Ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses (2024)

Ancient Egyptians had several myths regarding the creation of the world. One of the most popular creation myths featured the Ennead,a group of nine ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses. Atum was thought to be the first god and creator of the world and from Atum the Ennead were born. They were like a big family of magical beings and each member had their own unique powers and responsibilities. Together the Ennead made Egypt a special and vibrant place to live.

• Atum's children were Shu and Tefnut.
• Shu and Tefnut gave birth to Geb and Nut;
• Geb and Nut's children were Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys.

Click on their names to find out more about the Ennead gods.

• Not considered a goddess, but rather a powerful and terrifying creature who had supernatural powers.
• Often depicted with the head of a crocodile, the forelegs of a lion and the hind legs of a hippopotamus.
• Ammit's name means 'the devourer', because she was believed to devour the hearts of the deceased if they were found to be unworthy during the judgment of the dead.
• She lived next to the scales of justice in the underworld, which was where the heart of the deceased was weighed against the feather of truth.
• Frequently shown in Egyptian funeral art – her image served as a warning to the deceased to live a good life and avoid wrongdoing.

Back to top

• Amun was originally part of the Ogdoad, a group of eight gods from another creation myth.
• He was also known as 'the hidden one'and was thought to be a mysterious, secret god with many aspects.
• He was often portrayed as a man with red or blue skin, wearing a headdress of two feathers, or as a ram-headed man.
• By the Middle Kingdom, Amun became linked with the king and was considered a protector of the royal family – and king of the gods.
• Amun was married to Mut, and father of Khonsu – he was also shown as the father of many pharaohs.
• In the New Kingdom, Amun was combined with the sun god Ra to form the powerful god Amun-Ra.
• Worshipped throughout Egypt – his temple at Karnak was one of the largest and most impressive in the ancient world.

Back to top

• God of mummification, the afterlife and the dead.
• Often portrayed as a manwith the head of a jackal or as a full jackal.
• Responsible for preparing the deceased for the afterlife and guiding them through the underworld.
• Associated with rituals of mourning and sometimes depicted as a protector of the dead.
• Worshipped throughout Egypt – his presence was felt during the entire process of preparing a body for burial and ensuring a successful afterlife.
• Despite his powerful and important role, Anubis was also seen as a gentle and caring god who took great care in ensuring that the dead were treated with respect.

Back to top

• A solar god who was often portrayed as a sun discwith rays ending in hands.
• The giver of life, light, energy and food, and often shown as a bright and powerful force.
• During the reign of the pharaoh Akhenaten, the Aten became the main god of Egypt, and Akhenaten banned the worship of other gods.
• Not widely worshipped outside of the reign of Akhenaten and his cult faded away after Akhenaten's death.

Back to top

• According to one popular ancient Egyptian myth, he created the world.
• Often depicted as a man wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt.
• Sometimes associated with the evening sun – ancient Egyptians believed that he travelled across the sky during the day and passed through the underworld at night before being reborn at dawn.
• Sometimes depicted as an old man, representing the end of life – he was thought to be reborn every day with the rising sun.
• Part of the Ennead (the first nine gods and goddesses), learn about the Ennead above.
• Believed to have created Shu (the god of air) and Tefnut (the goddess of moisture) also part of the Ennead.

Back to top

• Goddess of cats, fertility (new life) and childbirth, and often associated with joy and dance.
• Frequently depicted with the head of a cat and the body of a human.
• Often worshipped by Egyptians who owned cats – cats were considered sacred animals in ancient Egypt.
• Believed to have the power to protect against evil spirits and diseases – her image was often used as a symbol of good luck and protection.
• Considered to be a gentler version of the lion-goddess Sekhmet.

Back to top

• Often shown as a short, bearded man with a lion's mane and tail, wearing a feather headdress.
• Ancient Egyptians considered those with dwarfism – including Bes – to be magical and they were sometimes appointed a high status.
• Thought to be a friendly and helpful god, who protected children, cared for women during childbirth and helped people feel safe and happy at home.
• He was also a fierce protector, carrying knives, warding off demons and killing snakes.
• Linked with music, dance and entertainment – he was often shown as playing a musical instrument or dancing.
• Worshipped throughout Egypt – his image could be found in many homes and temples.

Back to top

• Four ancient Egyptian gods who were believed to protect the organs of the deceased during mummification and the afterlife:
  • Imsety, who protected the liver
  • Duamutef, who protected the stomach
  • Hapi, who protected the lungs
  • Qebehsenuef, who protected the intestines.
• Often depicted as mummified human figures with different heads:
  • Imsety had a human head
  • Duamutef had a jackal head
  • Hapi had a baboon head
  • Qebehsenuef had a falcon head.
• Believed to have the power to help the deceased navigate the afterlife and protect them from harm.
• Often worshipped during the mummification process – their images were placed on canopic jars that held the organs of the deceased.

Back to top

• God of the earth and fertility (new life).
• Often depicted as a man lying on his back, with his arms and legs stretched out to represent the land.
• Married to Nut, goddess of the sky.
• Father of many other gods and goddesses, including Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys.
• The ancient Egyptians believed that he helped to bring about a good harvest.
• Also associated with the idea of stability and balance, as he was believed to help keep the earth firmly in place and prevent chaos and disorder.
• Part of the Ennead (the first nine gods and goddesses), learn about the Ennead above.

Back to top

• Thought to control the Nile river's inundation – this is when the river floods its banks which allows crops to grow.
• Often portrayed as a man with a large belly, representing fertility (new life) and good food.
• Often shown carrying offerings of food and drink – he sometimes had lotus flowers or papyrus plants growing from his head.
• Occasionally shown as a pair of figures tying together plants which represent the two halves of Egypt – this was a symbol of unity.
• Worshipped throughout Egypt, his influence could be felt in every aspect of life that depended on the Nile river.
• Not to be confused with Hapi who is one of the four sons of Horus.

Back to top

• Goddess of love, joy, music and beauty – she was often linked with women, motherhood and fertility (new life).
• Often depicted in these ways:
  • With the head of a cow and the body of a woman.
  • As a woman with a headdress of cow horns and a sun disc.
  • As a cow witha headdress of cow horns and a sun disc.
• Thought to have the power to protect against illness and danger in her role as the tame version of the goddess Sekhmet.
• Egyptian queens were often portrayed wearing the headdress of Hathor.
• Along with Isis, she was considered by the Greeks to be a version of Aphrodite (the Greek goddess of love and beauty).

Back to top

• God of the sky, war and hunting.
• Also the god of kingship, he was associated with the pharaohs and was often depicted as their protector and defender.
• Often portrayed as a man with the head of a falcon, or just as a falcon.
• The son of Osiris and Isis, he defeated his uncleSethto claim the throne of Egypt.
• Worshipped throughout Egypt, his image could be found in many temples and tombs.
• A just and fair god who protected the people of Egypt and maintained order and balance.

Back to top

• Goddess of protection, motherhood and magic.
• Usually depicted as a woman with the hieroglyph for 'throne' worn as a crown, or with Hathor's crown.
• The mother of Horus.
• Ancient Egyptians believed that she could perform magic and heal the sick.
• In some stories it was said that the annual Nile floods were caused by the tears of Isis, who cried for her dead husband Osiris.
• Part of the Ennead (the first nine gods and goddesses), learn about the Ennead above.

Back to top

• Often shown as a man with the head of a scarab beetle.
• God of the rising sun – scarab beetles were often depicted rolling a ball of dung, just as the sun moves across the sky.
• Linked with transformation and rebirth, since young scarab beetles hatch from inside the ball of dung.
• A symbol of hope and resurrection and was often mentioned during funeral ceremonies.

Back to top

• Often depicted as a man with the head of a ram or a sheep.
• A creator god who was believed to form humans on a potter's wheel using clay from the Nile river.
• Guardian of the source of the Nile river, which Egyptians believed was far away in the south.
• Often worshipped by people who would give offerings and ask for good health or a successful harvest.

Back to top

• God of the moon and the son of Amun and Mut.
• Often depicted as a young man wrapped in a tightly-fitted garment, or as a man with the head of a falcon – both forms have a crown in the shape of the moon disc.
• His name means 'traveller' or 'pathfinder' perhaps in reference to how the moon travels across the sky – he was a protector of those who travelled at night.
• Often linked with healing and believed to have the power to cure illnesses and injuries.
• Thought to have the power to control time and often called on during ceremonies that marked the beginning or end of a period of time, such as a new year or the end of a king's reign.

Back to top

• Goddess of truth, justice and balance – and associated with order and harmony.
• Often shown as a woman with an ostrich feather on her head andwith wings that she holds out with her hands.
• Believed to represent the force that kept the universe in balance, she was called on during important events such as the crowning of a pharaoh, or the signing of a peace treaty.
• Thought to have the power to protect against chaos and evil, her image was often used as a symbol of moral and ethical behaviour.
• When ancient Egyptians died they would be judged in the underworld and the heart of the deceased would be shown being weighed against Ma'at or her feather.

Back to top

• A god of war, he was often worshipped by soldiers who believed he would help them win battles.
• Often depicted as a man with the head of a falcon or a bull.
• His name means 'nomad' or 'traveller' and he was associated with the desert.
• Associated with strength and vitality – some legends say he had the power to heal injuries.
• Often worshipped by people who would give him offerings and ask for his blessings, such as victory in battle or good health.

Back to top

• Goddess of hunting, weaving and war, she was often linked with creation and rebirth.
• Often shown as a woman wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt or a headdress made of two bows and a shield.
• She sometimes carriesa bow and arrow and was said to create weapons for warriors.
• Believed to have the power to protect against danger and to help women during childbirth.

Back to top

• Goddess of mourning, funerals and the dead.
• Often portrayed as a woman wearing a headdress formed of the two hieroglyphs that spell her name: a bowl and a house.
• Married to Seth, god of chaos.
• Along with her sister Isis, she was a protective goddess who watched over the mummified bodies of the deceased and helped guide their souls into the afterlife.
• Despite being a lesser-known goddess today, she was an important figure in ancient Egyptian mythology and was widely respected and worshipped.
• Part of the Ennead (the first nine gods and goddesses), learn about the Ennead above.

Back to top

• Not part of the Ennead (the first nine ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses), he existed before the world and the gods came into being.
• The ancient Egyptians believed that before anything else existed, there was only Nun, a vast and infinite ocean of water.
• Often depicted as a bearded man with blue or green skin, representing the waters of the ocean.
• All life was believed to have emerged from Nun's waters.
• Considered a protective god who could help keep people safe on their journeys across the ocean.
• The sun was believed to rise out of the waters of Nun every morning and sink back into them at night.

Back to top

• A goddess who represented the sky.
• Usually depicted as a woman with a starry body, arching over the Earth.
• Married to the god of the earth, Geb, and together they had four children: Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys.
• According to Egyptian mythology, she swallowed the sun every night and gave birth to it every morning.
• Egyptians believed that she protected and watched over the souls of the dead – they would travel through her body on their way to the afterlife, like the sun every night.
• Part of the Ennead (the first nine gods and goddesses), learn about the Ennead above.

Back to top

• God of the afterlife and fertility (new life).
• Married to Isis and father of Horus.
• Murdered by his brother Seth, but brought back to life by Isis.
• Usually depicted as a mummified man with green or black skin, holding a crook and flail (in ancient Egypt a flail is a rod with three beaded strands attached to the top).
• Ancient Egyptians believed that he judged the souls of the dead and decided whether they were worthy of entering the afterlife.
• He was linked with the annual flooding of the Nile river, which brought new plant life –just like he was brought back to life.
• Part of the Ennead (the first nine gods and goddesses), learn about the Ennead above.

Back to top

• God of craftsmen, architects and artists.
• Often depicted as a mummified man wearing a skullcap and holding a sceptre.
• Often associated with creation and was believed to have created the world by speaking it into existence.
• Connected with healing and believed to have the power to cure illnesses and injuries.
• The main god of the city of Memphis, one of Egypt's earliest capitals, located near present-day Cairo.

Back to top

• A god of the sun, associated with light, warmth and growth.
• Frequently depicted with the head of a falcon and the body of a human.
• Often considered to be the first king, ruling initially over humans and gods on earth and then later in the heavens.
• Believed to have the power to control the sky and the weather, as well as life and death.
• His cult and main temple were located in a town called Heliopolis, which means 'City of the Sun' in Greek.

Back to top

• God of the rising sun and often associated with light, warmth and growth.
• A combination of two other gods, Ra and Horus.
• Often depicted with the head of a hawk or falcon and the body of a human wearing a solar discon his head – often exactly like the god Ra.
• A long hymn to Ra-Horakhty is included in one of the spells of the Book of the Dead, because the deceased wanted to be reborn like the rising sun.

Back to top

• Goddess of war, destruction power and strength – her image was often used as a symbol of courage and resilience.
• Also goddess of pestilence and plague – because of this she was thought to have the power to protect against disease and evil.
• Often depicted with the head of a lioness and the body of a woman.
• A great warrior of the god Ra, she was often dispatched to fight against the enemies of the sun.
• When she was tame and calm, she changed into Bastet or Hathor.

Back to top

• Goddess of scorpions, venom and healing.
• Frequently depicted as a woman with a scorpion on her head, or holding a scorpion.
• Often associated with protection against scorpion stings and other poisonous bites, as well as rebirth.
• Because of her connection with healing, priests of Serqet were considered great magicians and doctors.
• Often worshipped by people who would give her offerings of food, drink and scorpion amulets (protective lucky charms) in exchange for her healing abilities.
• Also closely associated with protection of coffins and canopic jars in ancient Egypt – her image was often used in the decoration of tombs and funeral objects.

Back to top

• Goddess of all types of notation, including writing, accounting, record keeping, censuses, mathematics and building planning.
• Her name literally means 'the female scribe'.
• Often depicted as a woman wearing a headdress shaped like a seven-pointed star.
• Sometimes described as Thoth's sister, wife, or daughter.
• She had no temple of her own, but played a part in the rituals for the laying of the foundations of all buildings.

Back to top

• God of chaos, the desert, storms, violence and foreign people.
• Often shown with the head of an animal that resembled a mix of different creatures, including a jackal, donkey and aardvark.
• Portrayed as a villain who killed his brother Osiris out of jealousy, he was also seen as a protector who defended the sun god Ra from dangerous creatures.
• Due to these two roles, he was feared by many Egyptians, but worshipped by others including the kings Sety I and II, who were named after him.
• Despite his reputation, he was sometimes called upon to help crops grow and have a good harvest.
• Part of the Ennead (the first nine gods and goddesses), learn about the Ennead above.

Back to top

• God of air and the atmosphere.
• Husband of Tefnut, goddess of moisture.
• Often depicted as a man with a feather on his head, holding his children apart: the goddess Nut (the sky) the god Geb (the earth).
• Sometimes connected with the sun and thought to help the sun god Ra as he journeyed across the sky each day.
• In some stories, he created the first humans by breathing life into clay or mud, making him a god of life and creation as well.
• Part of the Ennead (the first nine gods and goddesses), learn about the Ennead above.

Back to top

• God of the Nile river, often associated with fertility(new life), protection and strength.
• Often depicted with the head of a crocodile and the body of a human, or sometimes fully as a crocodile.
• Believed to have the power to protect people from danger, such as crocodile attacks or evil spirits.
• Often worshipped in temples located near the Nile river, which sometimes kept many sacred crocodiles in large pools.
• Some legends say that he could control the flow of the Nile river and make it flood or recede as needed.

Back to top

• Goddess of childbirth, fertility (new life) and protection – frequently associated with motherhood and family.
• Often portrayed as a standing hippopotamus with the belly and breasts of a pregnant woman.
• Closely linked with the protection of children – she was often depicted on furniture and household objects to ward off danger and ensure the health and wellbeing of children.
• Based on the number of amulets (protective lucky charms) and other images of her that survive today, she was one of the most popular household deities.
• She became a popular goddess outside of Egypt as well, also serving as a maternal goddess in areas of the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean and parts of Western Asia).

Back to top

• Goddess of moisture, including rain, dew, and other forms of moisture in the environment.
• Often depicted as a lioness, or as a woman with the head of a lioness.
• Believed to have the power to bring rain and moisture to the earth, helping to grow crops and support life.
• Also associated with the sun and was believed to help the sun god Ra as he journeyed across the sky each day.
• She and her husband Shu were twoof the first gods created by Atum, the god of creation.
• Part of the Ennead (the first nine gods and goddesses), learn about the Ennead above.

Back to top

• God of wisdom, writing and knowledge, as well as a moon god.
• Often depicted with the head of an ibis bird and the body of a human, but he was sometimes depicted as a baboon.
• Frequently associated with scribes and scholars, as he was believed to have invented hieroglyphs, the ancient Egyptian writing system.
• Also believed to have the power to heal illnesses and injuries – he was considered a great magician.

Back to top