List of Egyptian gods and goddesses facts for kids

The ancient Egyptians believed in many gods and goddesses. They worshipped these deities in different places and at different times. Some gods became more important over time, while others changed their roles. These gods and goddesses were a big part of daily life in ancient Egypt. They were thought to control everything from the sun rising to the flooding of the Nile River.

Meet the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt

Gods and Goddesses from A to Z

Ammit: The Devourer

Ammit was a scary creature. She had the head of a crocodile, the body of a leopard, and the back legs of a hippopotamus. She was known as the "Devourer of the Dead." Ammit would eat the hearts of people who were judged as not worthy in the afterlife.

Amun: King of the Gods

Amun was a very important god. He was often shown as a man with the head of a ram. Amun was known as the King of the gods and the god of the wind. He became even more powerful when he joined with the sun god Ra, becoming Amun-Ra.

Amunet: Amun's Partner

Amunet was the wife of Amun. She was one of the goddesses linked to creation.

Anhur: God of War

Anhur was an Egyptian sky god and a god of war. His name meant "sky-bearer." He was the husband of the goddess Mehit.

Anput: Goddess of the Nome

Anput was a goddess of a specific region in Upper Egypt. She was the mother of Kebechet.

Anubis: Guide to the Afterlife

Anubis was a very famous god with the head of a jackal. He was the god of mummification, funerals, and the dead. Anubis helped guide souls through the underworld. He was the son of Osiris and Nephthys.

Anuket: Goddess of the Nile

Anuket was a goddess connected to the river Nile. She was especially important for the Nile's yearly flood, which brought life to Egypt.

Apis: The Sacred Bull

Apis was a special case. He was a live bull worshipped as a god in the city of Memphis. When an Apis bull died, it was mummified and given a grand burial.

Apophis: The Chaos Serpent

Apophis, also known as Apep, was a giant snake god. He was the god of chaos and darkness. Apophis lived in the Duat, the underworld, and tried to stop the sun god Ra's boat every night.

Aten: The Sun Disk

Aten was the disk of the sun itself. During the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten, Aten was worshipped as the only god for a short time.

Babi: God of Baboons

Babi was a god linked to baboons. He was sometimes seen as a god of strength and power.

Bastet: The Cat Goddess

Bast or Bastet was a beloved cat goddess. She was known to protect pregnant women and children. Bastet was also linked to celebrations and joy. She was seen as a protector of Ra.

Bes: Protector of Families

Bes was a dwarf god. He was a protector of pregnant women, newborn babies, and families. People believed he could also protect them from snake and scorpion bites.

Geb: God of the Earth

Geb was the god of the earth. He was the husband of Nut, the sky goddess. Together, they had several children, including Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys.

Gengen-Wer: The Great Honker

Gengen-Wer was a goose god. He was sometimes seen as a creator god, as the "Great Honker" who laid the cosmic egg.

Hapi: God of the Nile's Flood

Hapi was another god of the Nile River. He was especially important for the annual flooding of the Nile, which brought fertile soil for farming.

Hathor: Goddess of Love and Joy

Hathor was a powerful goddess of love, beauty, music, and joy. She was sometimes seen as an "alter ego" of the fierce lioness goddess Sekhmet.

Heket: The Frog Goddess

Heket was a goddess often shown as a frog. She was linked to childbirth and fertility.

Horus: The Falcon-Headed God

Horus was a very important god, often shown with the head of a falcon. He was the god of war, the sky, and protection. Horus was the son of Osiris and Isis.

Isis: Goddess of Magic and Protection

Isis was a powerful goddess of magic, marriage, healing, and protection. She was the wife and sister of Osiris and the mother of Horus. Isis was known for her strong magical abilities.

Kebechet: Goddess of Purification

Kebechet was a goddess of purification. She was sometimes called the "wandering goddess."

Khepri: The Scarab Beetle God

Khepri was a god linked to the scarab beetle. He represented the rising sun and new beginnings. Khepri was seen as an aspect of Ra in the morning.

Khnum: The Creator God

Khnum was a ram-headed god. He was believed to have created humans on a potter's wheel. Khnum was also an aspect of Ra in the evening.

Khonsu: God of the Moon

Khonsu was the god of the moon. He was often shown as a young man with a crescent moon on his head.

Kuk: Personification of Darkness

Kuk was a god who represented darkness and the unknown before creation.

Maahes: The Lion-Headed God

Maahes was an Egyptian lion-headed god of war. He was the son of the creator god Ptah and the lioness goddess Sekhmet.

Ma'at: Goddess of Truth and Order

Ma'at was a goddess who stood for justice, truth, and order. She was often shown with an ostrich feather on her head. Ma'at was also considered the daughter of Ra.

Mafdet: Protector of the King

Mafdet was an early goddess of justice. She was seen as an executioner of criminals and a protector of the King's chambers.

Menhit: The Minor Lion Goddess

Menhit was a minor lion goddess. She was the wife of Anhur.

Nephthys: Funerary Goddess

Nephthys was a funerary goddess. She was the consort of Seth and the mother of Anubis.

Nekhbet: The Vulture Goddess

Nekhbet was a vulture goddess. She was a protector of Upper Egypt and was often shown with Wadjet, the cobra goddess.

Nut: Goddess of the Sky

Nut was the goddess of the sky and stars. She was often shown as a woman arching over the earth. Nut was the wife of Geb.

Osiris: God of the Underworld

Osiris was a very important god. He was the god of the underworld and life after death. Osiris was the husband and brother of Isis, and the father of Horus. He was also the brother and enemy of Seth.

Pakhet: Goddess of Motherhood and War

Pakhet was a goddess linked to motherhood and war.

Ptah: The Creator God

Ptah was a powerful god of creation. He was believed to have created the world through his thoughts and words.

Qebui: God of the North Wind

Qebui was the god of the North wind.

Qetesh: Goddess of Fertility

Qetesh was a mother-goddess of fertility. She was adopted into ancient Egypt from a region that is now Syria.

Ra: The Sun God

Ra was the mighty god of the Sun. He was considered the king of the gods for a long time. Ra was also known as Amun-Ra.

Raet-Tawy: Female Sun Goddess

Raet-Tawy was a female sun goddess. She was seen as the female counterpart of Ra.

Sekhmet: The Fierce Lioness

Sekhmet was a fierce goddess of lions, fire, and vengeance. She was often shown with the head of a lioness. Sekhmet was an alter form of Hathor.

Seker: God of the Necropolis

Seker was a falcon god. He was the main god of the Memphis necropolis, a large burial ground.

Serqet: Goddess of Scorpions

Serqet was a goddess of scorpions. She was believed to protect people from venomous bites.

Seshat: Goddess of Writing

Seshat was the goddess of writing and measurement. She was often shown with a star on her head and holding a writing tool.

Seth: God of Chaos

Seth was the god of chaos, deserts, and storms. He was the brother and enemy of Osiris. Seth was known for his wild and unpredictable nature.

Shu: God of Wind and Air

Shu was the god of wind and air. He was the consort of Tefnut and the father of Geb and Nut.

Sobek: The Crocodile God

Sobek was a god with the head of a crocodile. He was linked to the Nile River and its power. Sobek was sometimes said to row Ra's Sunboat through the Duat.

Sopdu: God of War and the Sun

Sopdu was a god of war. He was also connected with the sun and the planet Venus.

Tawaret: Hippopotamus Goddess

Tawaret was a hippopotamus goddess. She was a goddess of childbirth and fertility, protecting pregnant women and mothers.

Tefnut: Lion Goddess of Water

Tefnut was a lion goddess of water and fertility. She was the consort of Shu and the mother of Geb and Nut.

Thoth: God of Wisdom

Thoth was a very wise god, often shown with the head of an ibis. He was the scribe god and the god of wisdom, writing, and knowledge. He was also known as Djehuti.

Wadjet: Goddess of Protection

Wadjet was a goddess of protection, often shown as a cobra. She was the sister of Nekhbet and a protector of Lower Egypt.

Wadj-wer: Personification of the Sea

Wadj-wer was a god who represented the Mediterranean Sea and other large lakes.