Goddesses
Nut
The Goddess Nut is the wife and sister of Geb and the mother of Isis,
Osiris, Seth and Nephthys. Nut is the Goddess of the Sky and is mostly
depicted with her body stretched over the Earth, her hands and feet at the
cardinal points.
Her colours are the indigo of the night sky and the silver lights of the
stars.
Isis
Isis is the embodiment of the Divine Mother. She is often represented
by a hieroglyphic throne symbol that indicates her royal bearing or
her influence over the kingship of Egypt.
Sometimes she is seen to wear a crown of cow horns to represent her
maternal power. Isis is the daughter of the Earth God Geb and the Sky
Goddess Nut. She is the sister and consort of Osiris, who ruled over the
Earth with her at his side until his demise.
The colour associated with Isis is bright blue.
Bastet
Bastet is normally depicted as a Cat. However, earlier versions of her
indicate that she was originally a lioness with a vicious vengeful
nature. She is often represented as a woman with a cat's head.
Bastet is thought by some traditions to have been the daughter of Isis and
Osiris and the sister of Horus.
The Hieroglyph of her name is the symbol for a sealed alabaster perfume
jar. Perfume would have been an important part of the ritual purity
involved in her cult.
Her colour is Turquoise.
Hathor
Hathor is a universal Cow Goddess who is associated with childbirth.
It is said that her womb protected the hawk God Horus and her name
literally means 'mansion of Horus'. She is mostly depicted as a woman
who wears a wig, a crown of cow horns and a sun disc on her head.
She is also shown as a 'great wild cow' or as a pillar with a human face, a
wig and the ears of a cow. Like Isis she is sometimes described as the
mother of the Pharaoh and is therefore associated with birthright
and the right to rule.
Hathor is a senual Goddess of love, music and beauty.
Her colours are deep oranges, pinks and peaches.
Maat
Maat is depicted as a woman wearing an ostrich feather on her head,
or sometimes she is symbolized by the ostrich feather alone.
Normally Maat is shown standing but on some occasions she is winged
and sitting on her heals. Pharaohs invested themselves with the right
to govern by claiming that their rulership upheld the laws of the
universe that Maat embodied. The wisdom of this Goddess was crucial
to the assessment of the dead, allowing those with a blameless life to
enter paradise. Her influence rules legal matters and brings sound
judgement, maintaining order and balance in the world. Maat's existance
made life, and continuing life after death, possible.
Her colours are Whites and Mauves.
Nephthys
Nephthys is the Goddess of Preservation, often described as 'the
lady of the mansion'. She is the sister of Seth, Isis and Osiris, and before
the murder of Osiris she is also Seth's consort. She is quite a mysterious
Goddess as not much is known about her. Nephthys is a funerary
Goddess, so she is often concerned with the preservation and
protection of the body after death. She embodies the healing power
of grief as well as the gentle guardianship of others. She helps us to
retreat from life in order to grieve, reflect, receive new insights and
recharge our energies when they are depleted.
Her colours are muted greens and silvery greys.
Anat
Anat is a warrior Goddess and originates from the coast of Syria.
She is depicted with a high crown flanked with plumes and she
carries a shield, lance and battle axe. According to some legends
Anat is one of the wifes of Seth and others portray her as sister
and sexual partner to Baal, God of stormy weather. She is seen
as a protectress with the courage and determination of an
avenging angel. Anat is also a fertility Goddess and has been linked to
the God Min. Anat brought prosperity to the land and peoples
that worshipped her.
Her colour is Red.
Heket
