Tomlinson-Online - Egyptian Gods & Myths Illustrated

One of the world’s oldest civilizations, Ancient Egypt lasted from the fourth millennium BCE until colonization by imperial Rome in the first century CE. In that time the Egyptians built huge pyramids, palaces and tombs to celebrate the lives of – and preserve for the afterlife – their god-kings, the pharaohs. Egyptian Gods & Myths Illustrated provides a sumptuous, accessible guide to the religious beliefs, myths and gods of this mighty and complex civilization. In Egyptian Gods & Myths Illustrated you can read about Ra, who created all the gods of the earth, and travelled across the sky every day as the sun; learn about the marriage of Isis and Osiris, and how Isis breathed life into her husband after he had been chopped into tiny pieces by his jealous brother Set; find out about Ma’at, the goddess of truth, justice and morality, who used her feather of truth to weigh the hearts of the dead to decide who should have eternal joy in the afterlife; and marvel at the Book of Thoth, which contained all the knowledge of the gods and sat at the bottom of the Nile locked in a series of boxes guarded by serpents. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding with 100 illustrations and photographs, this book will fascinate anyone interested in the mythology of an ancient culture that lasted for more than 3,000 years and still has an enduring appeal today.

Contents Introduction Both male and female forms: Anubis/Anput – The god/goddess of funerals, embalming and protector of the dead Myth: Anubis: A Death Myth Hapi – Personification of the Nile flood Heh – Personification of infinity and a member of the Ogdoad Kek – The god of Chaos and Darkness, as well as being the concept of primordial darkness. Kek's female form is known as Kauket. Nu (Nun) – Personification of the formless, watery disorder from which the world emerged at creation and a member of the Ogdoad Ra (Re) – The foremost Egyptian sun god, involved in creation and the afterlife. Mythological ruler of the gods, father of every Egyptian king, and the patron god of Heliopolis. Myth: The Story of Ra: Creation Myth Tatenen – Personification of the first mound of earth to emerge from chaos in ancient Egyptian creation myths Male Aker – A god of Earth and the horizon Amun – A creator god, patron deity of the city of Thebes, and the preeminent deity in Egypt during the New Kingdom Anhur – A god of war and hunting Aten – Sun disk deity who became the focus of the monolatrous or monotheistic Atenist belief system in the reign of Akhenaten Atum – A creator god and solar deity, first god of the Ennead Bennu – A solar and creator deity, depicted as a heron Geb – An earth god and member of the Ennead Horus – A major god, usually shown as a falcon or as a human child, linked with the sky, the sun, kingship, protection, and healing. Often said to be the son of Osiris and Isis. Khepri – A solar creator god, often treated as the morning form of Ra and represented by a scarab beetle Khnum (Khnemu) – A ram god, the patron deity of Elephantine, who was said to control the Nile flood and give life to gods and humans Khonsu – A moon god, son of Amun and Mut Maahes (Mahes, Mihos) – A lion god, son of Bastet Montu – A god of war and the sun, worshipped at Thebes Nefertum – God of the lotus blossom from which the sun god rose at the beginning of time. Son of Ptah and Sekhmet. Nemty – Falcon god, worshipped in Middle Egypt, who appears in myth as a ferryman for greater gods Neper – A god of grain Osiris – god of death and resurrection who rules the underworld and enlivens vegetation, the sun god, and deceased souls Myth: Isis and Osiris: Murder and Revenge Ptah – A creator deity and god of craftsmen, the patron god of Memphis Set – An ambivalent god, characterized by violence, chaos, and strength, connected with the desert. Shu – Embodiment of wind or air, a member of the Ennead Sobek – Crocodile god, worshipped in the Faiyum and at Kom Ombo Sopdu – A god of the sky and of Egypt's eastern border regions Thoth – A moon god Myth: The Book of Thoth Wadj-wer – Personification of the Mediterranean sea or lakes of the Nile Delta Female Amunet – Female counterpart of Amun and a member of the Ogdoad Anuket – A feathered headdress wearing goddess of Egypt's southern frontier regions, particularly the lower cataracts of the Nile Bastet – Goddess represented as a cat or lioness, patroness of the city of Bubastis, linked with protection from evil Bat – Cow goddess from early in Egyptian history, eventually absorbed by Hathor Hathor – One of the most important goddesses, linked with the sky, the sun, sexuality and motherhood, music and dance, foreign lands and goods, and the afterlife. One of many forms of the Eye of Ra. Hatmehit – Fish goddess Heqet – Frog goddess said to protect women in childbirth Hesat – A maternal cow goddess Imentet (Amentet) – An afterlife goddess closely linked with Isis Isis – Wife of Osiris and mother of Horus, linked with funerary rites, motherhood, protection, and magic. She became a major deity in Greek and Roman religion. Maat – Goddess who personified truth, justice, and order Myth: Ma'at: The Goddess of Morality Menhit – A lioness goddess Mut – Consort of Amun, worshipped at Thebes Neith – A creator and hunter goddess, patron of the city of Sais in Lower Egypt Nekhbet (Nekhebit) – A vulture goddess, the tutelary deity of Upper Egypt Nephthys (Egyptian: Nebet-Het) – A member of the Ennead, the consort of Set, who mourned Osiris alongside Isis Nepit – A goddess of grain Nut – A sky goddess Pakhet – A lioness goddess mainly worshipped in the area around Beni Hasan Renenutet – An agricultural goddess Satet – A goddess of Egypt's southern frontier regions Sekhmet – A lioness goddess, both destructive and violent and capable of warding off disease, protector of the pharaohs who led them in war, the consort of Ptah and one of many forms of the Eye of Ra Tefnut – Lioness goddess of moisture and a member of the Ennead Wadjet (Uatchit) – A cobra goddess, the tutelary deity of Lower Egypt Wosret (Egyptian: Usret) – A goddess of Thebes