The New Kingdom/Egyptian Empire, occurred between the 16th century BCE and the 11th century BCE, and covered the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties of Egypt. This was the period of time in which Seti I and Ramesses II, and their descendants, ruled and expanded Egypt. It is often considered Egypt's most prosperous time and the … Continue reading Amun-Ra and the Nubian Dynasty
Category: Sacred Animals
Goddess Mafdet, the Great Feline Guardian
From the beginning of the First Dynasty of Egypt (circa 3200 BCE) the great cheetah goddess Mafdet was worshiped. She was known as “the runner” representing swift death. As the "Avenger of the King" Mafdet was believed to rip out the hearts of evildoers and lay the hearts at the Pharaoh’s feet in the same … Continue reading Goddess Mafdet, the Great Feline Guardian
Ipy the Hippopotamus Goddess, Mistress of Magical Protection
Ipy (Apet, Ipet, Opet) was a hippopotamus goddess known as a protective and nourishing deity. Her name meant 'favored place' and she was depicted as a combination of human, hippopotamus, lion, and crocodile. This combination of attributes shows both her protective and nourishing aspects. Ipy was one of several goddesses, including Taweret, Reret and Heqet, … Continue reading Ipy the Hippopotamus Goddess, Mistress of Magical Protection
The Snake Goddess Renenutet
Renenutet (Renenet, Ernutet) was a cobra Goddess known as the "Nourishing Snake" and was the embodiment of nourishment and the harvest. Renenutet was depicted as a cobra, or as a woman with the head of a cobra and was also called the "Lady of Fertile Fields" and "Lady of Granaries." She was thought to be … Continue reading The Snake Goddess Renenutet
The Frog Goddess Heqet
To the Ancient Egyptians, frogs symbolized life and fertility, the proof of this was the annual inundation of the Nile which brought forth fertility to the barren lands as well as the emergence of millions of frogs. In very ancient Egyptian legends, frogs were the most primeval gods; the gods, Heh, Kek, Nau and Amen … Continue reading The Frog Goddess Heqet
Offerings to Goddess Bast – for her Birthday
Just a few days after the Winter Solstice, the Ancient Egyptians celebrated the birthday of the Goddess Bast (Bastet). The offerings to Bast included fine wine, beer, chocolate, water, fruit, fruit juices and meat - Bast, the Cat Goddess, was certainly a carnivore. The colors identified with Bast are green and gold as well as … Continue reading Offerings to Goddess Bast – for her Birthday
Heku – Magical Stories Part 3
As mentioned in a previous post, the Westcar Papyrus is an ancient Egyptian text containing five stories about magic and miracles performed by the lector-priests. Each of these tales are told at the royal court of Pharaoh Khufu of the 4th dynasty (25th century BCE). When researching the Goddess Wenet (Lady Unu), I found a … Continue reading Heku – Magical Stories Part 3
Bat, the Goddess of Two Faces
Bat is a very ancient Egyptian deity revered as a celestial goddess and goddess of fertility. Her worship began during the Predynastic period of Egypt and extended up through the Middle Kingdom, a period of over 1000 years. As a celestial goddess in her cow form, she was associated with the Milky Way. Bat also … Continue reading Bat, the Goddess of Two Faces
The Great Cat Deities
Probably the most well known Egyptian cat deity is Bastet (Bast) however there are also a number of other ancient Egyptian gods who were associated with cats. The goddess Neith was said to take the form of a cat occasionally and the goddesses Tefnut and Sekhmet were pictured as lions. An inscription in the Valley … Continue reading The Great Cat Deities
The Goddess Neith, Spinner of Destiny
The Ancient Egyptians worshipped the primordial creator Goddess Neith, the spinner and weaver of destiny, who was associated with the spider. She was often depicted with a weaving shuttle in her hand, or a bow and arrows, demonstrating her hunting abilities. As the goddess of creation and weaving, she was said to re-weave the world … Continue reading The Goddess Neith, Spinner of Destiny
