Egyptian Gods - The Family Tree of Gods & Goddesses The Priests evolved a Family tree of the main Egyptian Gods and Goddesses to explain how some of the Gods and Goddesses were related. Egyptian Gods - The Creation Myth or Cosmogony The Priests also evolved a creation myth, or cosmogny, to explain how some of the Gods and Goddesses came into being and the the nature and genesis of the universe. A summary of the creation myth, or cosmology, is that there was darkness and a primeval ocean called Nun. The Sun God Atum, Ra or Re, the Lord of Creation rose and spat out the elements of moisture (the Goddess Tefnut) and air (the God Shu). The twins, Shu and Tefnut gave birth to the Earth God, Geb, and the Sky Goddess, Nut. The God and Goddess Geb and Nut had four children: Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys. Incest was seen as an acceptable element in the lives of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, retaining the sacred bloodline. Egyptian Sun Gods - The Ennead of Heliopolis The Ennead is the collective name given to the nine deities of the cosmogony of Heliopolis. Heliopolis was also one of the most ancient cities of Egypt particularly associated with worship of sun-deities and Heliopolis and was believed to be the birthplace of the company of the gods, called the Ennead and where creation began. The nine deities, or gods of the Ennead were: - Atum - The Sun God Ra
- Geb
- Isis
- Nephthys
- Nut
- Osiris
- Seth
- Shu
- Tefnut
Egyptian Gods & Goddesses - Part Human & Part Animal The Egyptian Gods and Goddesses were often shown as part human and part animal. Egyptian Gods and Goddesses were most frequently depicted with the body of a human with the head of an animal. Sacred Egyptian Animals - Animal Cults The Egyptians believed that the Spirit of a God resided in specific animals leading to various animal cults in which these animals would be revered and worshipped as reincarnated Gods during their lifetimes. Examples of these are as follows: - The God Anubis: worshipped as a Jackal or Dog
- The Goddess Bastet or Bast: worshipped as a Cat
- The God Horus: worshipped as a Hawk or Falcon
Egyptian Gods and Goddesses Each section of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses addresses all topics and provides interesting facts and information about the Golden Age of Pharaohs and of Egypt. The Sitemap provides full details of all of the information and facts provided about the fascinating subject of life in Egypt. |