8 Egyptian Gods you really should know about

In ancient Egyptian culture, these iconic deities were an important part of every day life. This article will focus on the most central and famous gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt, however, there are over 2000 known Egyptian gods!

Some deities were specific to different towns and villages, whereas others were more famous and universal. For example Arensnuphis, who was seen as a companion to Isis, is worshipped mainly at her sacred site in Philae, whereas Isis herself, the goddess of fertility, was worshipped as far afield as Rome!

1) Ra:

Also known as Atum or Re, (and also combined with the god Amun to form Amun-Ra) is the Sun god, as well as being supreme god and creator. Ra was known to drive his sun barge through the sky during the day (to explain why the Sun travels across the sky) and was thought to sail through the underworld at night, battling the serpent Apep, to re-emerge again in the morning.

2) Osiris:

(Who can be seen fourth from the left in the top picture, all in white) was seen to be the lord and judge of the dead who resides over the underworld. He was also one of the first five gods born from Nut at the dawn of time. Additionally, Osiris is normally depicted slightly differently to the other gods, as he is wrapped in a white shroud, making him the original mummy in Egyptian mythology! The origin of this belief is quite gory, but Osiris was killed by his jealous brother Seth, however was brought back to life by his wife Isis. Creating the idea that Egyptians who were mummified and preserved would be able to come to life again in the afterlife.

3) Isis:

(Seen to the right of Osiris in the top picture) is one of the most well-known and beloved goddesses in ancient Egypt; who became to be known as 'the mother of gods' and due to her association with royalty, this is why she has a throne as her crown (can be seen once more in the top picture). Isis not only cared for people on Earth, but she also helped guide departed souls through the afterlife too. Also, Isis was the mother to Horus (who's importance we'll read about later), wife to Osiris and was given names such as 'The Great Magic' as the Egyptians believed she had very powerful magic. The Cult of Isis spread throughout the civilised world, first in ancient Greece and then to each corner of the Roman Empire. This belief and faith in Isis was the biggest threat to the spread of Christianity through Europe in the 4th-6th centuries.

4) Horus:

(Seen to the right of Isis in the top picture) became one of the most powerful deities in Egyptian mythology. Horus the younger, was the son of Isis and Osiris, and grew up with the mission to avenge his father's death by his uncle Seth. Horus finally defeated Seth and ascended to the throne of Egypt; this is why Horus is usually depicted wearing the crowns of both Upper (white and cone shaped) and Lower Egypt (red and chair-like) showing a unity within the land. Therefore, all Egyptian pharaohs linked themselves to Horus in life and Osiris in death, showing their authority and power over the Egyptian people.

5) Anubis:

(Seen second from the right in the top picture) was often depicted as a man with the head of a jackal and is associated with the process of embalming and often referred to as the god of the dead. One of Anubis' tasks was to guide spirits to the Hall of Truth, where he would be one of the gods to take part in the weighing of the heart ceremony. This is where the deceased's heart would be placed on some scales against the feather of truth known as Ma'at which symbolised order and balance. If your heart was lighter than the feather, it showed you lived a good, honest life and you could pass on into the afterlife. If your heart was heavier however, the goddess Ammut would devour your heart and you would not be granted passage into the field of reeds.

6) Seth:

Seth was the representation of chaos, destruction, famine and war in ancient Egypt and was seen as the natural balance in the world against the good and noble gods such as Osiris and Horus. In the creation myth, Seth is the jealous brother of Osiris who plans to kill his brother to take the throne, once his brother had been murdered, he chopped his body into fourteen pieces and scattered them throughout Egypt. Luckily, Isis found all of the pieces and performed the first funeral rites while binding her husband's body in bandages to keep him whole. As mentioned above, Horus battled against Seth and ultimately avenged his father Osiris. Seth was then banished from Egypt for his treachery.

7) Amun (Ammon):

By the New Kingdom, Amun was one of the most powerful gods in ancient Egypt and represented the Sun and the air. He was also the patron deity of the city of Thebes. Some gods were even seen as different versions of Amun, such as Amun-Ra who was mentioned earlier in this article. Additionally, Amun is usually seen wearing a double-feathered crown which represents Amun being 'lord of the two lands'; this crown can also understandably be worn by a king to show his power and unity over the land. Interestingly, when Amun's crown also shows a sun disc, this represents the form of Amun-Ra.

8) Thoth:

Finally, we have probably my favourite god of them all, Thoth. He was the god of writing, wisdom, truth and integrity and was said to be the son of Horus. Thoth is mostly depicted with the body of a man and the head of an ibis, but sometimes he can be shown as a baboon too. He is one of the gods who stood the test of time, with earliest records showing he was worshipped in the pre-dynastic times (before the pharoahs) all the way until the final Ptolemaic period. Thoth is also known as the 'Lord of time' as he marks the passing of time through the universe; he is also shown as the 'keeper of records' in the Hall of Truth as part of the weighing of the heart ceremony. Finally, he is also seen as a benefactor to mankind, as he gave humans the knowledge to create and use the written word. Without this gift, we wouldn't have one of the earliest forms of writing, or any knowledge of this fantastic civilisation.