Kherty - Ram-headed God
- Kephri The Great Scarab
- Khonsu God of the Moon
- Maat Lady of Truth and Order
- Mafdet Goddess of Scorpions and Snakes
- Mahaf - The Ferryman
- Mahes The Lord of the Massacre
- Male Child Gods of Egypt
- Mandulis - The Lower Nubian Sun God
- Mehen Defender of the Sun Boat
- Mehet-Weret - Cow Goddess of the Sky
- Menhit Lion-headed War Goddess
- Mertseger Guardian of the Valley of the Kings
- Meskhenet - Goddess of Childbrith
- Mihos - Son of Bastet
- Min God of Fertility
- Montu, Warrior and Solar God
- Mut Grandmother of the Gods
- Nefertem Lord of the Sunrise
- Nehebkau, the God who Joined the Ka to the Body
- Nekhbet Goddess of the Power of Kings
- Neith Goddess of War and Funerals
- Nephthys Lady of the Wings
- Nun and Naunet Gods of Chaos and Water
- Nut Goddess of the Firmament
- The Ogdoad The Primordial Creation Gods
- Onuris The War God
- Osiris Lord of the Dead
- Pakhet The Strength of Woman
- Panebtawy - The Child God
- Peteese and Pihor - Brother Gods
- Ptah The Creator
- Qadesh - Goddess of Esctasy and Sexual Pleasure
- Re (Ra) The Sun God
- Renenutet Goddess of the Harvest
- Reshep - The Syrian War God
- Sah and Sopdet (Sothis) The Astral God and Goddess
- Satet Goddess of the Inundation
- Satis Guardian of the Borders
- Sebiumeker - Meroitic God of Procreation
- Sefkhet-Abwy - Goddess of Writing and Temple Libraries
- Seker The Resurrected Osiris
- Sekhmet The Eye of Ra
- Sepa - Centipede God
- Serapis the Composit God
- Serqet (Selkis) Scorpion Goddess
- Seshat Goddess of writing, measurements
- Set God of Evil
- Shay - Personified Destiny
- Shesmetet - Leonine Goddess
- Shesmu Demon god of the Win Press
- Shu God of the Air and Sky
- Sia - The Perceptive Mind
- Sobek Guard of the Gods
- Sons of Horus Gods of the Viscera and the Canopic Jars
- Sopedu - The Border Patrol God
- Ta-Bitjet - A Wife of Horus
- Tasenetnofret - The Good Sister
- Taweret Goddess Demoness of Birth
- Tayet - Goddess of Weaving
- Tefnut Goddess of Moisture
- Tatenen - "Father of Gods" and the God of the Rising Earth
- Thoth God of Wisdom
- Wadj Wer - The Pregnant God
- Wadjet The Serpent Goddess
- Weneg - Ancient Son of Re
- Wepwawet (Upuaut) The Opener of the Ways
- Wosret - Goddess of Thebes
- Yah - Another Moon God
- Yamm - God of the Sea
The Gods of the week : Am-Heh Devourer of Millions