Egyptian Pantheon

Re

Re (or Ra or Phra), the personification of the sun, was the ancient Egyptian sun god. His name meant the sun, and he represented its strength. Earlier he was identified with Atum, the creator-god of Heliopolis that was his major cult center. Sometimes Atum, however, was considered to have created Re, and more often Re was thought to have emerged from Nun by the power of his own will. Two theories concern his ascent from the primeval waters: he rose from the primeval waters enclosed around like petals of the lotus blossom that enfolded about him when he returned at night; or that he rose in the shape of the phoenix, the Bennu Bird, and alighted on top of an obelisk, the Benden stone, which symbolized a ray of the sun. The Benden stone was the most sacred object with Re's temple at Heliopolis because its glittering surface caught and reflected the morning sun. The temple appeared as a primordial hill, with the House of Benden as its center.

The evolution or genealogy of Re has became complex through myth. Re is said to have a consort of Rat, or Iusas, or Urt-Hikeu ("Great in Magic"), or even Hathor; but more often like Atum, he was said to have produce alone, either by being bisexual, or by masturbation, or through spittle, the first divine couple, Shu and Tefnut, who in turn produced Geb and Nut whose children were Osiris, Isis, Seth (Set), and Nephthys. Alternately, according to legend, Re was the son of Geb and Nut in the form of a cow, who was born a calf each morning, grew to a bull by midday, and returned to fertilize his mother as Kamephis ("Bull of his mother"), and died each night, to be reborn as his own son the net morning. Futher beliefs were that Re hatched from an egg formed of clay by Ptah or laid by Geb in the form of a goose. Sometimes Hathor was said to be the child of Re as were Osiris, Set, Horus, and Mayer.

Re was said to be the "father of the gods," for he was their head and king, as well as the father of humanity, and all living creatures that were believed to grow from his sweat or tears. The tears were produced from the Eye of Re, which was separable from him with a mind of its own. Once when it did not return, Re sent Shu and Tefnut to get it, the Eye stubbornly resisted, and in the struggle shed tears; from the tears men grew, perhaps this myth emerged because the Egyptian words for "tears" and "men" share a similar sound.

There were variants of the story concerning the Eye of Re. One legend was that the Eye was sent by Atum to search for Shu and Tefnut who were lost in the waters of Nun; being placed on Atum's forehead rewarded the Eye. Another story is that The Eye one wondered on its own accord, and Re sent Thoth, the moon, to fetch it back; upon returning the Eye discovered that it had been replaced by another Eye, perhaps the moon. Thoth, however, mollified the original Eye, and Re pacified it by placing it, in the shape of the uraeus serpent, on his brow "where it could rule the whole world." The Eye, or uraeus, would become the effective ruler of the world, and as such would be worn by pharaohs as a symbol of their majesty and their descent from the sun god.

Re governed by himself at first in what called the "First Time" or golden age. It was an age in Egypt when gods and men peacefully coexisted. The youthful Re maintained a firm rule, and the power of the divine, Mayer, went uncontested. He discussed with Shu the progress of earth each morning. However, occasionally the people felt Re's close inspection was oppressive and rebelled. But normally they were powerless, such as with the summer heat, against the mighty king. There was the time when Apep, the serpent, conspired with Re's enemies to kill him at sunrise, but they were defeated in an all day battle. Then another time, Re transformed himself into a cat to behead Apep.

As Re aged his power began slipping away; he became an old man, incontinent, and dribbled from his trembling mouth. At times even other deities argued with him and took advantage of him. Men began detecting Re's incapacitations and sought to plot against him while saying, "His Majesty is grown old. His bones are silver, his flesh is gold, and his hair a real lapis lazuli." Re knew all of this, which disturbed him, so He, therefore, called a secret council of the gods that included the eye of Re, which took the shape of his daughter Hathor or Sekhmet, a lioness. Upon the advice of the gods Re decided to spread destruction among men; and the Eye was chosen for the task.

The goddess only performed part of her task and returned to her father to find that he had relented, for he only wanted to restore order to his divine creation. But the goddess had turned bloodthirsty and Re was not able appease her for she desired to finish her task. So in order to save the rest of humanity Re had the land covered with a fermented red liquid that he hoped the goddess would mistake for blood. His plan was successful; the goddess drank so much of the liquid that she could not see clearly to destroy those even within her reach, and part of humankind was saved.

However, Re was still unhappy with humanity and decided to leave the boundaries of earth Nut assumed the figure of a beautiful cow. To achieve his wish the god Nun urged him to seat himself on the cow Nut. When in the morning, as men were still continuing their quarrelsome ways, the cow ascended with the god on her back and was transformed into the sky. Re was delighted when being raised so high; but the cow became fearful and trembled in every limb. So Re ordered other gods to support her legs and belly and they became stars. It is believed this was how the present world evolved; the heaven and earth, gods and men were separated.

Afterwards, Re, the sun god, abdicated his position to Thoth, the moon god; and this was how the Egyptians explained the daily disappearance of the sun, and the nightly appearance of the moon. Re provided mankind with protective spells, through Thoth, to keep them from harm on earth, and his heavenly kingdom became an afterworld where they could hope for eternal happiness. A.G.H.

Sources:
Cotterell, Arthur, A Dictionary of World Mythology, New York, G. P. Putman's Sons, 1980, pp. 34-41

Grimal, Pierre, Larousse World Mythology, Secaucus, New Jersey, Chartwell Books, 1965, pp. 30-33

Ions, Veronuca, Egyptian Mythology, Feltham, Middlesex, Hamlyn Publishing Group, Ltd., 1968. p. 41-46

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Nut

Nut was the Egyptian sky goddess usually portrayed as a giant naked lady with her back arched over the earth. Su supported her so only Nut's fingertips and toes touched the earth. Though separated from her consort, Geb, the earth god, during the day, Nut descended to him at night, thus creating darkness. When storms occurred during the day, Nut was thought to have slipped part way down the four pillars or circle of mountains that supported her.

Sometimes Geb was said to be the father of the sun and moon; therefore Nut also was associated with them, either as their mother or as a great cow whose eyes they formed. Re in jealousy, either as a grandfather or a son, had forbidden Nut from marrying Geb; and when she did he ordered her not to have children in any given month of the year. Thoth when hearing this took sympathy on Nut and by playing draughts with the moon won from him a seventy-seventh part of his light. This amounted to five days, the five intercalated days before the New Year in the Egyptian calendar. On each of these days consecutively Nut was able to bear a child: Osiris, Horus, Set, Isis, and Nephthys.

It was believed that Nut bore numerous children, and was thought to be the original mother goddess. The hieroglyph of her name, which she wore on her forehead when depicted as a woman, is thought to be a womb as well as a water pot. She also was pictured as a sow whose belly was covered with countless suckling pigs, the stars, which she swallowed each morning.

In another myth when Re took a dislike toward humanity and decided to leave the boundaries of earth Nut assumed the figure of a beautiful cow. To achieve his wish the god Nun urged him to seat himself on the cow Nut. When in the morning, as men were still continuing their quarrelsome ways, the cow ascended with the god on her back and was transformed into the sky. Re was delighted when being raised so high; but the cow became fearful and trembled in every limb. So Re ordered other gods to support her legs and belly and they became stars. It is believed this was how the present world evolved; the heaven and earth, gods and men were separated.

Nut was actually both mother and daughter of Re, for in various fashions the sun was thought to be reborn of her womb each morning.

According to legend, solar rebirth represented day and night. The sun, a child, entered the mouth of Nut in the evening, passed through her body during the night, and was born from her womb in the morning. This also was symbolized by her presence at the emergence of Khepri from the Underworld; when she would reach down to take the scarab from the solar barque held up from the abyssal waters by Nun. The blood she shed in giving birth to the sun was said to color the sky pink at dawn.

Through her association with Khepri, the reborn or resurrected sun, Nut became identified as the protectress of the dead, who were pictured lying in her starry bosom. She had her wings spread over them in this role. The firmament of her body was painted on the inner lids of coffins so that the soul of the deceased might join the blessed dead. A.G.H.

Sources:
Cotterell, Arthur, A Dictionary of World Mythology, New York, G. P. Putman's Sons, 1980, p. 41

Grimal, Pierre, Larousse World Mythology, Secaucus, New Jersey, Chartwell Books, 1965, pp. 30, 40

Ions, Veronuca, Egyptian Mythology, Feltham, Middlesex, Hamlyn Publishing Group, Ltd., 1968. p. 48

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Geb

Geb, synonymous with Seb, an Egyptian cthonic or earth god, was worshipped in the Old Kingdom, from about 2000 BC to the end of the Egyptian era, circa 400 AD. He had no specific cult following but was associated with tombs. Being the offspring of Su and Tefnut, he was a "third generation" deity of the Ennead in Heliopolis and as the brother and consort of Nut he becomes the father of Isis and Osiris in the Heliopolitan Theological System.

His depiction, appearing on papyri, comes from the New Kingdom and typically shows him wearing the crown of Lower Egypt, lying on the ground with arms stretched in opposite direction: one toward the sky and one toward the earth. When pictured with Nut, a sky goddess, his phallus is erected and extended toward her. He may also be accompanied by a goose, his hieroglyphical sign.

Geb is a vegetation god, frequently colored green with greenery spouting from him. He also is a god of healing, particularly petitioned to give protection against scorpion stings. Acting less benignly, he reputedly takes the souls of the dead and may imprison them to prevent their passing unto the afterlife. Also a god concerned with judgment he participated in the dispute between Horus and Seth. As the father of Horus, he presided over his son's crowning, and is committed to protect each rightful heir of the crown of Egypt. A.G.H.

Source:
Jordan, Michael, Encyclopedia of Gods, New York, Facts On File, Inc. 1993, pp. 87-88

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Tefnut

Tefnut, primordial Egyptian goddess of moisture, is one of the first nine deities in the Heliopolitan Theological System. According to the genealogy of the priests of Heliopolis, she was created from the breath or saliva of the creator sun god Atum. She is the sister/consort of Su, and mother of Geb and Nut. Her main cult sanctuary was in Heliopolis. Tefnut, like Su, can be one of several manifestations of the "eye of Re," and as such she appeared either as a lion or in human form. According to the Pyramid Texts, she created pure water from her vagina. In a different context she took the form of a snake encircling the scepter. A.G.H.

Sources:
Grimal, Pierre, Larousse World Mythology, Secaucus, New Jersey, Chartwell Books, 1965, p. 32

Jordan, Michael, Encyclopedia of Gods, New York, Facts On File, Inc. 1993, p. 255

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Su

Su (or Shu) was the primordial Egyptian air god and the first born of the creator sun-god Atum. He is one of the first nine deities in the Heliopolitan Theological System. He and his sister/consort Tefnut begot the next divine pair, Geb, the earth god, and Nut, the sky goddess. Su is frequently depicted as standing on the supine body holding Nut aloft in his raised arms. He can also be one of the several manifestations of the "eye of Re," and take the form of a lion, as can his sister. A.G.H.

Sources:
Grimal, Pierre, Larousse World Mythology, Secaucus, New Jersey, Chartwell Books, 1965, p. 32

Jordan, Michael, Encyclopedia of Gods, New York, Facts On File, Inc. 1993, p. 243

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Hermopolitan Theological System

The Hermoplitan System originated in Hermopolis, in middle Egypt, the seat of Thoth, the god of writing and science. The Hermopolitan theology is referred to in the Pyramid Texts several times indicating that it originated at a fairly early date. The distinctive feature of this system is its abstract character. Whereas the Heliopolitam cosmogony describes the gradual formulation of the universe in stages, the Hermopolitan sees the universe as emerging from four elements of chaos, or four attributes of the chaos itself. On the primeval hillock, which the texts referred to as the Island of Flame, four gods appeared simultaneously each with his feminine counterpart: there were Nun and Naunet, the god and goddess of the primeval ocean; Heh and Hehet, god and goddess of the immeasurable whose mission it was to raise the sun; Kek and Keket, god and goddess of darkness, producing the gloom of night in which light would shine forth; and finally, Amun and Amunet, the god and goddess of mystery or the hidden.

These last two deities also were known as Niu and Niunet, or nothingness, who represented the invisible but active breath of the air. By their unison of action these elementary principles brought into existence the solar star. They were called the "fathers and mothers of the created light." They raised the sun in the sky, so that it, in turn, could create and sustain all the beings in the universe. The four primary gods with their consorts constituted the ogdoad of the eight gods: the male gods were depicted as having heads of frogs, a symbolism of the idea that frogs seem to rise from mud-representing apparent self-creation, while the corresponding goddesses had heads of serpents, which represented having affinities for the depths of the earth.

Because of their theological belief Hermopolis was called "the city of eight" (Khmoun). Hermopolis also was responsible for the myth that the sun was like a lotus flower rising from the ocean waters, which enjoyed great popularity throughout Egypt. A.G.H.

Source:
Grimal, Pierre, Larousse World Mythology, Secaucus, New Jersey, Chartwell Books, 1965, p. 32

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Apis

Apis, an Egyptian bull god, was the personification of the creator god Ptah in Memphis. He is an intermediary between the supreme god and human beings. His mother Isis could engender him in a lightening flash. The bull is depicted as being totally black, except for the small white triangle on its forehead, and having vulture wings. Between the horns are surmounted the dun disc, or in later times the moon, and the uraeus.

The cult of the bull is very ancient and is attested in Egypt since around 3000 BCE. According to the Greek author Herodotus, huge statues of Apis supported the temple of Ptah in Memphis. In a ritual of vitality, the king paced along side the bull to renew his strength. The average lifespan of an Apis bull was fourteen years, after which it was mummified and interred in huge sarcophagi, which was placed in the catacombs at the necropolis at Seqqara. The bull also possesses strong underworld connections.

According to the Hebrew Biblical tradition, Apis was the god, which Aaron modeled the Golden Calf after thinking it would be better to make an image of Jehovah in the well-known form of Egyptian idolatry than to risk the total alienation of the people to false gods. A.G.H.

Sources:
Jordan, Michael, Encyclopedia of Gods, New York, Facts On File, Inc. 1993, p. 21

Smith's Bible Dictionary, Philadelphia, A. J. Holman, Co., Revised Ed., p. 1

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Ptah

Ptah was an Egyptian creator god and god of craftsmen. His reign was from 3000 BCE, possibly earlier, to the end of ancient Egyptian history, about fourth century CE, with cult sanctuaries in Memphis and throughout the Nile valley. His main rival for seniority as creator god was Atum of Heliopolis within the Egyptian pantheon. His consort was the lion-goddess Sakhmet, and, by implication only, his son is Nefertum. He is depicted in human form wearing a closely fitted robe with only the arms free. His most distinctive features are the invariable skull-cap exposing only his face and ears, and the was or rod of dominion which he holds, consisting of a staff surmounted by the ankh symbol of life. Otherwise hi is symbolized by the sacred animal, the bull.

According to the priestly genealogy compose in Memphis Ptah upstaged Atum as the "father of the gods." The people was convinced that Ptah not only Atum but the whole Heliopolis pantheon by thinking and speaking the cosmos into existence. All life and matter came from the tongue of Ptah. In this cosmogony, Nun represents the amorphous primeval matter out of which Ptah generated himself as a bisexual entity, the maleness of which is Ptah-Nun and the femaleness Ptah-Naunet. Sometimes Ptah is called Kher-baker, meaning "he who is under his tree," suggesting that he was syncretized with an older local tree god of Memphis whose symbol is the moringa tree.

Another vision of him came from his role as patron of craftsman of trades, but particularly trades like jewelry where his presence was denoted in art by dwarfish craftsmen busy at work. Ptah is envisaged as creating humankind from base metals. In Greco-Roman times he became identified with Hephaestus, the Greek god of the smiths. A.G.H.

Source:
Jordan, Michael, Encyclopedia of Gods, New York, Facts On File, Inc. 1993, p. 211

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