Sebek-ra is a beautiful-faced crocodile. Sebek - Egyptian god of water

The temple at Kom Ombo was built under the Ptolemies from 180 to 47 AD. BC, however, it may have more ancient roots. The temple is located on the right bank of the Nile, 40 kilometers north of Aswan. Usually it is visited by tourists, who necessarily stop here, traveling along the Nile on a motor ship.

Sebek, a god depicted with the head of a crocodile, is considered a creator god and protector from evil forces. His wife (according to one version) is considered Hathor - the goddess of love and beauty, and his son - Khonsu - the god of the moon and wisdom. True, Hathor is also considered the wife of Horus. The main place of worship for Sebek is Fayum Lake in northern Egypt, where the city of Crocodipolis (Shedit) was located, but practically nothing remained of it, except for several thousand mummies of crocodiles. Therefore, the temple of Sebek, and even in Upper Egypt, is the only one, and therefore unique.

However, the uniqueness of the Kom Ombo temple does not end there, it is a double temple, the right side of which is dedicated to the god Horus, that is, the god of the sun and sky, one of the main gods in the Egyptian pantheon. As in the case of Sebek, both his wife and his son found a place in the temple. According to some myths, Horus and Sebek are brothers, which explains such a filling of the temple.

After the construction of the temple, almost nothing is known about it, after the spread of Christianity in Egypt, Copts used it for some time, but then it was finally abandoned. Since the temple was located near the Nile, the river during floods destroyed the gate of the temple and part of the facade. And in 1893 it was accidentally discovered by a French archaeologist, the temple was covered with sand to the very roof.

On the other side of the temple, there is still a decent-sized dune

On the right are the remains of the gate

In the foreground is all that remains of the pylon.

Just in case, I give you a drawing of the plan of the temple.

From the courtyard with columns around the perimeter, only the bases of the columns remained

The entrance to the temple, as you can see, is double - on the left for Sebek, on the right for Horus

As you can see from the plan and the first photos of the facade of the temple - the temple is quite badly damaged, for Egypt it is a rather poor state of preservation, although the central halls, having lost their roof, are still more or less preserved. But what has definitely survived well is the drawings and images on the walls, some are carved as if yesterday.

Entrance to a part of the temple of Sebek

Angle Mountain

Sebek

The main part of the graffiti talks about the gods, and in some parts there is a listing of what was donated to the sanctuary

Corridor on the right

Hypostyle hall

To the left of the image of the goddess Sekhmet there is a calendar, only a small piece got into the frame, and so there is a whole wall

Calendar

On some parts of the krum, mostly ceiling beams, there are traces of the original color painting

Lobby in front of the altar

View from the end of the temple

At the end of the temple there were, as I understand it, two altar stones. Only one has survived to this day. It is located in the part of Sebek

At the very end of the temple is a row small spaces closed with an iron grating, but you can look there

As befits Egyptian temples, they were surrounded by a wall along the outer perimeter; here, reliefs are well preserved on the walls of the temple.

Passage to the left of the temple

Passage behind the temple

Star. Similar adorned the vaults of the tombs in the pyramids 2.5 thousand years before the construction of this temple

Passage to the right of the temple

To the left of the main rear of the temple and behind the temple, some kind of excavation is being actively carried out, but if you cannot walk behind the temple on the hill, then on the site on the left you can. There is a small temple of Sebek (ruins), as well as two nilometers.

Nilometers played an important function in the life of the ancient Egyptians, firstly, a deep hole clearly showed the water level in the river, and secondly, based on this, taxes were levied - drought - less, spill - more.

Another nilometer, it seems, was at the entrance to the complex.

The purpose of these structures (steps) and the small house behind it is unknown, some believe that this is a source of water, others believe that sacred animals, that is, crocodiles, lived here.

Temple, left view

To the right of the temple, near the small temple of Hathor, the head of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and a headless statue were found

Mini Temple of Hathor

View of the temple on the right

Of the interesting drawings in the temple, one can note the image of surgical instruments, but, unfortunately, I did not pay attention to them.

But this animal got into my collection of interesting images - a mixture of a bee, a cat and a goat.

The photo shows that several police officers and caretakers are on duty in the temple. But the one rare case when specifically they did not try to sell their guide services to us.

Like all other sites in Egypt, the temple is open until sunset. The ticket price is 80 Egyptian pounds, for students 40 pounds. The ticket price also includes the Sobek Museum, a small hall where the mummy of crocodiles and a number of ritual accessories are exhibited. The price is £ 50 here, but no one really follows.

In the New Kingdom, the residence of totem animals at temples was a frequent tradition. In the case of crocodiles, they lived at the temples all their lives, they were cared for and well fed, and when they died, they were mummified and buried. Crocodiles from this museum were found in the Hathor temple at the main temple, as well as in the El-Shatb necropolis nearby

Bronze statuette of Sebek

Accessories for mummification of crocodiles

Crocodile mummies

Crocodile mummies - layout

Crocodile eggs

On the embankment, motor ships with tourists are waiting for crowds of merchants. I was one of the actively trying to breed for the purchase. Offered a T-shirt for 5 pounds (30 cents), the price is great, I thought to get some hands on, said what size I needed and left to watch the temple. At the exit, the seller was waiting for me, only now he wanted 200 pounds (12 dollars) for a T-shirt. And about 5 pounds, he confessed that it was like British pounds. Such a divorce for simpletons in the hope that, like, I will appreciate his efforts and buy it anyway. In the end, the last price he offered me was, I think, 80 pounds - 5 dollars. You can buy it if you need it, but I didn't need it.

The cruise ship is moored off the coast

Embankment in front of the temple

If you are staying in Aswan, I recommend a small Nubian-style hotel for your stay.

The most ancient inhabitants of our planet are characterized by the deification of the forces of nature and animals. The latter were endowed with holiness, worshiped with offerings and sacrifices. Ancient Egypt was no exception. In this state, not only cute and harmless animals were endowed with divine features, but also reptiles that have a terrifying appearance and pose a mortal danger. It is about crocodiles.

Historical information has long been confirmed crucial role Nile in the life of the Egyptians. The existence of the river, stretching like a life-giving thread from north to south, made it possible for ancient peoples to settle along its banks, their life depended on the floods of the Nile. Regular floods made the fields adjacent to the river fertile, which provided residents good harvest and guaranteed no hunger. To predict the harvest, the Egyptians monitored the rise in the water level in the Nile using the nilomers they built.

Dependence on the forces of nature caused people to worship their power, the desire to earn the favor of the gods - the protectors of the Nile and its inhabitants. The largest and most unusual creatures that have lived in the Nile for a long time - crocodiles - were considered its keepers and masters of the river. By their behavior, the Egyptians could determine the time of the flood.

Worship of Sebek

Egyptian civilization had a wide pantheon of gods. An important place in this row was occupied by the god Sebek. He was portrayed as a man with a crocodile's head topped with a magnificent crown. Sebek was the ruler of the river-nurse, the ruler of the movement of its waters, and personified eternity.

Within the territory of Ancient egypt in the Fayum valley there was a city of Shedit, later called Crocodilopolis by the Greeks who came there. The site, located in a fertile valley around Lake Merida, was the center of worship for Sebek. Crocodiles were considered the living embodiment of God.

Not far from Shedit, Pharaoh Amenemhat III built a whole complex dedicated to crocodiles. In addition to the traditional erection of a pyramid, the ruler was ordered to build a sacred structure, similar to a labyrinth - for the residence of the son of Sebek, the earthly representative of God, the crocodile. The territory of the building has not been preserved, there are only remains of ruins. According to Herodotus, the area of the labyrinth was about 70 thousand square meters. meters, there were several levels, many rooms, where the crocodile chosen by the priests, the son of Sebek, could walk.

Serving the Chosen Crocodile

For the realization of a dignified life, priests were assigned to the crocodile, bringing food and treats. After the death of the "master of the labyrinth," all the same priests mummified the body of the deceased animal and chose the next crocodile.

If a person died from a river predator, it was considered a great success: he received the protection of God and, after embalming, was honored to be buried in a sacred grave.

To this day, the area of the Fayum Valley has not been fully explored. In the future, we will be able to find out if there really was a labyrinth in Crocodilopolis, or if it was just a meaningful myth. The worship of the crocodile god throughout Egypt is evidenced by the temple of Sebek in the city of Kom-Ombo, not far from which a whole burial with crocodile mummies was found.

Crocodiles and Egyptian mythology

Egyptian mythology could not pass by such an animal as the Nile crocodile. It is a large reptile, reaching a length of 6 meters; the weight of the largest individuals exceeds a ton.

The Nile crocodile evoked sacred awe among the ancient Egyptians - their whole life was connected with the Nile, and it was the crocodiles that were the real owners of the river. With one blow of its mighty tail, a hungry crocodile could knock over fishing boat and drag the unlucky fisherman under the water.

And on land, near water and swamps, it was impossible to feel safe - crocodiles, including Nile ones, can even run in a kind of gallop, showing amazing agility for such, at first glance, clumsy animals outside the water.

Terrible jaws with huge teeth, closing in with great force, break the bones of large animals and split the shells of turtles. It is interesting that crocodile teeth change many times during their life - new and sharp teeth grow to replace the old and worn ones.

A crocodile can go without food for a very long time - up to a year, no mammal can compare with it. And one more feature - crocodiles do not have a tongue in the usual sense - their tongue is spread out along the lower jaw and is tightly attached to it.

That is, unlike a number of animals, endowed in many ways with fantastic features, crocodiles have such really existing qualities and properties that simply could not fail to make them important characters in Egyptian myths since ancient times.

The first mentions of Sebek

The Egyptian god with the head of a crocodile has been revered since ancient times.

In Kom Ombo, the temple of Sebek is unique in that it is part of a double temple built in the Greco-Roman era. The northern part is dedicated to the triad of gods headed by Horus (Horus, Tasenetnofret and their son Panebtavi), and the southern part is dedicated to the triad of gods headed by the crocodile god (Sebek, Hathor and their son Khonsu).

In addition to these large temples throughout Egypt, there were numerous shrines and smaller temples dedicated to the Egyptian god of water. Among them are the temples at Gebel el-Silsil and Gebelin.

Ambivalence towards crocodiles

The Greek writer Herodotus noted that crocodiles were revered as sacred animals in some parts of Egypt. Temple complexes dedicated to the crocodile god included special pools in which sacred reptiles lived.

Their heads were decorated with earrings, and their paws were bracelets with precious stones... After death, their bodies were mummified and buried in a special cemetery (such a cemetery was found in Kom Ombo).

However, in Egypt there were also areas where crocodiles were hunted and killed.

This polarity has found its explanation and reflection in myths. The Egyptian god Sebek in them is very multifaceted and ambiguous. It can merge with the image of Amon or the sun god Ra, sometimes in the form of the god Sebek-Ra, can act as the hypostasis of the god Khnum or Osiris, and can assimilate with the image of Set, the worst enemy of Osiris and Horus.

In other myths, Sebek shares with Horus the title of “King of Egypt” and provides him with help (in particular, he finds in the waters of the Nile and brings his hands cut off from Horus in a fit of anger by his mother Isis, which later Isis herself returns to their place with the help of magic) ...

Mythological consciousness does not obey the laws formal logic and that one and the same god can be both good and evil, there is no contradiction for him.

Sebek - the patron saint of the pharaohs

When the pharaohs of the 12th dynasty, descended from Fayum, began to rule in Egypt during the Middle Kingdom, Sebek began to be worshiped as the patron god of the pharaohs.

The legendary female pharaoh from this dynasty bore the name Sebekneferu - “Beautiful Sebek” (c. 1790-1786 BC). Its pyramid complex, built in Mazgun (4 km south of Dashur), is one of the last pyramids erected in Egypt.

The tradition of including the name of Sobek in their names was continued by the pharaohs of the XIII dynasty, many of whom were called Sebekhotep - “Satisfied Sebek” (Sebekhotep I, II, III, IV, V).

Some pharaohs of the 17th dynasty (circa 1650 - 1567 BC) also bore similar names - Sebekemsaf I and Sebekemsaf II. The inclusion of the name of God in the name of the pharaoh speaks of the great importance of the cult of Sebek at that time.

With the onset of the New Kingdom period, the Egyptian pharaohs no longer bear the name of the crocodile god. However, a statue depicting the relatively small ninth pharaoh of the 18th dynasty Amenhotep III (c. 1402 - 1364 BC) and a much larger Sebek sitting next to him (now in the Luxor Museum) suggests that the crocodile god during this period did not lose his functions of the patron and protector of the Egyptian pharaohs. The same features remained with him almost until the end of the era of the pharaohs, including the kings-pharaohs of the Greco-Roman period.

Kinship of the crocodile god

If Nate was considered the mother of Sebek, then with the rest family ties more and more complicated. The consort of the crocodile god could be Hathor, sometimes the goddess of the harvest Renenutet.

His son from the goddess Hathor in the Kom Ombo triad was the god Khonsu, and in the Fayum oasis, from a conjugal union with Renenutet, his son was the god Horus.

In a number of myths, Horus himself appears in the form of a crocodile during searches in the Nile for parts of the body of his father Osiris, insidiously killed and dismembered by the cruel Set.

Why do crocodiles have no tongue?

And the Egyptian myths give their answer to this question.

When Set killed and hacked to pieces Osiris, he scattered the body parts of his slain brother throughout Egypt, and threw his phallus into the waters of the Nile.

Sebek, despite repeated warnings from the gods not to eat meat, neglected these words and, seeing the phallus, swallowed it.

Although he did not know at that moment who this part of the body belonged to, the punishment of the gods was cruel - Sebek's tongue was cut off.

That is why, as the Egyptians believed, crocodiles have no tongue.

Egyptian god with the head of a crocodile

Since many mythological images are associated with Sebek, his images differ significantly.

Traditionally, Sebek was depicted as a man with the head of a crocodile, with a headdress that includes a disc of the sun with high feathers, urey (sometimes two), often pretentious horns.

A characteristic of this image of the crocodile god is the presence of a three-sided wig.

Slightly less often, the crown-atef (a high pin-shaped crown with two feathers on the sides) or the combined crown of Upper and Lower Egypt is depicted as a headdress.

The Egyptian god of water could also be depicted in a zoomorphic form - in the form of a crocodile with a similar headdress.

In the image of Sobek-Ra, he is depicted as a crocodile with a solar disk and ureus on his head.

As such, Horus could be depicted as a crocodile with the head of a falcon.

In addition, the Egyptian god Sebek could be depicted with the head of a ram, lion or bull.

Protective amulets in the shape of a crocodile were widespread in Egypt, not only among the nobility, but also among ordinary people.

In the Greco-Roman period, the solar aspects in Sebek were so significant that the Greeks often identified him with Helios - Greek god sun.

The oldest god of ancient Egyptian mythology, he had the appearance of a man with a crocodile head. Sometimes he is portrayed differently - as a crocodile with a human head. The hieroglyphic record represents the god as a crocodile, who sits honorably on a pedestal, which is similar to the spelling of the name of the god Anubis, depicted as a dog. There is no agreement on how to pronounce the name of God correctly. The two most common options are Sebek and Sobek.

God of fertility and the Nile

According to historians, the birth of the cult of Sebek took place in the lowlands of the Nile River, where a huge number of crocodiles lived in the numerous branches of the delta. Many chroniclers singled out these reptiles as an integral Egyptian symbol, like ibises and snakes. Unfortunately, in modern day widespread urbanization has led to the extinction of crocodiles in the Nile.

But this does not mean that the deification of crocodiles happened because of their number. Rats or sparrows are found in more large quantities, and it is simply unrealistic to count them. They live next to people all the time, but no one has made them deities. And this even though the harm caused by rats is much greater than the harm caused by crocodiles.

Of course, the power of the crocodile allows him to suddenly rush at his prey, he is very fast, both in water and on land. This animal can kill a person with ease, and there are many such cases when an unwary hunter fell into the mouth of a crocodile. But catching these reptiles has always been common among the ancient Egyptians. They and Sebek were portrayed with the help of one of the captured crocodiles and worshiped him.

The extant image shows that the crocodile, who served as the avatar of the deity, was adorned with bracelets and earrings. One cannot agree that the animal was pleased to endure all the procedures, and he steadfastly wore all the jewelry. As the results of the searches of archaeologists show, gold and silver were invariable attributes of all such Sebeks, because there were several such reptiles.

The sacred animal was presented as a receptacle for the spirit of the god. Natural old age and death, which invariably came, were not a problem for the ancient Egyptians. A mummy was made of a reptile and buried. A new crocodile came to replace, which was also decorated and prayed to him. What were the criteria for choosing an animal, on this moment unknown.

Near the settlement of Kiman-Faris, which was previously called Shedit (translated from ancient Greek - Crocodilopolis), archaeologists have found about two thousand mummified reptiles. Some of them are on display at. According to statistics, a crocodile lives about the same as a person, even a little more. If you make a certain calculation, take into account that not all crocodiles were found, and the avatar of Sebek really died a natural death, then a time period of about twenty thousand years comes out. But, who knows, maybe in ancient Egypt all crocodiles were turned into mummies.

The described facts indicate that Sebek was always held in high esteem in all ancient times. An unpleasant avatar didn't mean that God himself was evil. It cannot even be called cruel. Sebek is “the giver of life, his feet give people the waters of the Nile”. Something like this is written in the Book of the Dead. Like Osiris, Sebek is the god of fertility, he is the owner of the Nile River, all fresh water and animals living in rivers. The prayers of fishermen and hunters were directed to Sebek, because reed thickets were the main place of their fishing. He helped the souls of dead people to go the way to Osiris.

There is a record that testifies to the petition of one man to God to help him in the struggle for a woman. The deity ruled over many aspects of the life of the Egyptians. One of the songs contains words in which Sebek is given the title “God who hears prayers”, no other ancient Egyptian god bears such a title.

God Sebek - the inventor

There is a legend that tells about the invention of a fishing net. Hapi and Amset - two sons of the god Horus hid in the waters of the Nile from the god Ra, who could not find him in any way. Or he was too proud for that. God instructed Sebek to complete the task so that he would find the great-great-great-grandchildren, whom the brothers were Ra. With the help of his hands, Sebek sifted through the entire Nile through his fingers, and he managed to find the fugitives. This is how the fishing net came into being. Of course, this narrative lacks fluidity and harmony, but the meaning of the legend is clear.

Bloodline of God

The history of the origin of the deity is rather vague. Two options are being considered. First, Ra was the creator or parent of God. Second - Sebek was spawned by the primordial ocean Nun. Based on some historical evidence, it is assumed that he is the son of Nate, but there is almost no evidence of this. There is no information about Sebek's wife either. So mysterious is the deity, who was like a cunning guard, faithfully serving Ra. He was also greatly revered by mortals who distributed miniature amulets with his image everywhere.

Sebek and the ancient Egyptians

Sebek was revered back in the days of the Old Kingdom - the era of construction and. He is mentioned in one of the "pyramid texts" spells.

Amenemhat III, who was the pharaoh of the twelfth dynasty, erected a large temple in the city of Fayyum. He was dedicated to the god with the head of a crocodile. Not far from the temple, a labyrinth was built, where they practiced religious rituals that were dedicated to the god Sebek. The system of the temple resembles the building in Abydos, where Osiris was worshiped, the labyrinth there was also part of the temple. Mummified crocodiles were found in Fayyum. The popularity of the deity is also confirmed by the fact that letters were often written with the wishes "May Sebek keep you."

Many temples were located along the Nile delta, but other places are also known where buildings were erected to worship the deity. For example, in Kom Ombo (Ombos), which is located at the head of the Nile, the remains of a temple are also preserved, and an excursion to the Nile is now an integral part of tourist cruises on the Nile. Temples of Sebek and mummified crocodiles are found even in, which has never been a cultural center.

Technologists in the field of ancient myths will be interested in the fact that archaeologists have found papyri containing twelve hymns that praised the crown of the god Sebek. Her main advantage was that she destroyed all enemies, because she shone brightly like the sun.

Likewise, according to legend, Akhenaten dispersed an army of forty thousand soldiers. And he did it thanks to the crown, or rather the rays emanating from it.

One story is curious. Osiris, when finally resurrected, was left without a reproductive organ. According to legend, it was eaten by one crocodile. I wonder if Sebek was also involved in this incident? In addition, there are several statues that depict the mummified Osiris, located on the back of Sebek.

Sebek is popular today. If you look at what you can find interesting, then the figurines of the ancient gods will be on one of the first places in the list of souvenirs. And the palm in the list of gods, in that case, is worn by Anubis with a jackal's head and Sebek, made in the most bizarre forms.

Who among us in childhood was not fascinated by Egypt, with its pyramids and gods, mummies and their treasures? And how many films have been filmed, and are being filmed to this day, about all kinds of priests and gods. Who among us has not dreamed of at least once looking at one of the seven wonders of the world - Egyptian pyramids and the Sphinx? Egypt is beautiful and mysterious, interesting for its history, beckons with information about the great pharaohs and queens who once lived on this earth, or about the all-powerful pagan gods and cults.

The mysteries of Ancient Egypt have not been solved to this day and, perhaps, will never be solved, and will remain the great mysteries of history. There are many myths and rumors about who nevertheless built the pyramids. Maybe these are the creations of an alien mind? After all, the ancient Egyptians did not have the technology to lift heavy boulders so high. Or maybe the gods of Ancient Egypt, the list of whose names we know from childhood, helped their subjects?

Although one mystery is about the curse of the pharaoh's tomb, scientists still managed to unravel, as it turned out, there is no mystical curse, but there is a special substance with which ancient tombs were treated to preserve treasures, which is very toxic and can cause poisoning to death.

All this was a very long time ago and now, for sure, you will not know the whole truth about the mysterious and alluring Ancient Egypt. Many historians are interested in the gods of Ancient Egypt, their pictures are often decorated with school history books, calendars for the home, dishes, etc. Many designers create Egyptian-style interiors for homes and restaurants. But how do people know what the gods of Egypt looked like, the names and their meanings? Everything is very simple, images of gods and pharaohs, their names, field of activity, crafts and historical events, all this was carved on the walls of pyramids, stones, written on tombs and papyrus. Then archaeologists deciphered ancient signs and symbols and conveyed their guesses and discoveries to historians.

Gods of Ancient Egypt list and description.

Amon - first the god of air, then became the god of the sun. He was presented in the form of a man, with a crown and two high golden feathers on it, sometimes he could appear in the form of a man with a ram's head.
Anubis is the patron saint of the world of the dead. Depicted as a man with the head of a black jackal. Sometimes he could appear completely in the form of an animal, namely a black dog.
Apophis is the god of darkness and darkness, the eternal enemy of the sun god. Lives underground. Depicted as a huge snake. Ra fought with him every night.
Ah - a lower deity, part of the essence of man, an intermediary between gods and people, the afterlife incarnation of the pharaohs.
Bast is the god of fun, luck and home. Protected the poor, young children and old people. I saw him as a dwarf with a lush beard.
Bukhis is a god embodied in the form of a black and white bull. Depicted in a crown with two long feathers and a sun disc.
Horus is the god of the earth, the divine ruler of Egypt. He was presented in the guise of a man on whose head a duck was depicted.
Min is the god of fertility and reproduction of people and animals. He was depicted as a man with a disproportionately large hard phallus (a symbol of fertility), one hand is raised up, in the other he holds a whip. On the head is a crown with high golden feathers.
Montu is the god of war. He looked like a man with a falcon's head, a crown with two feathers and a sun disk on his head, holding a spear in his hand.
Osiris is a democratic god, the god of hunting and war. He was also considered the god of fertility. Most revered by the common people of Egypt.
Ptah is the god of craft and creativity, truth and justice. I saw him in tight clothes, holding a staff in his hands.
Ra is the most famous Egyptian sun god, saw the head of a falcon crowned with a sun disk.
Sebek is the god of rivers and lakes. Depicted as a man with the head of a crocodile, on his head is a high gold crown.
Thoth is the ancient Egyptian god of knowledge. He holds a long thin staff in his hands.
Hapi is the deity of the Nile River, the patron saint of moisture and harvest. He presented himself as a fat man with a huge belly and female mammary glands. On his head is a crown of papyrus, in his hands holds vessels with water.
Horus is the god of heaven and royal power, the patron saint of the army. The Egyptian pharaohs were considered the embodiment of Horus on earth. Depicted as a man with a falcon's head.
Heh is the embodiment of the elements. In the images - a man with a frog's head.
Khnum is the creator of people, the god of creation, water and the setting sun. Created the vital rapids of the Nile River. Depicted as a man with a ram's head.
Shai - god vine, patron of wealth. Later he began to be considered the god of fate, who determined the time of the course of human life.
Shesemu - the god of the afterlife, guarded the mummy and punished sinners. God of embalming.
Shu is the god of air that separates heaven and earth. He was portrayed as a man who stands on one knee with his hands up and holds the heavens.
Yah is the god of the moon. He appeared in the form of a man crowned with a lunar disk and a lunar crescent.

As in all pagan cultures, the most important deity was the god, personifying the sun. The sun gives strength and fertility to the earth. The sun begins the day and gives light. The cult of Ancient Egypt is no exception, and therefore the supreme god of Ancient Egypt is the sun god - Ra.

Gods of Ancient Egypt pictures and names.

Of course, pagan culture ancient Egyptians were not limited to only gods in male incarnation. Female deities were worshiped by the Egyptians no less than male deities. Very often the gods had both male and female incarnations.

Egyptian goddesses, names and their meanings.

Amaunet - in male incarnation Amon, later his wife. The embodiment of the elements. She was portrayed as a woman with the head of a snake.
Amentet - the goddess of the realm of the dead, who met souls dead people on the other side.
Anuket is the patroness of the Nile. Depicted in a crown of papyrus.
Bastet is the well-known goddess of female beauty and love, the keeper of the house. She is also the patroness of fun and joy. She was portrayed as a woman with a cat's head or as a graceful seated black cat. Very often you can find figurines with the image of Bastet.
Isis is the goddess of fate and life. Keeper of only recently born children and deceased people. They were depicted as a woman with cow horns on her head, on which the sun disk rests.
Maat is the goddess of truth and justice. She was portrayed as a woman with a large feather on her head.
Mert-seger is the keeper of the peace of the dead. Those who disturbed the peace of the dead and ravaged the graves were punished by taking away their sight. Depicted as a woman with a snake's head or vice versa, in the form of a snake with a woman's head.
Neith is the mother of the gods, then the goddess of art and war. She was often depicted in the guise of a cow.
Nut is the goddess of the sky, who raises the dead upward. She was presented in the form of a woman, stretched out above the ground, like the sky.
Sekhmet is the goddess of heat and heat, able to send and heal diseases. Most often she was presented in the form of a woman with the head of a lioness.
Seshat is the patroness of science and memory. She was portrayed as a woman in the skin of a panther with a star with seven ends on her head.
Tefnut is the goddess of moisture and liquid, a woman with the head of a lioness.

Egyptian gods, photos and names.

In fact, there were many more gods in Ancient Egypt than indicated here, but many of them have not been fully studied. There may be an image of a deity or his name, but the object of his patronage is not revealed. Despite everything, the history of Ancient Egypt is a very interesting and completely unexplored scientific field, and modern people relate to Egyptology with understandable trepidation and interest.