Anubis - God of Embalming, head of jackal
Anubis invented embalming to embalm Osiris, the first mummy. He was the guide of the dead. The Egyptians embalmed their dead, especially their pharaohs, to preserve them, since they thought that this helped them live for ever.
The Ancient Egyptians believed that when wewe died, wewe travelled to the Hall of the Dead. There Anubis weighed your moyo against the feather of Ma'at. Ma'at, the goddess of justice sits on juu of the scales to make sure that the weighing is carried out properly. wewe can see Anubis steadying the scales to make the weighing fair. If your moyo was lighter than the feather, wewe lived for ever. We still talk of "a moyo as light as a feather" to mean care-free, and "heavy-hearted" to mean sad. If your moyo was heavier than the feather then it was eaten kwa the demon Ammit, the Destroyer. Ammit had the head of a crocodile, the shoulders of a lion and the rump of a hippopotamus. These were all frightening wanyama for the Egyptians. Thoth, god of wisom and writing, stands kwa to record what happens.
Anubis invented embalming to embalm Osiris, the first mummy. He was the guide of the dead. The Egyptians embalmed their dead, especially their pharaohs, to preserve them, since they thought that this helped them live for ever.
The Ancient Egyptians believed that when wewe died, wewe travelled to the Hall of the Dead. There Anubis weighed your moyo against the feather of Ma'at. Ma'at, the goddess of justice sits on juu of the scales to make sure that the weighing is carried out properly. wewe can see Anubis steadying the scales to make the weighing fair. If your moyo was lighter than the feather, wewe lived for ever. We still talk of "a moyo as light as a feather" to mean care-free, and "heavy-hearted" to mean sad. If your moyo was heavier than the feather then it was eaten kwa the demon Ammit, the Destroyer. Ammit had the head of a crocodile, the shoulders of a lion and the rump of a hippopotamus. These were all frightening wanyama for the Egyptians. Thoth, god of wisom and writing, stands kwa to record what happens.
Amun - God of Creation, crowned with ostrich feathers
Amun was an important god, but there are no stories about him. He created all things. At the same time, he remained apart from creation, totally different from it, and fully independent from it. In fact, he was invisible, so wewe couldn't have a picture of him! However, if wewe called him Amun-Re, this allowed people to see him. Then he had a hat with ostrich feathers on, and like all gods with human heads, a beard. Re is another way of spelling Ra, the sun god.
Tutankhamun's name contains the name of Amun. It also contains the Ankh, which means Life. His name means "Long life to Amun."
Amun is sometimes spelled Ammon. The fossil ammonites are called after him, because his sacred animal is a ram, and ammonites are shaped like ram's horns.
Amun was an important god, but there are no stories about him. He created all things. At the same time, he remained apart from creation, totally different from it, and fully independent from it. In fact, he was invisible, so wewe couldn't have a picture of him! However, if wewe called him Amun-Re, this allowed people to see him. Then he had a hat with ostrich feathers on, and like all gods with human heads, a beard. Re is another way of spelling Ra, the sun god.
Tutankhamun's name contains the name of Amun. It also contains the Ankh, which means Life. His name means "Long life to Amun."
Amun is sometimes spelled Ammon. The fossil ammonites are called after him, because his sacred animal is a ram, and ammonites are shaped like ram's horns.