Ancient Egypt had one of the widest pantheons of gods. The Egyptian religion was very important for society. The government was theocratic, the pharaoh was a living god and all spheres of power ruled in the name of the gods. The belief in life after death influenced the creation of mummification techniques. Religiosity was still present in the arts, culture and daily life of the Egyptians, the gods influenced agriculture, hunting and each city-state had the protection of a patron god. Meet the most important gods of this rich mythology.

Frog Also described as Amon Ra or Tuna Ra, he is the main god in Egyptian mythology. It was believed that the pharaohs were sons of Ra, and from there came their right to rule over Egypt. Ammon would be the primordial god, having created himself and the universe. Subsequently, he joined the sun god Ra and they became one, creating human beings and life on Earth. Ra’s descendants were the land, the sky, the air and all the other gods of the Egyptian pantheon.

Osiris In the legends of the creation of the world, Osiris is of the generation of gods who no longer represents natural phenomena. He would, however, be the heir of Ra and governed as the first pharaoh of Egypt. After being murdered by his brother Seth, Osiris is resurrected by Isis and then reigns as the god of the dead in the underworld. He represents rebirth and judges the dead in the afterlife.

Seth Brother of Osiris, Seth is the god of chaos and war. He serves Pharaoh as a warrior god, but he is extremely violent and unpredictable. Out of jealousy of Osiris’ power, he murdered his brother and tried to gain control over Egypt, but was overcome by Horus. Its function in the pantheon is to cause problems, which is necessary to bring balance.

Isis She is the goddess of magic and love, protector of mothers and wives. She was the most popular goddess in the Egyptian pantheon, but she was also worshiped in pre-Christian Europe. She was Osiris’s sister-wife, said that the Nile was born from her tears, shed after her husband’s death. It was she, along with Sister Nephthys, who collected the pieces of Osiris and brought him back to life. Together, the two conceived Horus.

Nephthys It is linked to the cult of the dead and protects sarcophagi and canopic vessels (containers where the organs were kept after the mummification process). Sister-wife of Seth and Osiris, she abandoned Seth after the murder of Osiris, and with Isis brought him back to life. Next to Osiris Most of his legends are generally linked to Isis, such as Horus’ defense against the Apophis serpent.

Horus The falcon-headed god is the son of Isis and Osiris. Heir to the father by the throne of Egypt, Horus was the target of Seth’s wrath, but he overcame him and avenged the death of Osiris. From the underworld, Osiris intervened so that Horus would become the leader of all the gods. He is the god of heaven and represents the rising sun. Pharaoh was considered his manifestation on Earth. Horus, therefore, would guard the kingdom of the living while Osiris guarded that of the dead.

Anubis It was the god Anubis who made the first mummy, when embalming Osiris. Son of this and Nephtys, Anubis is the master of cemeteries and embalming and is the god who makes the passage from the dead to the underworld, protecting their tombs. He is represented as a jackal-headed man, a wild dog.

Bastet Another of Ra’s daughters, Bastet was the goddess of fertility, protected pregnant women, the time of childbirth and was linked to sexuality. She was also considered to be the protector of Isis’ soul and magic. Bastet was represented as a cat-headed woman, demonstrating the deep connection that the Egyptians had with these animals.

Hathor The goddess, wife of Horus, was one of the most popular in Egypt, as was Isis. Hathor was the goddess of love and joy, protector of women. It was worshiped at parties, since Hathor was considered to bring dance, music and wine. His representation featured the figure of a cow, the kindest animal in the view of the ancient Egyptians.