The gods of Egypt and the goddess occupy a huge place in ancient Egyptian mythology. Hundreds of information about them that have come down to us make it possible to get in touch with history, to learn more about an amazing country with many mysteries.
The mythology of this state has a number of distinctive features. First of all, it is characterized by a division into local deities and pan-Egyptian. The local gods of Egypt belonged only to a certain area and were available not only in the main cities or oblasts-nomes, but also in less significant ones, as well as in settlements. The cults of these deities originated in the form of totemism in the prehistoric period. They existed for many millennia and disappeared along with the ancient Egyptian religion.
The gods of Egypt, described in ancient literature, underwent significant changes. So, gradually local deities were replaced by pan-Egyptian ones. This happened as the cult of oblast-nomes for some reason became nation-wide. The gods of Egypt and abstract concepts related to mythological texts, as well as deities of cosmogonic myths, allow us to trace the entire history of the country's mythology.
The forefather of all the divine in the religion of Egypt is the god Atum. According to an ancient legend, he arose from chaos and was the creator of the first divine couple - Shu and Tefnut. Shu personified the space separating heaven and earth. This was the first pair of gods in ancient Egypt. They gave birth to Nut - Heaven and the goddess of Heaven, as well as Hebe - the god of the Earth, who was the personification of everything that exists on our planet.
The idea of the ancient Egyptians was that Nut was at the top, Geb was at the bottom, and Tefnut and Shu between them. From the pair of Nut and Hebe, two more pairs emerged, which also personified Ancient Egypt. The gods gradually inhabited this country, and Osiris and Isis, Nephthys and Seth became the next.
The most important figures of the Egyptian pantheon are Isis and Osiris (the god of vegetation). According to legend, he was born first among five deities. Behind him in sequence were born the Elder Choir and Seth, as well as the Egyptian goddesses Isis and Nephthys.
Osiris and Isis, while still in the womb, fell in love. After Osiris matured, he became the just ruler of his people and took care of his culture. During his wanderings, his wife became the ruler. Envious brother Seth decided to kill Osiris. His remains were scattered throughout Egypt. Isis gathered her husband’s body and, having buried him, soon gave birth to the son of Horus, who won the war against his father’s killer.
Osiris became among the Egyptians a symbol of perishing and resurrecting nature, Isis - a symbol of marital fidelity and motherhood. Seth - was the god of Evil.
An important place was given to the god of the sun and light - Ra. During the day, he lit the sky, and at night he fought the forces of darkness and chaos, defeating them. Every morning, returning to the vault of heaven, he symbolized light. His symbol is the cross.
God Tog - the ideal of wisdom, truth and mind, personified the best aspects of human nature. He helped Ra in the struggle, and the moon was his symbol.
Chorus (Horus) - was one of the main Egyptian gods. The divine eagle was his personification. He was a companion of Ra and Tog and fought with Seth. The solar disk was sometimes its symbol. The wife of Horus was the goddess of fun, love, music and dance, her name was Hathor.
Anubis - the god of the other world, was depicted as a man with a jackal's head.
God Amon is the deity of wind and air, which gave life to everything. For the Egyptian pharaohs, he was a divine father. He was considered a quickening spirit and a great living soul, standing above all gods. He was a defender of the destitute and oppressed. His wife is the goddess Amunet.
The god Sebek in the image of a crocodile was one of the main ones in the pantheon. He was prayed for a cure for disease, turned to him in difficult situations, in the other world he cared about the fate of the deceased. His wife, the goddess Sebeket, was portrayed with the head of a lion.
This is a small part of the pantheon, but there were other Egyptian goddesses and gods, many local deities: Aha, Bes, Pateki, Heath and others. They protected the house, people and animals from disease, evil, and dangers. They were represented by dwarfs, bearded and crooked little men.