A total of nine Egyptian Gods and Goddesses formed the Ennead of Heliopolis. The mythology of the sun gods of the Ennead of Heliopolis centred around stories that detailed where the first gods came from and their relationship to each other.

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Facts about the Ennead of Heliopolis
The Ennead of Heliopolis consisted of a collection of nine solar gods and deities called Atum (Ra), Geb, Isis, Nephthys, Nut, Osiris, Set, Shu and Tefnut. The gods called Horus and Anubis were the sons of Osiris and were part of the extended 'divine family'.

Ennead Fact File

Definition: An Ennead is a group, or set, usually of nine gods and goddesses. The term 'Ennead' is applied to the most important gods associated with a major cult center. The Ennead first appeared in the fifth Dynasty of the period in Egyptian history known as the Old Kingdom.

Sun Cult: The sun worship cult and the concept of solar deities was developed in Egypt and the collection of gods in the Ennead of Heliopolis made the evolving religion understandable to the ancient Egyptian people. Heliopolis was deemed to be the birthplace of the Ennead 'company of gods'

Heliopolis: The Ennead of Heliopolis revolved around the sun cult that was developed in the ancient city of 'On', later renamed by the Greeks as Heliopolis. The ancient city of Heliopolis was located at the triangular apex of the Nile river, about 6 miles (10 km) north of modern Cairo in Lower Egypt (North Egypt)

Gods of the Ennead of Heliopolis: The chief deity in the Egyptian pantheon of the Ennead of Heliopolis was the god Atum, who was later subsumed as the Sun God Ra. The names of the gods referred to in the Ennead of Heliopolis were Atum, Geb, Isis, Nephthys, Nut, Osiris, Set, Shu and Tefnut.

Information and Facts about the Ennead Groups of Gods
Discover interesting information and research facts about the Ennead groups of gods worshipped in ancient Egypt.

Facts about the Ennead groups of gods in ancient Egypt

Fact 1: Definition: An Ennead is an assembly of, usually, nine gods. The term 'Ennead of Heliopolis' is applied to the nine most important gods associated with a major cult center based at the ancient Egyptian city of 'On', that was named Heliopolis by the Greeks.

Fact 2: An Ennead is the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

Fact 3: The origin of the Greek word 'Ennead' derives from the from the word 'ennea' meaning "nine". The term was coined by Greeks exploring Egypt.

Fact 4: All the pharaohs and kings of Egypt were believed to have descended from the Ennead of Heliopolis, the 'divine family' of gods

Fact 5: The vast numbers of many of the ancient Egyptian gods were also believed to have descended from the company of Heliopolitan gods

Fact 6: The word 'Ennead' is also used to describe the great council of the gods as well as a collective term for all the gods.

Fact 7: The number nine was a sacred and symbolic number to the ancient Egyptians that could also stand for 'all' gods.

Fact 8: The Egyptians indicated plurals by using the number three, and nine was thus perceived as the plural of plurals.

Fact 9: Other Egyptian collections of gods, or Enneads, consisted of three gods called Triads - refer to Triads of Egyptian gods for additional information

Fact 10: Ogdoad of Hermopolis (the word 'Ogdoad' means eight): The Ogdoad of Hermopolis (the Egyptian Khmunu) consisted of 8 aquatic gods represented by frogs or snakes. The Ogdoad of Hermopolis consisted of 4 pairs of deities: Amun and Amaunet, Heh and Hehet, Kek and Keket, and Nun and Naunet. The eight deities, the Ogdoad, were worshipped in Hermopolis during what is called the Old Kingdom between 2686 to 2134 BC.

Fact 11: Triad of Memphis: The Triad of Memphis centred around the Cult of Ptah, his wife Sekhmet, lioness of war and their son was Nefertem.

Facts about the Ennead groups of gods in ancient Egypt

Mythology and Facts about the Ennead of Heliopolis
Discover interesting information and research facts about the Ennead surrounding the cult and gods of Heliopolis. The facts provide a short summary detailing fascinating info to increase your knowledge about the gods and goddesses in the Ennead of Heliopolis according to ancient Egyptian Mythology.

Egyptian Gods of the Ennead of Heliopolis

Ennead Gods and Goddesses: Genealogy, Definition, Role and Function

Atum-Ra: Atum (aka Atum-Ra & Ra) was the creator and first god

Tefnut: Tefnut was the name of the goddess of rain and moisture

Shu: Shu was the god of Wind and Air

Nut: Nut was the goddess of the sky and a symbol of resurrection and rebirth

Geb: Geb was the god of vegetation & the earth in which the dead were laid.

Isis: Isis was the goddess of love, magic and fertility

Osiris: Osiris was the the god of death, reincarnation and the underworld.

Set: Set was the evil god of darkness, deserts and storms.

Nephthys: Nephthys was the goddess of night

Egyptian Gods of the Ennead of Heliopolis

The Ennead of Heliopolis - the Heliopolitan Egyptian Gods