Geb
The Egyptian God
Geb
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Name: Geb -
Gender Male: Geb was a God -
Depiction / Description
/ Symbol: Geb was depicted with the body of a man and the
head of a Goose -
Jurisdiction: Geb was
described as being God of Life beneath the Earth - Vegetation and the Underworld -
Mythical Family or
Relatives: Geb was believed to have descended from the
Sun God Atum, Ra or Re, the Lord of
Creation who spat out the elements of moisture (the Goddess
Tefnut) and air (the God Shu)The twins, Shu and Tefnut, gave birth
to Geb and his sister Nut. Geb and Nut had four children: Osiris,
Isis, Seth and Nephthys
Information about
the Egyptian God Geb
Geb was one of the Ennead, the collective name given to the nine
original deities (Gods and Goddesses) of the cosmogony of Heliopolis
(the birthplace of the Gods) in
the creation myths and legends.
The Egyptian God, Geb, was seen as the God of Life beneath the Earth - Vegetation and the Underworld.
He was seen as the God of the mountains and valleys of the Earth. He was the
husband of his sister Nut. Incest was seen as an acceptable element in the lives of the
Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, retaining the sacred bloodline.
Geb is one of the Egyptian Underworld Gods who are seen to watch the
weighing of the heart of the deceased in the Judgement Hall of Osiris.
Description &
Depiction of the Egyptian God Geb - Part Human & Part Animal
The Egyptian Gods or Goddesses, such as Geb, were often depicted as
being part human and part animal. In the description of the Egyptian
God Geb he / she was most frequently depicted with the body of a human
and with with the head of an animal - a Goose. In the Ancient Egyptian
religion certain animals were seen as sacred as they believed that the
Spirit of a God resided in these animals, such as the Goose, which were
revered and worshipped as reincarnated Gods during their lifetimes.
The Egyptian the
God Geb - Creation and Relatives
The early Egyptian priests evolved a
creation myth, or Cosmogony, to explain how some of the Gods and
Goddesses came into being. The early Egyptian priests then evolved a
Family tree, the relatives of the main Egyptian Gods, like Geb, to
explain how some of the Gods and Goddesses were related.
Temple of Geb
The Temples dedicated to Geb, the God of Life beneath the Earth - Vegetation and the Underworld, were believed to be the
dwelling place of this famous Egyptian God. Only the Pharaoh and the
Priests of Geb were allowed inside the temple and the priests would
undergo ritual purification in a deep stone pool before they entered the
Inner Sanctum of the Temple. This not only cleansed them but also gave
them contact with the primeval moisture of life. Ordinary Egyptians were
only allowed to come to the gates, or forecourt, of the temple of Geb
to pay homage and offer gifts to the God / Goddess. The Priests of Geb
would collect the gifts and say prayers on behalf of the person in the
confines of the temple. The priests of Geb, the God of Life beneath the Earth - Vegetation and the Underworld, would
conduct ceremonies, sacrifices and chant magical incantations, sometimes
referred to as spells. The temple of Geb would consist of heavy gates
which accessed a massive hall with great stone columns, and then a
series of many other rooms through which processions of priests would
pass. These rooms, or chambers, were lit by candles and incense would be
burnt to purify the air of the Temple. The chambers gradually decreased
in size, the lighting in the temple was deliberately and significantly
reduced to create an atmosphere of deepening mystery until the priests
reached the chapel and the shrine which contained the Naos. The Naos was
the stone tabernacle inside the shrine which housed the great Statue of
Geb, the God of Life beneath the Earth - Vegetation and the Underworld.
The Statue of Geb
The large statue of the God Geb, the God of Life beneath the Earth - Vegetation and the Underworld was situated in the
inner sanctum of the Egyptian temple. The statue of Geb would have been
depicted with the body of a man / woman and the head of Goose. This
sacred statue, in the dwelling place of the God, was the embodiment of
Geb. Food and drink would be offered to the God. The High Priest of
Geb, would conduct ceremonies and offer prayers and incantations but
there was another important priest, called the Medjty, who was
responsible for the toiletries. The statue of Geb would have been
washed and oiled. The statue was then dressed in fine linen and eye
make-up, powder and rouge was applied and sacred oil rubbed on the
forehead of the statue. The statue of Geb, with its head of the Goose,
was only seen by ordinary Egyptians at important festivals when the
effigy was paraded in magnificent processions.
The Egyptian God
Geb
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