The Most Important Ancient Egyptian Gods

In ancient Egypt, the belief in a supernatural being is a norm. From the physical pharaoh to the hundreds of invisible gods, the Egyptians attributed gods to many aspects of their daily lives. Here's a compilation of the most important gods in Egypt. 

Amun- Ra

Ra was the ancient god of Heliopolis, personifying the sun and light. Amun was the "Hidden One" who created the whole world. Amon was introduced to the southern capital of Thebes. As they evolved, the gods of Egypt united during the New Kingdom to form Amon-Ra, the greatest god of Egypt, who daily brought sun, light, and creation to the whole world. Amon-Ra was the primary protector of the pharaoh, who embodied him in the flesh as a living deity.  
Amun-Ra influenced some religions still widely practiced today. Hence, it is safe to say that Amon-Ra had a strong influence on various religions that arose in the future after the fall of the ancient Egyptians. 
In general, the merging of the sun god Ra with the patron of the pharaohs marked the beginning of a model of the imagination of a god with two faces, one of which explained nature and the cosmos, and the other implied concern for individual people. 
 

ISIS
 

As the wife of the underworld god, Isis was also the primary deity interested in rituals for the dead. Along with her sister Nephthys, Isis acted as a mourning goddess, and her motherly care was often described as extending to the dead in the underworld. Isis was one of the last goddesses of ancient Egypt who is still worshipped. 
In a period in history, she was identified with the Greek goddess Aphrodite. The images of Isis with the infant Horus are believed to have influenced Christian images of Mary with the infant Jesus. The origin of Isis is unclear. Unlike many gods, she cannot be tied to a particular city, and there are no specific references to her in early Egyptian literature. However, her importance grew over time, and she eventually became the most important goddess in the pantheon. 
 

Horus 
 

Horus, depicted as an eagle or eagle-headed man, was the god of the sky associated with war and hunting. He is also the personification of divine kingship, and sometimes the ruling king is considered the embodiment of Horus. 
According to the myth of Osiris, Horus was the son of Isis and Osiris, conceived magically after the murder of Osiris by his brother Set. Horus was raised to avenge the murder of his father.  According to one legend, Horus lost his left eye during a battle with Set, but his eye was magically healed by the god Thoth. Since the left and right eyes of Horus were associated with the sun and moon, respectively, the loss and restoration of the left eye of Horus provided a mythical explanation for the phases of the moon. Horus is often depicted as a double crown symbolizing the unity of Upper and Lower Egypt, and Horus' popularity throughout the kingdom has made him the object of worship in many cults. 
 

Osiris 
 

Osiris is the great ruler of the underworld, judge of the gods and the dead. He is usually depicted as a mummy wearing an Atef crown, with a pharaoh's beard and a symbolic thief and whip on his chest. Osiris was also the lord of fertility, resurrection, agriculture, and alcohol, and this role was based on his relationship with the important crops of wheat and barley. In The Myth of Osiris, he was the husband of Isis, separated by her brother Set before being resurrected, conceived by Horus, and taking control of the underworld. Osiris, one of the most important deities of Egypt, was the god of the underworld. 
He also symbolized death, resurrection, and the water cycle of the Nile, which Egypt relied on for agricultural fertility. According to the myth, Osiris was the king of Egypt who was killed and dismembered by his brother Set. 
 

Thoth
 

Thoth, the god of integrity, truth, writing, and wisdom, often wore the head of the Ibis on men. He invented hieroglyphics and was the guardian of the records of the gods. He stood beside Osiris in the Temple of Truth and witnessed the birth of the first five gods (Osiris, Isis, Nephthys, Set, and Horus, the Elder). 
Thoth was involved in many different storylines throughout ancient Egypt but is usually associated with Maat (as consort) and Seshat (as father). Mostly, he is depicted as a man with the head of an Ibis or baboon, with or without a lunar disk above his head. He was the patron god of scribes, and it was said that scribes would drip their ink in honor of Thoth before starting their daily work. Since Thoth was credited with creating a number of branches of knowledge (law, magic, philosophy, religion, science, and writing), he was considered an infallible judge, capable of making correct decisions. 
 

Anubis 
 

Anubis, also called Anpu, is the ancient Egyptian god of the dead, represented by a jackal or a man's figure with a jackal's head. In the early dynastic period and into the Old Kingdom, he held a prominent position as lord of the dead but was later eclipsed by Osiris. In ancient Egyptian mythology, chaos was the ultimate evil. Almost all Egyptian mythology focused on maintaining the cycles of cosmic order that kept chaos in check. Anubis was not evil but one of the most important gods who kept evil out of Egypt. 
 

Bastet
 

Bastet is the Egyptian goddess of the home, hearth, women's secrets, cats, fertility, and childbearing. She gives protection against evil spirits and diseases, especially diseases associated with women and children. Like many deities in Egyptian religion, she also played a role in the afterlife. Sometimes she is portrayed as a guide and assistant to the dead, although this was not her primary duty. 
She is the daughter of the sun god Ra and is related to the concept of the Eye of Ra (the all-seeing eye) and the Far-Goddess (the female god who leaves Ra and returns to effect transformation). Bastet was one of the most popular gods in ancient Egypt because she protected everyone's home and family. It is believed that she travels across the sky every day with her father, the sun god Ra. Due to her protective duties, she was nicknamed the Lady of the East, the Goddess of the Rising Sun. She is also known as the Goddess of the Moon and was considered the eye of the moon and the eye of Ra. Bastet is still revered today, and some believe that modern cats are entrusted with its protection. 
 

Shu
 

Shu is the god of light and air and thus represents the wind and the earth's atmosphere. As the god of light, he incarnates the light of primordial darkness, marking the dividing line between day and night, the world of the living and the dead. As the god of Air, Shu represents the space between heaven and earth, giving all things the breath of life. Sailors called him Aeolus to ensure good wind for the movement of their ships. 
The clouds were considered his bones, and he maintained a ladder by which dead souls could reach heaven. Shu was one of the enneads of Heliopolis and the first to be created by the self-created god Atum, who summoned Shu from his saliva. He was the husband and brother of Tefnut (moisture) and the father of Nut (heaven) and Geb (earth). 
 

Sobek 
 

Sobek was an ancient Egyptian god. His Greek name was Sukhos. Sobek was usually depicted as a man with the head of a crocodile due to his association with the Nile crocodile. He is the god of the Nile, the army, the army, fertility, and crocodiles. His nature is very complex. However, its main role is to protect people from the dangers that the Nile River can bring. He was, according to some legends, the creator of the world. 
Sobek's parents are Seth/Khnum and Neith, while the siblings are Apep, Ra, Thoth, Serket and Hathor. His wife was Rene Nut, goddess of fertility. 
 

Apep
 

Apep was the ancient Egyptian spirit of evil, darkness, and destruction. As the sworn enemy of the sun god Ra, he was an evil force that could never be ultimately defeated. Each night as the sun traveled through the underworld (or across the sky), its roar filled the air and launched its attack. Although thought to have existed since primitive times, Apep is not mentioned by name until the Middle Kingdom. 
 

Bes
 

Bes is the ancient Egyptian god of childbearing, fertility, sexuality, humor, and war, but primarily served as the patron god of pregnant women and children. 
He is regularly depicted as a dwarf with large ears, long hair and beard, protruding genitals, and arched legs. He is usually depicted holding a rattle, but sometimes a knife or a sword. The image of Bes is often placed at the gate for protection and almost always appears outside the place of birth. It was also a popular image used in household items such as mirrors, cosmetic cases, furniture, and knife handles.