What Were Some Important Gods in Ancient Egypt?
Ancient Egypt was an extremely superstitious and polytheistic society that performed a series of complex rituals such as mummification after death. The Ancient Egyptians worshiped over 700 gods and deities who, they believed, to be in control of the forces and elements of nature. However out of the 700 gods and goddesses, they had a few that were especially important and that were worshipped more often. These gods were Osiris, Isis, Ra and Horus.
Osiris
Osiris was the god that resembled the afterlife, the underworld and death, who was believed to be a forgiving and merciful judge of the dead entering the afterlife who had performed a sin in their previous life time. Osiris also granted life for all ancient Egyptians, something extremely valued in their society. Therefore Osiris was one of the most important gods in Ancient Egyptian religion. He was traditionally depicted as a green-skinned man with partially mummy-wrapped legs and a highly distinctive crown consisting of two large ostrich feathers on each side. He had a pharaohs beard which is a long beard of facial hair associated with the pharaohs (leaders). He also held a crock and flail, the crock symbolising kingship and the flail symbolising the land fertility.
Isis
The traditional myth of Isis stated that she was the goddess associated with the perfect mother and wife. Isis was believed to be the good queen and a role model to all women and someone with magical healing powers that could bring the deceased back to life. She was the first daughter of Geb, god of the earth, and Nut, goddess of the sky. She was the wife to her brother Osiris and a mother to Horus. She was interpreted as a beautiful women that wore a head-dress shaped like a throne with two cow horns on either side with a sun disk sitting in-between them. There was also an amulet associated with Isis called the Isis knot. This knot resembled protection and life because she was the goddess of magical healing powers and life.
Ra
Ra was the god of the sun and radiance. He had a hawk head with a head-dress in the shape of a sun. The ancient Egyptians believed that every night he would be swallowed by the sky goddess, nut, and then reborn each morning to rise into the sky. During the night he would travel through the underworld with his head changing into a ram’s.
Horus
Horus was depicted as the god of vengeance. He was the offspring of Osiris and Isis and believed to have avenged his father’s death so he could take over leadership of Egypt. He had a falcon head and wore a crown coloured the red and white. Apart from the god of vengeance he was also thought to bed the god of sky, war, protection and light.
The Ancient Egyptians found it extremely important to please the gods and keep them happy. The priests and pharaoh (rulers) would worship some gods and goddesses in large temples. These gods and goddesses would have thought to have been the ‘official’ gods and goddesses of their state, such as Ra and Horus. Additionally, the other gods and goddesses would be regularly worshiped by regular people in their very own homes. These were the deities who protected the ancient Egyptians from their daily life routines such as scorpion bites, childbirth and crocodile attacks.
Overall ancient Egypt had a very complex system of religion that included multiple gods and goddesses who were strongly worshipped.
Osiris
Osiris was the god that resembled the afterlife, the underworld and death, who was believed to be a forgiving and merciful judge of the dead entering the afterlife who had performed a sin in their previous life time. Osiris also granted life for all ancient Egyptians, something extremely valued in their society. Therefore Osiris was one of the most important gods in Ancient Egyptian religion. He was traditionally depicted as a green-skinned man with partially mummy-wrapped legs and a highly distinctive crown consisting of two large ostrich feathers on each side. He had a pharaohs beard which is a long beard of facial hair associated with the pharaohs (leaders). He also held a crock and flail, the crock symbolising kingship and the flail symbolising the land fertility.
Isis
The traditional myth of Isis stated that she was the goddess associated with the perfect mother and wife. Isis was believed to be the good queen and a role model to all women and someone with magical healing powers that could bring the deceased back to life. She was the first daughter of Geb, god of the earth, and Nut, goddess of the sky. She was the wife to her brother Osiris and a mother to Horus. She was interpreted as a beautiful women that wore a head-dress shaped like a throne with two cow horns on either side with a sun disk sitting in-between them. There was also an amulet associated with Isis called the Isis knot. This knot resembled protection and life because she was the goddess of magical healing powers and life.
Ra
Ra was the god of the sun and radiance. He had a hawk head with a head-dress in the shape of a sun. The ancient Egyptians believed that every night he would be swallowed by the sky goddess, nut, and then reborn each morning to rise into the sky. During the night he would travel through the underworld with his head changing into a ram’s.
Horus
Horus was depicted as the god of vengeance. He was the offspring of Osiris and Isis and believed to have avenged his father’s death so he could take over leadership of Egypt. He had a falcon head and wore a crown coloured the red and white. Apart from the god of vengeance he was also thought to bed the god of sky, war, protection and light.
The Ancient Egyptians found it extremely important to please the gods and keep them happy. The priests and pharaoh (rulers) would worship some gods and goddesses in large temples. These gods and goddesses would have thought to have been the ‘official’ gods and goddesses of their state, such as Ra and Horus. Additionally, the other gods and goddesses would be regularly worshiped by regular people in their very own homes. These were the deities who protected the ancient Egyptians from their daily life routines such as scorpion bites, childbirth and crocodile attacks.
Overall ancient Egypt had a very complex system of religion that included multiple gods and goddesses who were strongly worshipped.