ANCIENT EGYPT
Egypt is a land of beauty and mystery, with a rich
magickal history. Below are some of the most popular
and powerful symbols seen throughout Egyptian
history and mythology.
The ankh
is an ancient Egyptian symbol which
represents eternal life. In most Egyptian artwork,
the Gods are seen carrying ankhs in their hands, or
wearing garments adorned with ankhs.
Canopic
jars were used to hold
vital organs after the
mummification process. A jar
with the image of Duamutef the
jackal held the stomach,
Qebehsenuf the falcon held the
intestines, Hapi the baboon held
the lungs, and Amset held the liver.
These were the four sons of Horus.
The organs were mummified in the
same manner as the rest of the
body, and the canopic jars were
buried within the tombs to avoid
being stolen. It was believed that
any person who stole the organs
could use them to work evil magick.
The ancient Egyptians held cats to be
sacred. Bast (also known as Bastet) was an
Egyptian goddess worshipped in the Delta
city of Bubastis, known to be the protector
of cats and their care-takers. Bast is either
depicted as a cat sitting on its hind legs, or as
a woman with the head of a cat. Bastet was
believed to be the "good side" of the
lioness-goddess,Sekhmet.
Horus, son of Osiris and Isis, in a battle to
avenge his father's death, wounded his
eye, which was later healed by the god
Thoth. Now the Eye of Horus (udjat) is
a common amulet.
The scarab is
a dung-eating beetle which was
held sacred by the ancient Egyptians. The scarab
represented immortality, and was commonly
found in carvings and in jewelry. The scarab was
used an amulet to ward off evil and bring luck.
Gods & Goddesses
ANUBIS - Egyptian god depicted as a jackal,
and responsible for guiding the soul while
making the transition between the land of the
living and the land of the dead. Also said to
be the inventor of enbalming, and therefore
responsible for the preservation of the dead.
HORUS - Often depicted with
the head of a
falcon, and known as the son of Osiris. Horus
is said to have defeated his uncle Set in battle,
in order to avenge his father's murder.
ISIS - The most important goddess in
ancient
Egyptian mythology. Isis was responsible for
motherhood, marital relations, healing, and
magick. She was said to be a very powerful
magician, able to bring Osiris back to life after
being killed by his brother Set.
MAAT - Often depicted wearing an ostrich
feather, which is the hieroglyphic symbol for
her name. She was said to be present at the
judgment of the dead, where she would
weigh her feather against the heart of the
deceased to determine if they had led a pure
life.
OSIRIS - Husband and brother
of Isis, god
of the dead and of resurrection, ruler and
protector of the deceased.
RA - The god of the sun. Ra was seen as the
most powerful of the gods in early years, but
was said to have fled to become a sky god, at
which time Isis, Osiris, and others took on a
more powerful role in the hierarchy of the
gods.
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