There are many deities in Egyptian mythology, each centering on an important part of everyday life. Trying to learn about them all in one sitting would be mind-racking. Therefore, I will concentrate on the more recognizable gods and goddesses. Well begin with the story of their creation and relationships.

Time began. Thoth was. He looked upon the earth and saw a need. He created Ra, whose job was to carry the sun across the sky. This created day and night and allowed life to flourish. Ra, in turn, created Shu and Tefnut to take care of other jobs. They gave birth to Nut and Geb, who gave life to Osiris, Set, Isis, and Nephthys.

As time went by, Set became lustful of Isis. But, Isis had fallen in love with Osiris. As with many men, the brothers became enemies over the woman. Set took Nephthys as his consort, but swore vengeance upon Osiris. He murdered Osiris and imprisoned Isis. Thoth assisted Isis in escaping and she was able to resurrect Osiris. Isis bore a son to Osiris and called him Horus. All was well.

Nephthys lived with the knowledge that she was merely a substitute in Sets eyes. Their relationship was a sad one. In an attempt at happiness, she seduced Osiris. She bore a son, Anubis. When Set discovered the truth about his sons father, he was enraged. He murdered Osiris again, cut his body into 14 pieces, and scattered them across Egypt. If fear of Set, Nephthys abandoned Anubis in the desert. Isis found him and took him into her house to raise. In time, the broken-hearted Isis accepted Nephthys as her companion. The children grew, each beginning his own path.

Horus swore revenge for his fathers murder. He defeated Set, castrated him, and then banished him from Egypt. During the time of this battle, Isis roamed Egypt, searching for Osiris body. Anubis accompanied her. When they found him, Isis took Osiris to Ra. She pleaded for Ra to resurrect Osiris but he would not. Shortly after that, he began to bleed and his life flame began to dwindle. He asked Isis to heal him, which she did on the condition that Ra resurrects Osiris. It was done.

Tigerwind 6/16/02

 

part 2

 

From the story of the deitys creation and lives comes their very essence. Each god / goddess is attributed certain powers through their actions. Well begin at the beginning.


Thoth was "self-created" before time began. Throughout his existence, he wrote down all of earths (Egypts) events. From this, he became the patron god of scribes. He was the god of wisdom. With his wisdom and extensive records of history, he was an important part of judgment of those entering the underworld.

Ra was the sun god. The sun he carried across the sky enabled things to grow. He was the god of creation, wealth and power. Upon the unification of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt, Ra was combined with the patron god of Thebes, Amon, who was also a god of creation. He then became commonly known as Amun-Ra.

The next two generations of deities are lesser known, but provide an important link to the others. Shu was the god of heat, light and the dry air. His wife, Tefnut, was the goddess of moisture, such as the dew and rain. Their children were Nut and Geb. Nut was the goddess of the heavens and consort of Geb. Geb was the god of the earth. Notice how complimentary the relationships were.

Osiris was the god of technology and ruler of man. He taught Egyptians how to make and use wheels and tools. He was the first living thing to die, so he was now the ruler of the dead. Since his heart was so pure that he was resurrected twice, he passed judgment upon those entering the underworld. He often referred to Thoths journals of history. He was also considered the lord of resurrection.

Isis, sister and wife of Osiris, was the embodiment of womanhood. She was the goddess of fertility, love, healing, strength, and eternal life. Upon resurrecting Osiris, she claimed victory over Set. She is sometimes depicted as holding the ends of a leash placed upon Sets form.

Set was the god of evil, wind and storms. He was worshipped only to appease him so that his storms would not harm anyone. In later centuries, the view of Set changed. He was no longer the god of evil. He embodied the primal traits of man and worship of him took on another air. He was seen as the god who could help control these traits.

Nephthys was the goddess of the dead, since her actions directly brought about the second murder of Osiris. She now assists the dead in their travels through the underworld, once they were allowed to enter.

Horus is better known as the Falcon god. He was the ruler of the skies. Before unification, he was the patron god of Upper (southern) Egypt. After unification, he became the ruling god of all of Egypt and god of the pharaohs. An interesting note: Horus is still seen today in his falcon form as the logo of the Egyptian national airlines, Egypt Air.

Anubis was ruler of the underworld. He protected the dead from a second death. From his assistance to Isis in her search for Osiris, he became the god of embalming. This is why the Jackal god is always seen in scenes of the ceremony of preparing the dead for mummification.

Another important deity of mention is Bast. In the beginning, she was seen as the eye of Ra, serving as a protector or avenger. It was thought that she would rip the hearts out of those who Ra saw fit. She was seen as a protector of pharaohs, keeping death from approaching too closely. Her role changed over time. She was the Cat goddess. From the ability of cats to reproduce quickly, she began taking on fertility traits. Her protection spread to children and pregnant women. She also picked up associations with music and art. Another translation of her name is Lady of the Ointments, relating her to perfume, one of the most valuable commodities in Lower Egypt.

There are many other deities involved in ancient Egyptian life. From the examples of Set and Bast, we see that their meanings evolve over time. The unification of Upper and Lower Egypt brought many changes in the views of the deities, but their core meanings never changed. As with any legend, the stories of the ancient Egyptian deities are different, depending on where you hear it. The information I have used was compiled over several years of study and has been abbreviated.

Tigerwind 6/18/02

 

Her Name

Bast is pronounced bahst. Early archeologists associated her name with heat, fire and friction, an unfounded notion proven incorrect. Bastet is sometimes used for Bast. No one is sure why. Some have noted the use of Bastet when she appeared in full-cat form. Another form of her name was Ba-Aset, meaning soul of Aset (Isis). Bast is the most common and accepted name for this goddess.

Her Relationships

Early history shows Bast to be self-created. Over time, she became the daughter of Ra. This association came from the goddesss duties and attributes, discussed later. With a father, there must be a mother. The Greeks had begun muddling in the Egyptian deities. They associated Bast with Artemis (Diana), who had a twin brother, Apollo. Aset (Isis) was seen as the Mother-goddess. Bast became the daughter of Aset and sister of Heru (Horus). Remember This was a Greek thing. No such reference is made in original Egyptian writings. This association gave rise to the name Ba-Aset. This is a very good example of how the Greeks muddied the waters of truth concerning ancient Egypt.

Her Goddess Attributes

In the early times, Bast was Ras avenger. She would rip the hearts out of those whod displeased Ra, much like the Greeks Artemis and Zeus. From her association with Ra, she was considered a solar deity. She was the goddess of the sunrise. This early attribute evolved into birth, beginning and truth. Later on, her attributes changed again. As the Cat-goddess, she became the protector of Pharaoh and his house. This stems from the use of cats to keep vermin away from the kings granaries and out of the palace. (The ancient Egyptians knew of the risk of disease contracted from rodents.) Through the Greeks association of her with Aset, she took on attributes of motherhood and fertility. Another possible reason for the fertility attribute could have been from cats and their incredible ability to reproduce. From an association with Mut, she received attributes of the arts and music. Originally a solar deity, Bast became a lunar deity from the Artemis connection.

The Sex-goddess Myth

While studying Bast, I have discovered no proof that she was an overly sexual goddess. Modern times associate feminine sexuality with the sinuous feline, i.e., the sex kitten. Basts history negates this myth. She began as a killer, and then softened to protector. Her temple priestesses often used dance and music to achieve a desired mental state. They wore either see-through clothes or nothing at all. Some people have tried to relate this as the origin of modern erotic dancing. But, it was not only Basts priestesses. Every Egyptian wore the thin, see-though clothes or nothing at all. It was hot!! (Their society did not have to endure the inhibitions of the modern world.) Historical accounts of the Feast of Bast, in Bubastis, told of a festival for adults, with a lot of drinking and serious partying going on. As the party-goers would arrive on their barges, the drunken women would lift their skirts and flash the people upon the shore. This was common of all festivals! The Greeks chose Artemis to represent Bast. Artemis was a celibate huntress, not a sexual goddess. Get the idea?

Notes

Trying to decipher all thats available on Bast is impossible. Everyone has their own opinion and says anything else is wrong. What Ive written is by no means authoritative. Its merely my understanding of a very long story. One fact that I did discover: The Feast of Bast was held annually around October 31. Is this the origin of Samhain and Halloween?

Her Name

She is sometimes referred to as Maat or Mayet. The translation is literally that which is straight. In ancient Egyptian, this referred to the concept of truth.

Her Origins

This is a tricky subject. She is sometimes referred to as a daughter of Ra. But, she is often portrayed as being there when Ra emerged from the abyss of Nu. She assisted Thoth in plotting the course for Ra to take each day. She is seen as the wife of Thoth: A perfect union of truth and wisdom.


Her Appearance

She is seen as a woman wearing a crown with a huge ostrich feather. She is sometimes depicted with wings, stemming from the daughter of Ra concept.

Her Attributes

Maat represented truth, order, balance, and justice. She was the harmony of the universe. Keeping the universe in perfect balance, she ensured that universal cycles remained constant and that purity was rewarded while sin was punished. As the embodiment of truth, she was called upon for judgment. At any event that required judging, her name was invoked to make sure the judge ruled correctly and impartially. In the Underworld, she was present at the judgment of Osiris. It was her feather that the newly deads heart would be weighed against. It is sometimes depicted that she, herself, sat upon the scale, instead of the feather. Maat was present in all worlds, and the gods often deferred to her judgment.

Cult Center

There was no main worship center. There were some cults (large and small) that worshipped primarily Maat. But, she was worshipped across both Lower and Upper Egypt by everyone. She was the force that kept Egypt as they knew it. Without her, the universe would return to chaos, spelling the end of Egypt.

Notes

There are many sources for information on Maat, but they all say the same thing. She was what was right in the universe. She was truth and order. The pharaohs we supposed to embody truth, so they often adopted the phrase beloved of Maat. They didnt always uphold her values, but she had the last say at judgment!

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