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Nubia / Ancient religion
Ancient Nubian gods
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Chapel dedicated to Dedwen at Kalabsha, Egypt.
Statuette of Sebiumeker.
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Gods and goddesses originating in Ancient Nubian religion. Some of the Nubian gods were introduced to Egyptian religion, and the largest export was of Egyptian gods and goddesses into Nubian religion.
In most cases, it appears that the concepts of the gods survived the export, but their influence and strength often did not, largely because the higher positions were taken by local gods.
The well-known Egyptian deities revered by the Nubians were Amon, Anubis, Anuket, Atum, Bastet, Bes, Geb, Hapy, Hathor, Horus, Isis, Khnum, Khonsu, Maat, Ancient Egyptian Gods, Mut, Nekhbet, Nephthys, Nut, Osiris, Ptah, Re, Satet, Sekhmet, Seth, Shu, Taweret, Tefnut, Thoth, Wadjet and Weret-hekau.
Nubian gods and goddesses may also be referred to as Cushite, as this religious tradition belongs to the periods of the Cushite kingdoms.
As was the case with Egyptian deities, Nubian were represented in both human and animal form. Gods appear to have had earthly abodes; this tradition may well have predated the Egyptian establishment of Gebel Barkal as home of Amon. The power of having the highest of Egyptian gods in their vicinity was of course enormous for the Nubians, and would have long-lasting impact on Nubian beliefs.
It seems that the Nubians developed their own theories connected to Gebel Barkal; which may well have been in full correspondence with Egyptian theology. At Gebel Barkal, all gods were born, and not only that, from this point the creation of the world took place.
Amesemi
Protective goddess and wife of Apedemak, the lion-god. She was represented with a crown shaped as a falcon, or with a crescent moon on her head on top of which a falcon was standing.
Apedemak
Arensnuphis
Male god with uncertain qualities. He was represented in a human form, wearing a feathered crown.
Arensnuphis originated at Meroë, but his first attested cult was at Musawwarat al-Sufra in the 3rd century BCE.
He was defined as son of Sebiumeker, and associated with Shu and Osiris, and would merge into Shu-Arensnuphis.
He is represented with giant statues or reliefs. Together with his father, he is seen protecting the entrance into Cushite temples. Into the temple of Amon at Gebel Barkal, his representation was 10 metres high. He is depicted in the temple of Dendur. At Philae, there was an own temple dedicated to him, which was built in a cooperation between Cushite king, Arqamani, and Egyptian king, Ptolemy 4 Philopator.
Arensnuphis was included into the Egyptian pantheon.
Dedwen
God represented in human form without clear characteristics, and no clear functions. One exception is at Kalabsha, where he has the head of a lion.
He is the oldest known Nubian god, attested in Pyramid Texts back to 2400 BCE. Early in the 6th century BCE, Dedwen was proclaimed the foremost god by King Aspelta. He was in some contexts identified as the supplier of incense for the gods, and was also the one burning incense at royal births.
The Egyptians built a temple to him at Semna.
Mandulis
Mehit
Lioness-goddess and wife of Onuris; she was in Egyptian myths told to be from Nubia. She appears to have been a vengeful goddess, representing the "Eye of Re." Another spelling was Mekhit.
Sebiumeker
God of procreation, originating in Meroë region. He was represented in human form. His main cult centres were at Musawwarat al-Sufra, east of the 6th catararct.
He was either associated with, or transferred into Atum, through Egyptian influences.
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By: Tore Kjeilen
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