standing. The APISbull, for example, became SERAPISin
the Ptolemaic Period (304–30 B.C.E.) and SOKARbecame
part of the Ptah-Osiris cult. The major foreign gods intro-
duced into Egypt are included in the preceding list of
major deities of the nation.
Animal deities were also part of the cultic panorama
of Egypt, serving as divine entities or as manifestations of
a more popular god or goddess. The animals and birds so
designated, and other creatures, are as follows:
ANIMALSCreatures were believed by the Egyptians to represent
certain aspects, characteristics, roles, or strengths of the
various gods. Sacred bulls were manifestations of power
in Egypt in every era. The gods were called “bulls” of
their reign, and even the king called himself the “bull” of
his mother in proclaiming his rank and claims to the
throne. The bull image was used widely in predynastic
times and can be seen on maces and palettes from that
period. The bulls A’A NEFER,APIS,BUCHIS, and MNEVIS
were worshiped in shrines on the Nile.
Rams were also considered a symbol of power and
fertility. The ram of MENDESwas an ancient divine being,
and AMUNof THEBESwas depicted as a ram in his temples
in the New Kingdom. In some instances they were also
theophanies of other deities, such as KHNUM.
The lion was viewed as a THEOPHANY, as was the cat,
and the deities SHU,BASTET,SEKHMET, and the SPHINX
were represented by one of these forms. The hare was a
divine creature called Weni, or Wen-nefer. The hare was
an insignia of RE’Srising as the sun and also of the resur-
rective powers of OSIRIS. The jackal was ANUBIS, the
prowler of the graves who became the patron of the dead.
As WEPWAWET, the jackal was associated with the mortu-
ary rituals at ASSIUT(or Lykonpolis) and in some regions
identified with Anubis. Wepwawet was sometimes
depicted as a wolf as well.
The pig, Shai, was considered a form of the god SET
and appeared in some versions of the BOOK OF THE DEAD,
where it was slain by the deceased. The ass or the donkey,
A’a, was also vilified in the mortuary texts. The mongoose
or ICHNEUMON, was called Khatru and was considered a
theophany of RÉas the setting sun. The mouse, Penu, was
considered an incarnation of HORUS.
The leopard had no cultic shrines or rites, but its
skin was used by priests of certain rank. The BABOON,
Yan, was a theophany of THOTH, who greeted Ré each
dawn, howling at the morning sun in the deserts. The
elephant, Abu, was certainly known in Egypt but is not
often shown in Egyptian art or inscriptions. Ivory was
prized and came from NUBIA. The HIPPOPOTAMUS, a mani-
festation of the god Set, was vilified. As TAWARET, how-
ever, she also had characteristics of a CROCODILEand a
lion. The bat was a sign of fertility, but no cultic evidence
remains to signify that it was honored. The oryx, Maliedj,
was considered a theophany of the god Set.
BIRDS
The BENNUbird, a type of heron, was considered an incar-
nation of the sun and was believed to dwell in the sacred
PERSEA TREEin HELIOPOLIS, called the soul of the gods.
The PHOENIX, similar to the Bennu, was a symbol of res-
urrection and was honored in shrines of the Delta. The
falcon (or hawk) was associated with Horus, who had
important cultic shrines at EDFUand at HIERAKONPOLIS.
The vulture was NEKHEBET, the guardian of Upper Egypt.
The goose was sacred to the gods GEBand AMUNand
called Khenken-ur. The IBISwas sacred to the god Thoth
at many shrines. The ostrich was considered sacred and
its unbroken eggs were preserved in temples. The owl
was a hieroglyphic character.
See also BIRD SYMBOLS.
REPTILES
The turtle, Shetiu, was considered a manifestation of the
harmful deities and was represented throughout Egyptian
history as the enemy of the god Ré. The crocodile was
sacred to the god SOBEK, worshiped in temples in the
FAIYUMand at KOM OMBOin Upper Egypt. The cobra,
WADJET, was considered an emblem of royalty and throne
power. The cobra was also the guardian of Lower Egypt,
with a special shrine at BUTO.
Snakes were symbols of new life and resurrection
because they shed their skins. One giant snake, METHEN,
guarded the sacred boat of Ré each night, as the god jour-
neyed endlessly through the Underworld. APOPHIS,
another magical serpent, attacked Ré each night. Frogs
were symbols of fertility and resurrection and were mem-
bers of the OGDOADat HELIOPOLIS. The scorpion was con-
sidered a helper of the goddess Isis and was deified as
SELKET.gods and goddesses 151A pantheon of divine beings in Egypt, as displayed in the
White Chapel at Karnak, including Amun and Min.
(Courtesy Thierry Ailleret.)