Egyptian gods
Introduction
Egypt was one of the greatest ancient civilizations in history. Like many ancient societies, they had their own mythology, comprising of many deities with powers over life, death, war, and so much more. Below are descriptions of several major gods.
Gods
Ra
Ra, also known as Atum-Ra, is considered the most important and powerful worshiped Egyptian god. He was the first king of the gods (followed by Osiris) and the oldest deity in the entire mythology. He is the father of Shu and Tefnut, the god of air and wind, and the goddess of rain. Each night, Ra and the other gods would sail into the Duat, the realm of the dead, and would be reborn the next day. During their descent into the Duat, they would battle the serpent Apophis, the god of chaos. Ra is depicted as a man with a falcon head with a sun disk on his head. Ra was the king of the gods, until Isis, the goddess of magic, created a snake that bit him, with venom only she could cure. She told Ra that she would only cure him if he gave the crown to her husband, Osiris, the god of the Duat. It is said that Ra retreated into the heavens, and went into a deep slumber. In many myths, the goddess Hathor is considered Ra's wife.
Shu
Shu is the Egyptian god of air and wind. He is the son of Ra. Shu is a member of the Eenead, a group of nine primordial gods, including Ra. He is the father of Geb and Nut, the gods of the earth and sky. It is said that Shu was given the task of separating Geb and Nut by Ra, for it was seen in a prophecy that one of their children would overthrow him. He is tied with Tefnut, the goddess of rain, for the second oldest worshiped god. Shu is often depicted as a man with an ostrich feather on his head, though sometimes he is shown with a lion's head. Shu is the wife and brother of Tefnut.
Tefnut
Tefnut is the goddess of rain and moisture. She was a powerful goddess and a member of the Eenead. In a myth, Tefnut and Shu venture into Nun, the sea of chaos. Ra thought they were dead for sure, but when they returned, he cried tears of joy and those tears became the first humans. She is the exact same age as Shu making her also the second oldest worshiped god. She is depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness, and she was the sister and wife of Shu.
Geb
Geb is the Egyptian god of the earth. He is incredibly powerful, and in many myths, considered more powerful than Shu. He is an important member of the Eenead, and the father of Osiris, Isis, Horus, Set, and Nephthys. It is said Geb once overthrew Shu to become the divine ruler of Egypt (slightly different from the king of the gods.) He is incredibly important and fathered five of the most significant Egyptian gods. He is depicted as a man, sometimes with green skin or hair to represent fertile land, laying on his back with his wife, Nut, arched over him, and sometimes with Shu between them. He is the brother and wife of Nut.
References
References
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