A. The child of Amun. 1. Khunsu (Chonso), Hercules. B. The child of Kneph. 2. Tet (Thoth), Hermes. C. The children of Phtah. 3. Atumu, Atmu, Atum. 4. Sekhet (Pasht), the lion-headed goddess. D. The children of Ra, Helios. 5. Hather (Athor). 6. Mau. 7. Ma, Thmei (Truth). 8. Tefnu. 9. Mentu, Munt (Mandulis). 10. Sebak, Sevek, the crocodile-headed god. NEITH. PHTAH. Third Order. I. Set, Nubi, Typhon. II. Hesiri, Osiris. III. Hes, Isis. IV. Nebti, Nepthys, the sister of Isis, "the mistress of the V. Her-her, Aroeris, Hor the elder, the god of Apollinopolis. VII. Anupu, Anubis.* *According to Dr. Birch, "The first or highest order comprised eight deities, who were different in the Memphian and Theban systems. The eight gods of the first order at Memphis were, 1. Ptah; 2. Shu; 3. Tefnu; 4. Seb; 5. Nut; 6. Osiris; 7. Isis and Horus; 8. Athor. Those PASHT. Several of these gods were represented as grouped in sets of three, and each city had its own triad. In Thebes it was Amun OSIRIS. ISIS. NEPTHYS. ATHOR. Ra, Maut, and Chonso; at Phile the trinity was Osiris, Isis, Horus, a group the most frequently represented in most parts of Egypt. At Memphis, Ptah, his wife Merienptah, and their son Nefer Atum, formed a triad, to which was sometimes added Bast, the cat-headed goddess of Bubastis. All the gods are characterized by the beard hanging down from the chin. In general, they hold a sceptre surmounted by the Ku-kufa head, and the sacred Tau. The sceptre is called "tam," and is considered the emblem of power. The sacred tau is the symbol of life, or eternal existence. The goddesses carry a sceptre surmounted by a lotus flower (emblem of sovereignty); in pictures they frequently have wings, and are always clothed. Their common hieroglyphic sign is an egg or a snake. The gods, as well as goddesses, often carry the whip and crown of the Pharaohs. The latter is called schen; with the article prefixed, and the nominal suffix t, it was pronounced in later times P-schent, and is so written by the Greeks. It consists of two parts. According to the pictures, the lower one is red, and called, on that account, Tescher; the upper one is white (absch), with the name of Het. The crowns of the Pharaohs were of three kinds, one a tall cap with a ball at the top, the crown of Upper Egypt, another, a flat ring with a tall piece of Thebes were, 1. Amen-Ra; 2. Mentu; 3. Atum; 4. Shu and Tefnu; 5. Seb; 6. Osiris; 7. Set and Nepthys; 8. Horus and Athor. The gods of the second order were twelve in number, amongst whom were Tahuti or Thoth, the god of wisdom and knowledge, inventor of speech and writing, and Anup or Anubis, son of Osiris, and the director of the funereal rites and embalmers of the dead. There was a third order, but its members are not known, although it comprised some of the numerous deities seen on the monuments, the attendants, ministers, or companions of the principal gods. behind, the crown of Lower Egypt. These two combined formed the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, the pschent. The gods and goddesses have, moreover, the royal snake, the type of dominion (the uræus, basilisk), as a frontlet, like the Pharaohs. Another crown is sometimes worn (generally by Osiris), the atef. It is composed of a conical cap, flanked by two ostrich plumes, with a disc in front, placed on the horns of a goat, ornamented with the uræus. The gods and goddesses were principally distinguished according to their head-dresses. The following is an enumeration of the principal Egyptian deities, as represented under three different forms, and as characterized by their head-dresses : I.-Gods and Goddesses of Pure Human Form. 1. Gods of pure human form bearing on their heads Two long plumes, the nude painted : flesh green, the body mummified, PHTAH, of Upper in his hand the emblem of Egypt. A scarabæus, the body of a bandy- PHтAH SOKARI, of legged dwarf .. Memphis. RA. SEB. of A lunar disk with a single lock of CHONSO, and HAR PAKHRUT. The lunar crescent, a disk in the] THоTH, and AAH, midst The pschent the god of the moon. ATMU. |