The mythology of Ancient Egypt is interesting and it is connected to a greater degree with numerous gods. People for every important event or natural phenomenon came up with their patron, but they differed in external signs and super abilities .
The main gods of Ancient Egypt
The religion of the country is distinguished by the presence of numerous beliefs, which directly affected the appearance of the gods, which in most cases are represented as a hybrid of man and animal. Egyptian gods and their significance were of great importance to people, which is confirmed by the numerous temples, statues and images. Among them, we can identify the main deities, who were responsible for important aspects of the life of the Egyptians.
The Egyptian god Amon Ra
In ancient times, this deity was depicted as a man with a ram's head or completely as an animal. In his hands he holds a cross with a loop, which symbolizes life and immortality. In it, the gods of Ancient Egypt joined Amon and Ra, so he possesses the power and influence of both. He was supportive of people, helping them in difficult situations, and therefore he was presented as a caring and just creator of everything.
In ancient Egypt, the god Ra and Amon illuminated the earth, moving across the sky along the river, and at night changing over to the underground Nile to return to their house. People believed that every day at midnight, he fought with a huge snake. They considered Amon Ra the main patron of the pharaohs. In mythology, you can see that the cult of this god constantly changed its significance, then falling, then rising.
The Egyptian god Osiris
In ancient Egypt, the deity represented in the image of a man wrapped in a shroud, which added similarity to the mummy. Osiris was the ruler of the afterlife, so the crown was always crowned. According to the mythology of Ancient Egypt, this was the first king of this country, therefore in the hands are symbols of power - the whip and the scepter. His skin is black and this color symbolizes rebirth and a new life. Osiris always accompanies the plant, for example, the lotus, the vine and the tree.
The Egyptian god of fertility is multifaceted, that is, Osiris performed many duties. He was revered as the patron of vegetation and the productive forces of nature. Osiris was considered the main patron and protector of people, and also the ruler of the afterlife, who judged dead people. Osiris taught people to cultivate the land, grow grapes, treat various diseases and perform other important work.
The Egyptian god Anubis
The main feature of this deity is the body of a man with the head of a black dog or jackal. This animal was chosen not by accident, the fact is that the Egyptians often saw it in the cemeteries, so they were associated with the afterlife. On some images, Anubis is completely represented in the image of a wolf or jackal, which lies on a chest. In ancient Egypt, the god of the dead with a jackal's head had several important responsibilities.
- Defended the graves, so people often carved prayers for Anubis on the tombs.
- Took part in embalming the gods and pharaohs. On many images, the mummification processes were attended by a priest in a dog mask.
- The conductor of the deceased souls into the afterlife. In Ancient Egypt believed that Anubis escorts people to the court of Osiris.
Weighed the heart of the deceased person to determine whether the soul is worthy to enter the next kingdom. On the scales on one side is placed the heart, and on the other - the goddess Maat in the form of an ostrich feather.
The Egyptian god Seth
Represented the deity with the human body and the head of a mythical animal, in which a dog and a tapir combine. Another distinctive feature is a heavy wig. Seth is Osiris brother and in the understanding of the ancient Egyptians it is the god of evil. He was often portrayed with the head of a sacred animal - an ass. They considered Seth to be a personification of war, drought and death. All the misfortunes and misfortunes were attributed to this god of Ancient Egypt. He was not renounced only because he was considered the main defender of Ra during the night battle with the serpent.
The Egyptian God of the Mountains
This deity has several incarnations, but the most famous is a person with the head of a falcon, on which the crown is undoubtedly located. Its symbol is the sun with outstretched wings. The Egyptian sun god during the fight lost his eye, which became an important sign in mythology. He is the symbol of wisdom, clairvoyance and eternal life. In Ancient Egypt, the Eye of Horus was worn as an amulet.
According to ancient beliefs, Gore was revered as a predatory deity, which bit into its prey with falconry claws. There is another myth, where he moves across the sky in a boat. The God of the Sun of the Mountains helped Osiris resurrect, for which he received in gratitude the throne and became ruler. He was patronized by many gods, teaching with magic and various wisdom.
Egyptian god Goeb
Up to now, several original images have been found by archaeologists. Geb is the patron of the earth, which the Egyptians sought to convey and in the external image: the body stretched out like a plain, hands raised upwards - the personification of the slopes. In ancient Egypt, he was represented with his wife Nut, the patroness of the sky. Although there are many drawings, information about Heba's strengths and destinations is not there much. The God of the earth in Egypt was the father of Osiris and Isis. There was a whole cult, which included people working in the fields to protect themselves from hunger and ensure a good harvest.
The Egyptian god Toth
The deity was represented in two guises and in ancient times, it was an ibis bird with a long curved beak. He was considered a symbol of the dawn and a harbinger of abundance. In the later period, Thoth was represented as a baboon. There are gods of Ancient Egypt, who live among people to them and refers to one who was the patron of wisdom and helped everyone to learn science. It was believed that he taught the Egyptians a letter, an account, and also created a calendar.
He is the god of the Moon and through his phases he was associated with various astronomical and astrological observations. This was the reason for becoming a deity of wisdom and magic. Thoth was considered the founder of numerous religious ceremonies. In some sources he is numbered with the deities of the time. In the pantheon of the gods of Ancient Egypt, He occupied the place of the scribe, Vizier Ra and the clerk of the court cases.
The Egyptian god Aton
The deity of the solar disk, which was represented with rays in the form of palms, stretching to the ground and people. This distinguished him from other anthropoid gods. The most famous image is represented on the back of the throne of Tutankhamun. There is an opinion that the cult of this deity influenced the formation and development of Jewish monotheism. This god of the sun in Egypt combines the male and female features at the same time. Used in antiquity still such a term - "silver Aton", which denoted the moon.
The Egyptian god Ptah
The deity was represented in the form of a man who unlike others did not wear a crown, and his head was covered with a headdress that looked like a helmet. Like other gods of Ancient Egypt associated with the earth (Osiris and Sokar), Ptah is clothed in a shroud, which barely brushes and heads. External similarity led to the merger into one common deity Ptah-Sokar-Osiris. The Egyptians considered him a beautiful god, but many archaeological finds disprove this view, since portraits were found where he is represented as a dwarf trampling animals.
Ptah is the patron saint of the city of Memphis, where there was a myth that he created everything on earth with the power of thought and word, so he was considered a creator. He had a connection with the land, the burial place of the dead and the sources of fertility. Another destination of Ptah is the Egyptian god of art, therefore he was considered a blacksmith and sculptor of mankind, and also a patron of artisans.
The Egyptian god Apis
The Egyptians had many sacred animals, but the most revered bull was Apis. He had a real incarnation and he was credited with 29 signs that were known only to the priests. They determined the birth of a new god in the form of a black bull, and it was a famous feast of Ancient Egypt. The bull was settled in the temple and was surrounded with divine honors throughout his life. Once a year before the start of agricultural work, Apis was harnessed, and Pharaoh plowed a furrow. This provided a good harvest in the future. After the death of the bull, they solemnly buried.
Apis - the god of Egypt, patronizing fertility, was depicted with a snow-white skin with several black spots and their number was strictly determined. It is presented with different necklaces, which corresponded to different festive rites. Between the horns is the solar disk of the god Ra. Even Apis could take a human form with the head of a bull, but such a representation was extended in the Late period.
Pantheon of the Egyptian gods
Since the inception of the ancient civilization, belief in the Higher Forces also arose. The pantheon was inhabited by gods who possessed different abilities. They did not always treat people kindly, so the Egyptians built temples in their honor, brought gifts and prayed. The pantheon of the gods of Egypt has more than two thousand names, but the main group can be attributed less than a hundred of them. Some deities were worshiped only in certain regions or tribes. Another important point - the hierarchy could change depending on the dominant political force.