Goddess Nephthys - the deity of Ancient Egypt

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

The goddess Nephthys (second name - Nebetkhet) in the mythology of Ancient Egypt was considered the sister of Osiris and Isis. She was the smallest daughter of Nut and Geb. Many legends and myths are associated with the name of this deity. She was worshiped, revered, she brought gifts and sacrifices. The mythical creature is always depicted as a girl, on whose head a hieroglyph denoting her name can be seen. There are many rumors about this person. There is no exact information about the goddess confirmed by reliable facts. So who was she? Who were her parents? This is what we have to find out.

Parents of the Illustrious Goddess

Nephthys is the daughter of Geb and Nut. Her father was the god of the earth. His wife, and at the same time sister, was considered the patroness of heaven. Geb was one of the most important deities of Ancient Egypt. His parents were Shu, the patron of the air, and Tefnut, the goddess of moisture. The ancient Egyptian gods Geb and Nut, besides Nephthys, had other children: Isis, Osiris and Set. Geb, being a symbol of fertility, was considered a good deity. He was always depicted either with a face or with a body of a green tint. This palette represented blooming vegetation.

One of the mythstells that the ancient Egyptian gods Nut and Geb aroused the contempt of the god Ra by the fact that they were always in each other's arms. The patron saint of the sun ordered their father, Shu, to tear the girl away from her beloved and raise her high above the ground. He did just that. As a result, a firmament was formed, the patroness of which was Nut. Geb, grieving for his wife, wept continuously. Thus, seas appeared on the planet.

Meet the Goddess

The goddess Nephthys got her first and most common name from the ancient Greeks. In addition to the fact that the girl was the sister of the aforementioned Seth, some sources also call her his wife. And in Egypt at that time, marriages between close relatives were not prohibited. On the contrary, they were encouraged and were quite normal. But the married life of Nephthys and Seth was not happy. In one text, the goddess was even called "a woman without a vagina." It is not known what caused such a statement: either because Nephthys herself could not give birth to a child, or because Seth was barren.

According to another mythological tradition, Nebetkhet deceitfully seduced her other brother, Osiris. And she gave birth to his son Anubis - the god of mummification and embalming. Despite the fact that there are many references to the goddess in various sources, her functions are not completely clear to this day. So, the specific names of temples and places of worship dedicated specifically to Nebetkhet are not known. Historians-Egyptologists consider her one of the most ancient goddesses of the Land of the Pyramids. Ideas about this person have undergonepowerful changes during the existence of Ancient Egypt.

Image of Nebetkhet

Most often the goddess Nephthys is depicted in the guise of a girl. A hieroglyph flaunts on her head. It symbolizes the name of a woman - Nebetkhet. Sometimes, next to the image of the deity, you can see Isis, her sister. Often Nephthys could take the form of a kite. But even then, her connection with a relative was not lost. In the form of a bird of prey, the goddess usually guarded either the deceased pharaoh or Osiris.

But there are also images in which the goddess is presented simultaneously in two guises: in the image of a woman, behind whose back the wings of a kite are visible. Such a pattern can be seen on the luxurious breast decoration of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. The presence of wings is associated with a certain magical necessity. When the sisters wave them, they create the so-called wind of life, allowing the dead person to be resurrected. Together, Isis and Nephthys guard the sarcophagi and the Djed column, which is a symbol of permanence.

Holidays dedicated to Nephthys

Nefthys is the goddess of Egypt, who was dedicated to at least two holidays. The first was celebrated in the temple of the god Horus. The cathedral was located in Edfu. Here, on the 28th of the month of Farmuti (today it is February-March), the Egyptians celebrated an event called "The Heart of Nephthys rejoices." Such a celebration must be associated with the name of Horus himself. At the same time, the "Day of Lamentation of Isis and Nephthys" was not such a joyful holiday as the previous one. The celebration is associated with the cult of Osiris. This can be judged fromthe name of the event, where the name of the goddess is placed next to the name of her sister and wife Osiris. This holiday was celebrated from November to March.

Interesting facts about the mysterious deity

The Goddess Nephthys was a special person who was addressed during the burial of a person. But at the same time, she was also called when her help was needed during the birth of a child. Thus, Nebetkhet met the first breath of the newborn, then she escorted him to the last earthly journey. And she met this man after his death by the eastern sky. Nephthys was considered one of the main goddesses of weaving. The Egyptians said that she was associated in a special way with the strips of linen used to wrap mummies. Such patches were often called "Nefthys curls".