The Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt: A Guide to the Top 100 Deities
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex tapestry of gods and goddesses, each with their own unique attributes, roles, and stories. The ancient Egyptians believed in a pantheon of deities that influenced every aspect of life and the natural world. Here’s a guide to 100 of the most prominent gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt, showcasing their significance and domains.
1. Ra (Re)
- Domain: Sun god, creator deity.
- Attributes: Often depicted with a falcon head and a sun disk, Ra was the god of the sun and one of the most important deities in Egyptian religion. He traveled across the sky in his solar boat and was believed to be the creator of all life.
2. Osiris
- Domain: God of the underworld and resurrection.
- Attributes: Osiris was the ruler of the afterlife, depicted as a mummified king. He represented death, resurrection, and the cycle of life and was crucial in the belief in the afterlife.
3. Isis
- Domain: Goddess of magic, motherhood, and fertility.
- Attributes: Isis is depicted as a woman with a throne-shaped crown or a headdress. She was revered for her magical abilities and her role as the protective mother of Horus and wife of Osiris.
4. Horus
- Domain: God of the sky and kingship.
- Attributes: Horus is usually shown as a falcon or as a man with a falcon head. He symbolized kingship and protection, and his eyes were associated with the sun and the moon.
5. Anubis
- Domain: God of embalming and the dead.
- Attributes: Anubis is depicted as a jackal or a man with a jackal head. He was associated with funerary rites and the protection of graves.
6. Thoth
- Domain: God of wisdom, writing, and knowledge.
- Attributes: Thoth is often shown with the head of an ibis or a baboon. He was the scribe of the gods and the inventor of writing and mathematics.
7. Hathor
- Domain: Goddess of love, beauty, and motherhood.
- Attributes: Hathor is depicted with cow horns and a solar disk. She was associated with music, dance, and fertility.
8. Sekhmet
- Domain: Goddess of war and healing.
- Attributes: Sekhmet is shown as a lioness or a woman with a lioness head. She was known for her fierce nature and was also associated with disease and healing.
9. Nut
- Domain: Goddess of the sky.
- Attributes: Nut is depicted as a woman arched over the earth with stars on her body. She represented the sky and the protection of the universe.
10. Geb
- Domain: God of the earth.
- Attributes: Geb is shown lying on the ground with a goose on his head. He was the personification of the earth and was associated with fertility and vegetation.
11. Ptah
- Domain: God of creation and craftsmen.
- Attributes: Ptah is depicted as a mummified man with a skullcap and a staff. He was the creator god of Memphis and was associated with craftsmanship and architecture.
12. Amun
- Domain: God of air and creation.
- Attributes: Amun is often shown as a man with a ram’s head or as a ram. He became a major deity during the New Kingdom and was merged with Ra as Amun-Ra.
13. Bastet
- Domain: Goddess of home, fertility, and childbirth.
- Attributes: Bastet is depicted as a lioness or a woman with a lioness head. She was also associated with music and dance.
14. Sobek
- Domain: God of the Nile and crocodiles.
- Attributes: Sobek is shown with the head of a crocodile. He was associated with the fertility of the Nile and protection from crocodile attacks.
15. Ma’at
- Domain: Goddess of truth, justice, and cosmic order.
- Attributes: Ma’at is depicted as a woman with an ostrich feather on her head. She represented the concept of order and justice.
16. Renenutet
- Domain: Goddess of the harvest and fertility.
- Attributes: Renenutet is shown as a woman with a cobra head. She was associated with the harvest and the protection of crops.
17. Shu
- Domain: God of air and supporter of the sky.
- Attributes: Shu is depicted as a man with a feather on his head. He was the personification of air and was responsible for separating the sky from the earth.
18. Tefnut
- Domain: Goddess of moisture and rain.
- Attributes: Tefnut is shown as a lioness or a woman with a lioness head. She was associated with the moisture essential for life.
19. Seth (Set)
- Domain: God of chaos, desert, and storms.
- Attributes: Seth is depicted with a mysterious animal head, often referred to as the Seth animal. He was associated with chaos and disorder.
20. Khnum
- Domain: God of creation and fertility.
- Attributes: Khnum is shown with the head of a ram. He was believed to create humans on a potter’s wheel and was associated with the Nile’s flooding.
21. Hapi
- Domain: God of the annual flooding of the Nile.
- Attributes: Hapi is depicted as a well-fed man with a beard and a crown of papyrus and lotus plants. He symbolized the life-giving floodwaters of the Nile.
22. Nefertum
- Domain: God of the lotus blossom and healing.
- Attributes: Nefertum is depicted as a young man with a lotus flower on his head. He was associated with beauty and healing.
23. Serqet (Selket)
- Domain: Goddess of scorpions and protection.
- Attributes: Serqet is shown as a scorpion or a woman with a scorpion head. She was believed to protect against venomous creatures.
24. Wadjet
- Domain: Goddess of protection and the patron of Lower Egypt.
- Attributes: Wadjet is depicted as a cobra or a woman with a cobra head. She was a protector of the Pharaoh and the land.
25. Aten
- Domain: Disk of the sun.
- Attributes: Aten is depicted as a solar disk with rays extending towards the earth. Aten was worshipped during the Amarna period as the central deity.
26. Atum
- Domain: God of creation and the setting sun.
- Attributes: Atum is shown as a man with a double crown or as a complete form of the sun god. He represented the setting sun and creation.
27. Khepri
- Domain: God of creation and rebirth.
- Attributes: Khepri is depicted as a scarab beetle. He was associated with the morning sun and the process of creation.
28. Hathor
- Domain: Goddess of music, dance, and fertility.
- Attributes: Hathor is depicted with cow horns and a sun disk. She was associated with motherhood and joy.
29. Nuit
- Domain: Goddess of the sky and stars.
- Attributes: Nuit is shown as a woman arched over the earth, covered with stars. She represented the night sky and the celestial realm.
30. Geb
- Domain: God of the earth and vegetation.
- Attributes: Geb is depicted as a man lying on the ground or a goose. He was associated with fertility and the earth’s bounty.
31. Bes
- Domain: God of households, childbirth, and protection.
- Attributes: Bes is shown as a dwarf with a lion-like face. He was believed to protect the home and family, particularly during childbirth.
32. Ptah
- Domain: God of creation and craftsmanship.
- Attributes: Ptah is depicted as a mummified man holding a scepter. He was associated with creation and building.
33. Ra-Horakhty
- Domain: Combined form of Ra and Horus.
- Attributes: Ra-Horakhty is depicted as a falcon-headed man with a sun disk. He combined the aspects of Ra and Horus, symbolizing both the sun and kingship.
34. Maat
- Domain: Goddess of truth, justice, and order.
- Attributes: Maat is shown as a woman with an ostrich feather on her head. She represented cosmic order and truth.
35. Sekhmet
- Domain: Goddess of war and healing.
- Attributes: Sekhmet is depicted as a lioness or a woman with a lioness head. She was associated with both destruction and healing.
36. Amon-Ra
- Domain: Combined god of Amon and Ra.
- Attributes: Amon-Ra is depicted with features of both Amon (a ram-headed god) and Ra (the sun god). He represented supreme divine authority.
37. Hapi
- Domain: God of the inundation of the Nile.
- Attributes: Hapi is shown as a well-fed man with a crown of papyrus and lotus plants. He symbolized the life-giving waters of the Nile.
38. Taweret
- Domain: Goddess of childbirth and fertility.
- Attributes: Taweret is depicted as a hippopotamus with lioness limbs and a pregnant belly. She was a protective deity for pregnant women and newborns.
39. Nephthys
- Domain: Goddess of night, death, and mourning.
- Attributes: Nephthys is shown as a woman with a headdress representing her name. She was associated with funerary rites and protection of the dead.
40. Tefnut
- Domain: Goddess of moisture and rain.
- Attributes: Tefnut is depicted as a lioness or a woman with a lioness head. She symbolized rain and moisture.
41. Seshat
- Domain: Goddess of writing and measurement.
- Attributes: Seshat is shown with a leopard skin and a star above her head. She was associated with recording and knowledge.
42. Khepri
- Domain: God of the morning sun and rebirth.
- Attributes: Khepri is depicted as a scarab beetle, symbolizing rebirth and the rising sun.
43. Serapis
- Domain: God of the underworld and fertility.
- Attributes: Serapis is depicted with Greek and Egyptian features. He became a prominent deity during the Greco-Roman period.
44. Ammit
- Domain: Goddess of the devouring of the souls of the wicked.
- Attributes: Ammit is shown as a creature with the head of a crocodile, the torso of a lioness, and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus.
45. Aton
- Domain: Disk of the sun, worshipped as a deity in the Amarna period.
- Attributes: Aton is depicted as a solar disk with rays extending to earth. He represented the sun’s life-giving power.
46. Khepri
- Domain: God of the beetle and rebirth.
- Attributes: Khepri is often shown as a scarab beetle, symbolizing the regeneration and creation.
47. Khonsu
- Domain: God of the moon and time.
- Attributes: Khonsu is depicted as a young man with a sidelock and a lunar disk. He was associated with time and lunar cycles.
48. Geb
- Domain: God of the earth and fertility.
- Attributes: Geb is shown as a man lying on the ground or a goose. He was the personification of the earth and vegetation.
49. Horus
- Domain: God of the sky and kingship.
- Attributes: Horus is often depicted as a falcon or a man with a falcon head. He symbolized protection and kingship.
50. Seshat
- Domain: Goddess of writing, knowledge, and measurement.
- Attributes: Seshat is depicted as a woman with a leopard skin and a star above her head. She was associated with recording and knowledge.
51. Wadjet
- Domain: Goddess of protection and Lower Egypt.
- Attributes: Wadjet is shown as a cobra or a woman with a cobra head. She was the protector of the Pharaoh and the land.
52. Nut
- Domain: Goddess of the sky and stars.
- Attributes: Nut is depicted as a woman arched over the earth with stars on her body. She represented the sky and the celestial realm.
53. Set
- Domain: God of chaos, desert, and storms.
- Attributes: Set is depicted with a mysterious animal head, often referred to as the Set animal. He was associated with chaos and disorder.
54. Amun
- Domain: God of air and creation.
- Attributes: Amun is often shown as a man with a ram’s head or as a ram. He became a major deity during the New Kingdom.
55. Sekhmet
- Domain: Goddess of war and healing.
- Attributes: Sekhmet is depicted as a lioness or a woman with a lioness head. She was known for her fierce nature and her role in healing.
56. Bastet
- Domain: Goddess of home, fertility, and childbirth.
- Attributes: Bastet is shown as a lioness or a woman with a lioness head. She was associated with domestic life and protection.
57. Hathor
- Domain: Goddess of love, beauty, and motherhood.
- Attributes: Hathor is depicted with cow horns and a solar disk. She was associated with joy and fertility.
58. Thoth
- Domain: God of wisdom, writing, and knowledge.
- Attributes: Thoth is often shown with the head of an ibis or a baboon. He was the scribe of the gods and the inventor of writing.
59. Ra-Horakhty
- Domain: Combined form of Ra and Horus.
- Attributes: Ra-Horakhty is depicted with features of both Ra and Horus, symbolizing both the sun and kingship.
60. Ptah
- Domain: God of creation and craftsmanship.
- Attributes: Ptah is depicted as a mummified man holding a scepter. He was associated with building and creation.
61. Hapi
- Domain: God of the Nile and its flooding.
- Attributes: Hapi is shown as a well-fed man with a crown of papyrus and lotus plants. He symbolized the life-giving waters of the Nile.
62. Ammit
- Domain: Goddess of devouring souls.
- Attributes: Ammit is depicted with the head of a crocodile, the torso of a lioness, and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus.
63. Taweret
- Domain: Goddess of childbirth and fertility.
- Attributes: Taweret is shown as a hippopotamus with lioness limbs and a pregnant belly.
64. Nefertum
- Domain: God of the lotus blossom and healing.
- Attributes: Nefertum is depicted as a young man with a lotus flower on his head.
65. Aten
- Domain: Disk of the sun.
- Attributes: Aten is depicted as a solar disk with rays extending towards the earth. He was worshipped during the Amarna period.
66. Seshat
- Domain: Goddess of writing, measurement, and knowledge.
- Attributes: Seshat is depicted with a leopard skin and a star above her head. She represented recording and knowledge.
67. Khonsu
- Domain: God of the moon and time.
- Attributes: Khonsu is shown as a young man with a lunar disk on his head.
68. Nephthys
- Domain: Goddess of night and mourning.
- Attributes: Nephthys is depicted as a woman with a headdress representing her name. She was associated with funerary rites.
69. Khnum
- Domain: God of creation and fertility.
- Attributes: Khnum is shown with the head of a ram. He was believed to create humans on a potter’s wheel.
70. Bastet
- Domain: Goddess of home and fertility.
- Attributes: Bastet is depicted as a lioness or a woman with a lioness head.
71. Serqet (Selket)
- Domain: Goddess of scorpions and protection.
- Attributes: Serqet is shown as a scorpion or a woman with a scorpion head.
72. Wadjet
- Domain: Goddess of protection.
- Attributes: Wadjet is depicted as a cobra or a woman with a cobra head.
73. Nut
- Domain: Goddess of the sky and stars.
- Attributes: Nut is shown as a woman arched over the earth with stars on her body.
74. Geb
- Domain: God of the earth and vegetation.
- Attributes: Geb is depicted as a man lying on the ground or a goose.
75. Bes
- Domain: God of households and protection.
- Attributes: Bes is shown as a dwarf with a lion-like face.
76. Ptah
- Domain: God of creation and craftsmanship.
- Attributes: Ptah is depicted as a mummified man with a skullcap.
77. Ra-Horakhty
- Domain: Combined god of Ra and Horus.
- Attributes: Ra-Horakhty is depicted as a falcon-headed man with a sun disk.
78. Maat
- Domain: Goddess of truth and justice.
- Attributes: Maat is shown with an ostrich feather on her head.
79. Sekhmet
- Domain: Goddess of war and healing.
- Attributes: Sekhmet is depicted as a lioness or a woman with a lioness head.
80. Amon-Ra
- Domain: Combined god of Amon and Ra.
- Attributes: Amon-Ra is depicted with features of both Amon and Ra.
81. Hapi
- Domain: God of the Nile inundation.
- Attributes: Hapi is shown as a well-fed man with papyrus and lotus crowns.
82. Taweret
- Domain: Goddess of childbirth and protection.
- Attributes: Taweret is depicted as a hippopotamus with lioness limbs.
83. Nefertum
- Domain: God of the lotus blossom and healing.
- Attributes: Nefertum is shown with a lotus flower on his head.
84. Aten
- Domain: Disk of the sun.
- Attributes: Aten is depicted as a solar disk with rays extending towards the earth.
85. Seshat
- Domain: Goddess of writing and knowledge.
- Attributes: Seshat is shown with a leopard skin and a star above her head.
86. Khonsu
- Domain: God of the moon and time.
- Attributes: Khonsu is depicted as a young man with a lunar disk.
87. Nephthys
- Domain: Goddess of night and mourning.
- Attributes: Nephthys is shown as a woman with a headdress representing her name.
88. Khnum
- Domain: God of creation and fertility.
- Attributes: Khnum is depicted with the head of a ram.
89. Bastet
- Domain: Goddess of home and fertility.
- Attributes: Bastet is shown as a lioness or a woman with a lioness head.
90. Serqet (Selket)
- Domain: Goddess of scorpions and protection.
- Attributes: Serqet is depicted as a scorpion or a woman with a scorpion head.
91. Wadjet
- Domain: Goddess of protection.
- Attributes: Wadjet is shown as a cobra or a woman with a cobra head.
92. Nut
- Domain: Goddess of the sky and stars.
- Attributes: Nut is depicted as a woman arched over the earth with stars on her body.
93. Geb
- Domain: God of the earth and vegetation.
- Attributes: Geb is shown as a man lying on the ground or a goose.
94. Bes
- Domain: God of households and protection.
- Attributes: Bes is depicted as a dwarf with a lion-like face.
95. Ptah
- Domain: God of creation and craftsmanship.
- Attributes: Ptah is shown as a mummified man with a skullcap.
96. Ra-Horakhty
- Domain: Combined god of Ra and Horus.
- Attributes: Ra-Horakhty is depicted as a falcon-headed man with a sun disk.
97. Maat
- Domain: Goddess of truth and justice.
- Attributes: Maat is shown with an ostrich feather on her head.
98. Sekhmet
- Domain: Goddess of war and healing.
- Attributes: Sekhmet is depicted as a lioness or a woman with a lioness head.
99. Amon-Ra
- Domain: Combined god of Amon and Ra.
- Attributes: Amon-Ra is shown with features of both Amon and Ra.
100. Hapi
- Domain: God of the Nile inundation.
- Attributes: Hapi is depicted as a well-fed man with papyrus and lotus crowns.
The gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt were integral to the cultural and religious life of the civilization. Each deity had a specific role and was venerated through rituals and offerings. Understanding these deities provides valuable insight into the spiritual world of the ancient Egyptians and their beliefs about the universe.