NEPHTHYS
neutralFunerary goddess, protector of the dead
Nephthys is a funerary goddess of ancient Egypt, protector of the dead and guardian of the deceased. Her Egyptian name, Nebet-Hut, means Mistress of the dwelling or of the temple enclosure. Daughter of Geb and Nut, she is the sister of Osiris, Isis and Seth, to whom tradition associates her as wife. Several sources also present her as the mother of Anubis, the embalmer god, although this link is discussed by recent research. She forms with her sister Isis a complementary couple: while Isis evokes birth and life, Nephthys is associated with death and mourning. Together, they weep for and protect Osiris, watching over his body during the embalming. She is figured as a woman bearing on her head the hieroglyph of her name, or in the form of a kite with outspread wings, whose cry recalls the lamentations of the mourners. Venerated throughout Egypt, she watched notably over one of the four canopic jars and bore the title of mistress of the house of embalming.
Era
3,000–30 BCE
Frequently asked questions
What is Nephthys's role?
A funerary goddess, she protects the dead, watches over the embalming of Osiris and forms with Isis the couple of mourners who guard the deceased and facilitate their rebirth.
Is Nephthys the mother of Anubis?
Tradition often presents her as the mother of Anubis, the embalmer god, but this link is not uniformly attested in the Egyptian sources.
What does her name mean?
Her Egyptian name, Nebet-Hut, translates as Mistress of the dwelling or of the temple enclosure, in reference to her sacred rather than domestic functions.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- Richard H. Wilkinson, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt (2003)
- Claude Traunecker, Les Dieux de l'Égypte (2001)
- , Wikipedia (FR/EN)