This thread is all about the Gods and Goddesses of ancient Egypt - both the well known, and the more obscure. I'll be taking on Deities in a random order, so feel free to toss in requests!
I'm also happy to answer questions about what I've written, or other questions about the Gods, but for more general Kemetic questions please see the Ask a Kemetic thread.
It's important to first give a bit of information on the names of the Gods. Many people are familiar with the names Isis, Osiris, Anubis, Hathor, and Horus - however, the names we use today are not the names that were used by the ancient Egyptians! These names actually come to us from the Greeks and Romans. For example, in ancient Egypt Horus was called Heru (pronounced something like hair-ROO). In this thread I'll be referring to the Gods primarily by their Kemetic names, but the Greek name will be listed in the post as well.
There are also a few things to note about the pantheon as a whole. Relationships between the Gods are not always clear. In one part of the country a Deity may be shown as having one spouse and child - and yet be a part of a totally different family unit in another area of the country - or, a different time. It's important to remember that this religion spanned thousands of years. Things are not always cut and dried when it comes to this pantheon. (But then, isn't that the case with many pantheons?)
It only becomes more confusing when you consider that two Gods - such as Amun and Ra - were both separate Gods, and yet could be one God as well (Amun-Ra). Sometimes three or even four Deities would come together in this way. They were not limited to one grouping; either, Ra could be Amun-Ra, or Ra-heru-akhety. Some scholars take this, and other signs, to mean that the ancient Egyptians were actually soft polytheists. However, many other scholars still consider them as hard polytheists. It is still a matter of debate.
The imagery surrounding the Gods is very rich. Their animal forms, or general forms, are often thought of as symbolic (which is why you might sometimes also see a God with the head of an inanimate object!), and they are often holding or wearing objects that relate to their nature. Perhaps most important are the headdresses they wear, as you can often identify a Deity just by their headdress, and sometimes it is the only way to tell one Deity apart from another if there is no text to help (or, if you can't read the text).
*Note: Kemetic comes from the word Kemet. Kemet is what the ancient Egyptians called their land, it means Black Land; in reference to the black fertile soil of the Nile, the source of life for the ancient Egyptians. (The surrounding desert was called deshret, or red land.)
I'm also happy to answer questions about what I've written, or other questions about the Gods, but for more general Kemetic questions please see the Ask a Kemetic thread.
It's important to first give a bit of information on the names of the Gods. Many people are familiar with the names Isis, Osiris, Anubis, Hathor, and Horus - however, the names we use today are not the names that were used by the ancient Egyptians! These names actually come to us from the Greeks and Romans. For example, in ancient Egypt Horus was called Heru (pronounced something like hair-ROO). In this thread I'll be referring to the Gods primarily by their Kemetic names, but the Greek name will be listed in the post as well.
There are also a few things to note about the pantheon as a whole. Relationships between the Gods are not always clear. In one part of the country a Deity may be shown as having one spouse and child - and yet be a part of a totally different family unit in another area of the country - or, a different time. It's important to remember that this religion spanned thousands of years. Things are not always cut and dried when it comes to this pantheon. (But then, isn't that the case with many pantheons?)
It only becomes more confusing when you consider that two Gods - such as Amun and Ra - were both separate Gods, and yet could be one God as well (Amun-Ra). Sometimes three or even four Deities would come together in this way. They were not limited to one grouping; either, Ra could be Amun-Ra, or Ra-heru-akhety. Some scholars take this, and other signs, to mean that the ancient Egyptians were actually soft polytheists. However, many other scholars still consider them as hard polytheists. It is still a matter of debate.
The imagery surrounding the Gods is very rich. Their animal forms, or general forms, are often thought of as symbolic (which is why you might sometimes also see a God with the head of an inanimate object!), and they are often holding or wearing objects that relate to their nature. Perhaps most important are the headdresses they wear, as you can often identify a Deity just by their headdress, and sometimes it is the only way to tell one Deity apart from another if there is no text to help (or, if you can't read the text).
*Note: Kemetic comes from the word Kemet. Kemet is what the ancient Egyptians called their land, it means Black Land; in reference to the black fertile soil of the Nile, the source of life for the ancient Egyptians. (The surrounding desert was called deshret, or red land.)
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