Gods and GoddessesThere were an incredible number of Gods and Goddesses in Ancient Egypt, one for almost every situation and place. Many of the Gods began as local deities and were later organised and merged with others to form either a Triad or an Ennead (nine).There were several large schools of theological thought in Egypt, and each proclaimed its superiority over the others. A ruling dynasty would often promote their chief local god to the chief national god. For example, Amun (associated with Thebes) did not become a major deity until the shift of power to Thebes in the Middle Kingdom.Stele Disiset, Ptolemaic Period, Guillaume Blanchard CC ASA 3.0Many of ancient Egypt’s Gods and Goddesses share characteristics and epithets at different times in history. For example, Sekhmet (the lion Goddess of Memphis), Mut, Tefnut, and Hathor are all given the title “the Eye of Ra” and given the task of protecting the sun god. There is often confusion about the different gods known as Horus. For example, Horus the elder was often thought to be the consort of Hathor, while Horus the younger was the son of Isis and Osiris. This is unsurprising given that the Egyptian civilisation survived for over three thousand years, and the religious system was constantly evolving.Anubis in the tomb of SennedjemIn pre-dynastic times, religion was largely animistic (they considered certain animals, plants, and geographic features to be the homes of spirits). Many ancient Egyptian gods are represented by totemic animals based on the ancient understanding of the role or characteristic of the animal. For example, Anubis (the Jackal) was associated with the dead and funeral arrangements because jackals were often seen on the edge of the desert where the Egyptians were buried. It was considered that the jackals guarded the souls of the deceased.As the Egyptians were dependent on the flooding of the life-giving Nile, it is hardly surprising that water deities (such as Hapi and Aunket) and agricultural deities (such as Osiris) would be popular. As their civilisation developed, the gods of Ancient Egypt took more human form and multiplied in number. Cosmological deities (such as the sun and moon) and gods of warfare and hunting soon followed.Akhenaten, Nefertiti and their childrenEven during the “Atenist heresy” of the Amarna period (when Akhenaten rejected the old gods in favour of the Aten disk) Egypt was not fully monotheistic. Akhenaten himself claimed he would maintain the cult of the Apis bull and representations of Bes (the god of childbirth) were found in his capital city. Furthermore, he and his queen, Nefertiti were often likened to Shu and Tefnut. However, it is clear that monotheistic Christianity adopted, modified, and simplified many of the symbols and myths of the ancient polytheistic religions, in particular that of the Egyptians.Ancient Egyptian Goddesses AmentetAmmitAnputAnatAnuket (Anukis)BastBatHathorHatmehytHededetHemsutHeqetHesatIabetIsisKauketKebechetMa’atMenhet MeretsegerMeskhenet MutNaunetNehmetawyNekhbetNeithNephthysNutQadeshRenenutetRenpetSatet (Satis)SekhmetSeshatSerqet (Selkit)Sopdet (Sothis)TaweretTayetTefnutTjenenetWadjetWeret-hekauAncient Egyptian Gods Ahy (Ihy)Am-hehAmunAndjetyAnhur (Onuris)AnubisApep (Apophis)AtenAtumBanebdjedBesGebHapiHeka (Hike)HeryshefHorusHorus the ElderHorus BehedetHorus son of IsisHorakhtyHoremakhetHuKhentykhemImiutKhentiamentiuKhepri (Kheper) Kherty (Cherti)KhonsuKhnumKukMaahes (Mihos)MaahafMinMontuNefertumNunOsirisPtahRa (Re)ReshepSahuSerapis (Sarapis)SepaSet Shai ShuSiaSobekSokarSopdu (Sopedu)ThothWepwawetFetishes, Amulets and Symbols The Djed PillarThe AnkhThe Heart ScarabImiut FetishThe TjetThe Wadjet Eye (The Eye of Horus, the Eye of Ra)Bull Cults (Apis, Buchis and Mnevis)Religious Texts Pyramid TextsCoffin TextsBook of GatesBook of the Two WaysSpell of the Twelve CavesBook of the DeadNegative ConfessionGods by AreaThe Ennead of Heliopolis Ennead Atum (later Ra and Amun)ShuTefnutGebNutOsirisIsisSetNephthysLater addition, Horus The Ogdoad of Hermopolis Ogdoad Nun and Naunet Heh and Hauhet Kuk and Kuaket Amun and AmaunetMemphite Trinity SekhmetPtahNefertumElephantine Trinity KhnumAnuketSatetTheban Trinity AmunMutKhonsuDenderah (Edfu)Hathor and Horus BehedetFaiyum / Crocodilopolis SobekRenenutetHorus BehedetCopyright J Hill 2010