Egyptian Pantheon & Sacred Vocabulary

a temple dedicated to the Greco-Egyptian god Serapis

“The Serapeum of Alexandria housed part of the Great Library.”

Origin: Greek Serapeion, from Serapis (syncretic deity combining Osiris and Apis)

ibis-headed god of writing, wisdom, magic, and the moon

“Thoth was said to have invented hieroglyphics and recorded the judgment of the dead.”

Origin: Egyptian Djehuty, possibly meaning 'He who is like the ibis'

supreme sun god; creator deity and king of the gods

“The pharaoh was considered the living embodiment of Ra on earth.”

Origin: Egyptian Ra (sun); Amun (hidden one) merged as Amun-Ra

god of the dead, resurrection, and the afterlife

“Osiris presided over the weighing of souls in the underworld.”

Origin: Greek form of Egyptian Usir, possibly meaning 'mighty one'

goddess of magic, motherhood, and protection

“Isis used her magic to resurrect her husband Osiris.”

Origin: Greek form of Egyptian Aset, meaning 'throne'

jackal-headed god of mummification and the dead

“Anubis guided souls through the underworld to judgment.”

Origin: Greek form of Egyptian Inpu, associated with decay and jackals

falcon-headed god of kingship and the sky

“Each pharaoh was the living Horus, avenger of his father.”

Origin: Greek form of Egyptian Heru, meaning 'the distant one'

goddess personifying truth, justice, and cosmic order

“The heart was weighed against Ma'at's feather in the afterlife.”

Origin: Egyptian Ma'at, meaning 'truth, justice, balance'

god of chaos, storms, and the desert

“Set murdered his brother Osiris out of jealousy.”

Origin: Egyptian Sutekh, meaning uncertain, possibly 'instigator of confusion'

lioness-headed goddess of war and destruction

“Sekhmet's wrath was so fierce that Ra had to trick her to save humanity.”

Origin: Egyptian Sekhmet, meaning 'the powerful one'

cat goddess of home, fertility, and protection

“Bastet was worshipped as the gentle counterpart to fierce Sekhmet.”

Origin: Egyptian Bastet, possibly meaning 'she of the ointment jar'

cow goddess of love, beauty, music, and motherhood

“Hathor welcomed the dead into the afterlife with food and drink.”

Origin: Egyptian Hwt-Hor, meaning 'House of Horus'

creator god of craftsmen and architects

“Ptah spoke the world into existence through divine utterance.”

Origin: Egyptian Ptah, meaning possibly 'opener' or 'sculptor'

crocodile god of the Nile, fertility, and military prowess

“Sobek's temples kept sacred crocodiles adorned with gold.”

Origin: Egyptian Sbk, associated with crocodiles

scarab god of the rising sun and rebirth

“Khepri pushed the sun across the sky like a dung beetle rolls its ball.”

Origin: Egyptian Kheper, meaning 'to come into being'

the Egyptian symbol of life, carried by the gods

“The ankh became a symbol of eternal life.”

Origin: Egyptian ankh, meaning 'life' or 'breath of life'

the vital essence or life force of a person

“Offerings were made to sustain the ka in the afterlife.”

Origin: Egyptian ka, the spiritual double born with each person

the personality or soul that could travel after death

“The ba was depicted as a bird with a human head.”

Origin: Egyptian ba, the unique character of the individual

sacred beetle symbolizing rebirth and transformation

“Scarab amulets were placed over the heart during mummification.”

Origin: Latin scarabaeus, from Greek karabos 'beetle'

an oval frame enclosing royal names in hieroglyphics

“The pharaoh's cartouche was carved on every monument.”

Origin: French cartouche 'gun cartridge', from the oval shape