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Egyptian god set. God set Image of god set

Every culture has its own personifications of evil forces. They have a wide variety of appearances and play an important role in the fate of people. And if there is no way to resist them, then you have to somehow get along with them and get along. Such a purely negative character of mythology was the ancient Egyptian god Set, one of the most powerful lords of the desert.

Youth and struggle for power

Unfortunately, it has so happened since time immemorial that worthy children are not always born to respectable parents. So a very respected couple - Heb - the god of the earth and his wife, the beautiful Nut - the mistress of the sky - had a son who brought them a lot of trouble in childhood, and with age, finally plunged them into sadness. Barely reaching his youthful years, he was inflamed with passion for Isis, the wife of his elder brother Osiris. In addition, he intended to remove him from the earthly throne, where he sat on a legal basis. To this end, the insidious god Seth undertook the following.

By his order, a golden sarcophagus of wondrous beauty was made, the dimensions of which exactly corresponded to the growth and complexion of Osiris. And then one day the young intriguer arranged a dinner party, to which, among other guests, he invited his brother. When the fun was in full swing, the servants brought the sarcophagus into the hall, and the owner of the house announced that he would give it to one of those present who would fit in it with the greatest convenience.

Treachery under the guise of generosity

Such a valuable gift made everyone excited, and the guests began to take turns to fit into the golden bowels. But, as we know, the god Set hatched insidious plans, and when Osiris was inside a sarcophagus made to his measurements, he closed the heavy lid. The servants immediately arrived and threw the unfortunate brother in his ill-fated ark into the Nile, where he was immediately picked up by the current and carried away to the shores of Phoenicia.

Further events, as ancient Egyptian mythology tells, are like a poem about devotion, love and treachery. The beautiful Isis rejected Set's harassment and went in search of her husband. She found him in the coastal reeds, freed him from the sarcophagus and brought him home. But the insidious brother brought his dirty work to the end - drawing a sword, he cut the unfortunate Osiris into fourteen parts (no more and no less). In such a criminal way, the god Seth seized inseparable power over Egypt.

Judgment and happy ending

But his joy was premature. It turned out that the brother he killed had a son, also a god, named Horus. And so the nephew decides to take revenge on his uncle for the death of his parent, and at the same time get the rights to reign. Realizing that he cannot cope alone, he takes his friend, solar Ra, to help. Together they overcome the despicable fratricide, but, despite the many wounds, he remains alive. Scoundrels in general are tenacious people ...

Then they (all three of them) turned to the divine court to decide who should rule the world. It cannot be said that in those days justice was administered faster than it is today. Their lawsuit dragged on for eighty years and probably would have lasted even longer if the whole story had not unexpectedly had a happy ending. Osiris himself miraculously revived from the dead. He became the owner of both supreme power and a beautiful wife - faithful Isis. Evil was punished. God Ra took his friend to heaven, but there he was destined for a very unenviable role - to instill fear in everyone. However, he did a great job with it.

Symbol of the evil inclination

For all the deeds, the god Set became the personification of chaos and disorder among the ancient Egyptians. The famous "Book of the Dead" ascribes to him all the troubles caused by hurricanes and storms. They feared him and tried to propitiate him as much as possible. It is not surprising that in the vast celestial pantheon, one of the central figures was precisely the god Set. The photo given at the beginning of the article represents one of his figures that have come down to us. Quite a lot of such monuments have been preserved. In different historical periods, the appearance of the deity changed, but always it was given the features of a certain animal.

Archaeological excavations carried out on the territory of Egypt show that worship of him began in prehistoric times. This is evidenced by sculptures and amulets found in various parts of the country, which depict Set, the god of the desert. The earliest of them is the mace of one of the first pharaohs, who lived in the fourth millennium BC. Symbols are clearly visible on it, personifying the formidable ruler of evil forces.

Some Positives

Speaking about this character, it should be noted that such negative traits were not always given to him. In the early stages of history, his image was much more attractive, and only over time took on such a negative connotation. Historians tend to see the reason for this metamorphosis in a series of political and social disasters that were reflected in mythology, and as a result, Set - the god of Egypt - became their personification.

But it would be unfair to reduce his role solely to the manifestation of evil. When they learned to smelt iron on the banks of the Nile, which at that time was the hardest of all known materials, it was given a name, which means “bone of Set”. The reason lies in the fact that patronage of all those who work with metals was attributed to this deity.

Assistant in military affairs

And one more important detail. As we already mentioned, one of the most formidable gods was Set, but this quality of his in many ways impressed the warlike Egyptian pharaohs. He was seen as the personification of strength and military power. From the myths that have come down to us, it is known that he excellently wielded a spear, and his main weapon was a giant mace. Before starting hostilities, the rulers of the country always tried to enlist his support. To this end, the priests developed an extensive complex of ritual actions, including sacrifices.

It has long been noted that any, even the most bloodthirsty inhabitant of the heavenly pantheon, has always had positive aspects. Actually, the very concept of evil was considered as a necessary element for the expression of good - its antipode, and therefore carried a positive load. Set - the Egyptian god, the symbol of chaos - was no exception. He was assigned an important role - to hit with a spear the terrible serpent Arop, who attacked the boat of Ra, when he made his nightly voyages through the underworld. But in general, a bad reputation followed him relentlessly. No wonder, for example, it was considered extremely unreasonable to start any business on the day of his birth.

Cult centers

It is quite understandable that with such a strong and unpredictable personality, they tried to live in peace. Set and Horus are the Egyptian gods, who equally distributed their influence over Upper and Lower Egypt. Therefore, each of them received in his part of the country the honors due to him. Today, archaeological finds testify to the predominance of cult centers dedicated to Set in the upper reaches of the Nile. The largest of them was in his homeland, in the city of Nubt. Also known is the place of worship to him in the ancient capital of the pharaohs Pi - Ramses.

The visual image of the lord of the desert

Set, the god of ancient Egypt, in his images, as a rule, had the appearance of a creature with a human body and the head of some fantastic animal, similar to a donkey or anteater. The resemblance was broken only by excessively large rectangular ears. However, other options are also known. For example, the body of a predator with a long forked tail. In addition, he often appeared in the guise of animals, the attitude towards which was twofold at that time. Among them are a hippopotamus, a crocodile, a hyena and even a pig. Obviously, the ancient artists were not constrained by rigid canonical boundaries, and when creating an image, much depended on their imagination.

Egyptian myths say that Set had red eyes and red hair. This is no coincidence. Such a color in the minds of people was associated with the hot sand of the deserts, of which he was the ruler. It is curious that subsequently, animals whose fur had a reddish tint, and even red-haired people, were considered, to one degree or another, followers of this god. They were treated with caution and certainly tried to avoid quarrels with them.

Double crown on the brow of the sovereign

In order to protect themselves from the negative influence of hostile forces, amulets were made on which Set was depicted. The Egyptian god always took under the protection of their owners. In order to achieve the greatest possible location, a double crown was placed on the head of the patron - this symbolized the supreme power over the whole country and, of course, flattered him. Not so many of these medallions have survived; you can see them in various museums around the world. An excellent exposition is available in the State Hermitage of St. Petersburg.

The mythological god Set was known and revered in ancient Egypt, and he is known to us. Set was one of the supreme gods. The memory of him is more connected with something negative. They write about him as the lord of the desert, sandstorms, he is also the prototype of chaos, hostility and evil.

The first written references to the god Set date back to the Nagada I era (approximately 3500-4000 BC), as evidenced by an engraved ivory object found. Initially, this deity is presented as a positive character, whose purpose was to protect the god Ra from the huge serpent Apep, who seeks to swallow the sun and thereby plunge all of humanity into darkness. However, events and narratives have changed as cultures and heritages have evolved.

It is believed that Set is the son of the sky goddess Nut and the earth god Geb. In the pantheon of the gods of Ancient Egypt, he is one of the key figures close to almost all the dynasties of the pharaohs. He was depicted, as a rule, in the form of a man with the head of a jackal, a donkey, a crocodile, and even a hippopotamus with a red mane and accompanied by a red dog. An integral attribute is long ears, in the hands of the scepter of Uas and ankh. Such information is contained in letters, as well as numerous statues, engravings, bas-reliefs.

Modern religions recognize only one God. The gods of past civilizations were respected by people, but lived a completely human life. They were born, created, died or left for some other world. So it was in ancient Egypt. God Set has a very definite place of birth - Ombos, which is in Upper Egypt, where his cult centers were massively concentrated. As among people there are selfish, greedy, etc., so among the gods they are. That was Seth. In the mythological narratives, it is indicated that in the quest for power in all of Egypt, Set decides to vilely kill his older brother Osiris and takes the throne.

Among the rulers of Earth and Heaven, terrifying the Egyptians, was the god Set, who was represented as a man with the head of an ass or a dragon. At the same time, even the mention of him caused awe, and his significance was so great that he was put on a par with Horus, the patron of the pharaohs. In many images found in the territory, both of these deities are depicted on both sides of the ruler of the country.

egyptian god set

According to Egyptian mythology, Set was the son of the earth and sky gods Geb and Nut. True, he became famous not for his good deeds, but for the fact that he killed his brother Osiris and ate a sacred cat, after which he acquired a bad reputation as a killer and became associated with the forces of evil. At the same time, the ancient Egyptian god Set retained his status as the patron saint of the powerful, as evidenced by the images of the god standing next to the pharaoh.

What natural element did the god Seth represent?

He was worshiped in different parts of the country, but everywhere he caused mystical horror. Like any other deity associated with one of the natural elements, he carried a negative beginning. Seth, the god of the desert, was the patron and lord of sandstorms and drought, plunging farmers into fear. But other Egyptians were also afraid of him, since the onset of chaos, a hostile attitude towards all living things, war and other misfortunes were associated with him.

Seth's wife

Legends report that the god of chaos had several wives, one of whom was Nephthys. Seth and Nephthys were brother and sister. However, there is no clear indication of their marital relationship. As for the goddess herself, her image is usually associated with the customs of funerals, the performance of funeral rites and the recitation of prayers for the dead. Ancient historians believed that the goddess Nephthys in ancient Egypt reigned over the immaterial and unreal. At the same time, she was often considered the patroness of the feminine and the goddess of creation, who "lives in everything."

What did the god Set patronize?

The peoples of Egypt were afraid of Seth and, wanting to appease him, erected palaces and temples in his honor, fearing his wrath. Cruelty, rage and death - this was the main thing that the god Seth personified, and although the inhabitants of the country tried in every possible way to appease him, he patronized not them, but foreigners, inhabitants of distant lands. However, it would be wrong to present Set as the embodiment of evil. He patronized valor and courage, instilling courage in the hearts of warriors.

What does the god Set look like?

The god Set, who belonged to the cohort of the supreme gods, was depicted as a creature that combined the human body and the head of an animal. On various images, he looked different: either with the head of a crocodile, or a hippopotamus, but most often he was depicted with the head of a jackal or a donkey, which was considered a symbol of power for the inhabitants of Eastern Egypt. Its distinguishing feature is its long ears. The appearance of the god Set is complemented by a scepter - a symbol of power. At the same time, for the majority of the ancients, the animals in the form of which Set was depicted symbolized a connection with demonic otherworldly forces.


How was the god Set worshipped?

Despite such a formidable and unpleasant character, history has preserved information about how the god Set was worshiped. He enjoyed a special location among the pharaohs. Written artifacts testify that the rulers of Egypt were named after him, temples were erected in his honor. True, their number is small, but they were distinguished by the richness of decoration and the majesty of architecture. The inhabitants of Eastern Egypt had warm feelings for the deity and even considered him their patron, creating cult centers in his honor.

Symbol of the god Set

Despite their strength and belonging to the highest gods, the symbols and cult of the god Set are little known. Perhaps precisely because he took under his protection not the Egyptians, but foreigners and representatives of the supreme power of the state. For some time, he even competed with the supreme god Horus, as evidenced by the found images of pharaohs sitting on a throne, on both sides of which these two deities stand. God Seth does not have its own symbols and attributes. In all the images, he holds a rod in his hands - a symbol of power and a cross.

The presence of cult centers in certain regions of Egypt indicates that the evil god Set, however, was revered by the locals. It is interesting that in some parts of the country it was represented as a sacred fish, so the use of fish dishes for food was prohibited here. In addition, the image of this warlike god was close to those who took part in the battles and hoped for his patronage. The hallmark of the warrior god has become: it is blood, pressure and hot desert soil.

God Set in Ancient Egypt initially did not have a negative connotation. For the ancient Egyptians, it was rage, chaos, sandstorms, war. He was depicted with the head of a donkey or aardvark: long ears, red mane and eyes. Red was considered by the Egyptians the color of death, because the sand of the desert had the same shade (despite the fact that there were other shades). However, there is no opinion about which animal is the exact representation of Set. His sacred animals were a pig, a giraffe, an antelope, but the donkey was considered the main one.

In the ancient period, Set was the personification of the power of the rulers of Egypt. This fact is reflected in ancient documents and names worn by the pharaohs of the II dynasty. At the time of the capture of part of the Egyptian lands by the Hyksos, he was equated with their main deity, the capital of the state of Avaris became the place of worship for him.

The ancient Egyptians admired and lauded Set's masculinity, agility, and militancy. Therefore, his name had the epithet "mighty". As a result, the pharaohs were given the name "Networks". In order to enlist the patronage of this deity, they worshiped him, built temples within the boundaries of the palaces of the pharaohs, wore various decorations that had his image.

For the first time, drawings associated with Set were found during the reign of Nakada I. Items bearing his images were found in the Nakada area. Ombos was considered the birthplace of Set, and his necropolis was located in Naqada. At that time, he was especially revered in Upper Egypt, and there were no unpleasant features in his personality yet. Set was considered the patron of the southern Egyptian lands.

In the period preceding the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, there was a struggle between the worshipers of Set and Horus. The supporters of Horus won, so since then, if these two gods were depicted together, Horus was ahead of Set. He was worshiped in the following areas of Egypt:

  • Ombose;
  • Kom Ombose;
  • Gipsele;
  • the oases of Dakhla and Kharga;
  • in the northeastern Nile Delta.

Seth is the youngest son of the goddess Nut, who was considered the mistress of the sky, and the god Geb, the ruler of the earth. He had a brother Osiris and sisters Isis and Nephthys, the latter became his wife. The day when he appeared was in Ancient Egypt the third New Year's Eve and was considered unfavorable among the Egyptians. On this day, they did not start new business and tried not to start anything at all.

Initially, Set was considered the protector of the god Ra and helped him in the fight against Apep. He was the only one of the gods who could defeat Apep in the darkness. In addition to Nephthys, the goddess Taurt (the patroness of childbearing) was also the wife of Set. The beginning of the manifestation of the evil inclination in this deity was the thirst for power. In the mythology of the ancient Egyptians, this is seen in the cycle of tales about Osiris and Horus.

Osiris gained power over ancient Egypt because he was the elder brother. But his younger brother became envious, he wanted to get even more power, he considered himself worthy of Osiris. Therefore, Seth decided to kill his brother, and after that Osiris' wife Isis had to hide with the son of Horus from the evil deity. But the time came when Horus grew up, became a strong and courageous young man and challenged Seth to battle.

During the duel, the god of rage, chaos and sandstorms deprives the young man of his eyes. But Horus manages to castrate Seth, which deprives him of the last masculine principle. Subsequently, the lands he ruled were desolate and devoid of life as a sign of what Horus had done to Set. They fought for a long time, and the gods got tired of watching their duel.

Then they proposed to arrange a competition that would determine who was worthy to rule Egypt. As a result, Gore was declared the winner. The further fate of Seth has several interpretations, which was chosen based on the desire to exalt those facts that were close to personal ideals. There are two more versions of why Horus won the victory in ancient Egyptian legends.

Set began to be considered an evil deity during the New Kingdom, when the Hyksos conquered the North. They revered him, a cult reigned in their lands, temples were built. After this event, Set became associated with strangers, which strengthened his negative traits. After the unification of the Egyptian lands, the pharaohs neglected the worship of Set, but later it resumed, and some began to give the names of this deity.

The god Set in ancient Egypt has a controversial meaning for the Egyptians. On the one hand, he is the personification of chaos, war, sandstorms, but, on the other hand, he is the embodiment of strength, militancy and masculinity. His elevation to the rank of an evil deity is associated with historical events, such as the expulsion of foreigners from the northern lands of Egypt. The legends of Set are an indication that ancient Egyptian mythology is multifaceted, as are the beliefs of other ancient civilizations.

A cruel tyrant, in whose heart there is only malice and envy - this is how the Egyptian god Seth appears in most modern works. In fact, from the moment of birth, the sibling served as an assistant and support to the supreme god. Alas, the good deeds of the deity have long faded against the backdrop of a long-term war for the throne, which was accompanied by murders and torture of relatives and friends.

Origin story

The origins of the cult that glorifies Set are hidden in the city of Nagada, where the idolatry of the ambiguous god originated. The first image of a man dates back to 3100 BC. The image of Set is carved on the mace of the ruler of Egypt named Scorpio.

During the reign of the Second Dynasty, Set extended his own influence to the Upper Egyptian cities, displacing the gods of Hashem from the pantheon. Mythology confirms that during this period, Set was revered as the protector god Ra and the patron of the pharaohs.

The demonization of man occurred in the New Kingdom. Such a transformation is associated with political events in ancient Egypt - the state fell under the influence of the Hyksos, in whom Set was associated with the national god Baal. The main place of worship for the character was proclaimed the city of Avaris.

The appearance of Assyrians and Persians on the borders of the state only exacerbated the negative significance of Set. Now the god personified for the Egyptians the patron of strangers, ruled over the desert and was known as the god of destruction.


Seth's appearance has also changed. Initially, the god was depicted as an animal similar to a fox or jackal. Later, Seth took on the appearance of a thin man with the head of a donkey (in other sources - an aardvark). Then red eyes were added to the appearance, which symbolized death.

Set was also drawn in the form of a bloodthirsty crocodile, snake or hippopotamus, but the semi-zoomorphic image of the deity remained the most memorable image.

Myths and legends

Seth is the youngest child of the married couple Nut and Geb. God's parents had already raised three children: Osiris, and Nephthys. Children grew up together and did not experience a lack of love. However, unlike his brother and sisters, Seth did not feel joy and gratitude towards his family.


The grown brothers and sisters took their assigned places. Osiris began to rule Egypt, Isis married her older brother and helped run the country. Nephthys connected life with Set, and the younger god, together with his great-grandfather Ra, traveled through the territory of the underworld, guarding the god from the monster Apep.

But soon Seth's heart was seized with envy. The man longed to get the throne of Egypt and take possession of his elder brother's wife. Realizing that in a fair duel the pharaoh cannot be defeated, the god of rage developed an insidious plan. By order of Seth, the great craftsmen created a sarcophagus that surpasses all known products in beauty and perfectly coincides with the growth of Osiris.


Seth, who often visited the pharaoh, suggested that his brother try on the sarcophagus. The man proclaimed that he would give the precious coffin to someone for whom the product would fit in size. Osiris gladly tried on the sarcophagus. Taking advantage of the situation, Seth locked the man and threw the coffin into the sea.

Egypt was left without a ruler. Isis, frightened for the fate of her unborn son, fled the palace. So Seth began to rule the state, establishing strict rules and high taxes in the country.

For a long time, nothing threatened the tyranny of God. The first blow awaited Seth during the hunt. A man accidentally stumbled upon a sarcophagus in which the body of the dead Osiris lay peacefully. God realized that Isis had found her own husband and did not give up trying to revive her lover. In a rage, Seth tore the body of his elder brother into pieces, which he scattered around the world.


The gods, dissatisfied with the usurper, tried to resist the god of chaos. But Seth, who managed to form his own bloodthirsty army, repelled all blows. One of the ardent opponents of God was supporting Isis and helping her raise her son.

Soon Horus, the long-awaited descendant of Osiris, matured and entered into battle with the tyrant. Men fought for the Egyptian throne for 80 years. The rest of the gods decided not to interfere in the conflict, watching the battles from afar. The cunning Seth diverted the attention of Horus and tore out the eyes of the heir of the pharaoh, in which the magical power of the god was hidden.


The man will put the magical Eyes of Ujat (the eyes of Horus) into a box, which he placed in the rock. Not even trusting his own subordinates, Set took the form of a crocodile and personally guarded the treasures. Anubis, seeing what the god had done, took the form of a winged serpent and stole the eyes of Horus.

The fight resumed, but this time Horus was victorious. With the last blow, the son of Osiris cut off Seth's manhood. At the council, the gods decided to send the defeated god to the desert, where they allowed the tyrant to rule the lands at his own discretion.

Screen adaptations

The serial cartoon "The Adventures of Papyrus", released in 1998, used the image of the god of the desert as the main antagonist. The exiled Seth makes every effort to prevent the young fisherman Papyrus from resurrecting Horus from oblivion.


The next appearance of Seth took place in the animated series "Tutenstein". The cartoon tells about a pharaoh boy who suddenly resurrected in the modern world. The god Set uses various tricks to get hold of the scepter of Uas, which guarantees power over all living things. The Russian dubbing of Seth was entrusted to .

In 2016, Seth became the hero of the science fiction film Gods of Egypt. The plot of the film is based on the myth of the confrontation between the god of rage and the son of Osiris. Seth seizes the throne of Egypt and establishes his own rules in the state. The role of the god-tyrant was played by an actor.


In 2017, the premiere of the film "The Mummy" took place, in which the god of the desert again became the main antagonist. The film is a restart of the series about the resurrected mummy. Princess Amanet, in pursuit of her father's throne, accepts the cursed blade from Set. Millennia later, the royal returns to the modern world, wanting to reclaim her own power and resurrect the god of destruction. The image of Seth on the screen was embodied by the actor.

  • The sacred animal of Set is the black pig.
  • After the demonization, Seth had a second wife, who did not play a significant role in the life of a man. God combined the bonds of marriage with Taurt, the goddess of pregnant women.
  • In addition to destruction and rage, Seth was considered the patron saint of sexuality. At the same time, God did not have his own children.