Nephthys, also known as Nebet-Het in ancient Egypt, is an important goddess in the Egyptian pantheon. Her name means “mistress of the house” and her nickname “the one who is on the cliff”.
Symbolically, Nephthys was often depicted as a woman wearing a long dress and a wig of wavy hair. She is also depicted with bird wings, referring to her role as protector and helper of the deceased in the afterlife.
Nephthys is best known for aiding Isis in her quest to find the body parts of Osiris, her brother and husband, who had been scattered by Seth. Nephthys helped Isis find and recover the missing part, Osiris' penis, which had been thrown into the Nile. She is also considered a protective goddess of newborns, and pregnant women often turned to her for prayers of protection during pregnancy and childbirth.
According to Egyptian mythology, Nephthys was born from the union of Geb, the god of the Earth, and of Nout, the Goddess of Heaven. She had a twin brother, Seth, who later became her husband, although their union was considered illegitimate. Nephthys then had a son with Seth, Anubis, the funerary god responsible for preparing the dead for embalming and burial.
Nephthys' main function was to help the souls of the deceased reach the heavens safely. She was considered the goddess of death and protection, helping the departed through the trials and dangers of the journey to the afterlife.
The goddess of the dead was often depicted with the wings of a falcon, or in the form of a falcon in flight. She was also often depicted with her sister Isis, symbolizing their family bond and their collaboration in the quest to find the parts of Osiris.
In the myth of Osiris, Nephthys played an important role in helping Isis find the body parts of Osiris. She also played a role in the embalming of Osiris and his subsequent resurrection as the god of eternal life and fertility.
Nephthys' interactions with the other gods were generally positive, as she was seen as a protective and helping goddess. She often worked closely with her sister Isis and other goddesses to help the dead and protect the living. However, due to her illegitimate relationship with her brother Seth, she has
Nephthys in popular culture
- The "Assassin's Creed" video game series, where Nephthys is depicted as an Egyptian goddess, sister of Isis and Osiris, and one of the members of the pantheon who created the Rod of Eden, a powerful object sought by the Templars.
- The novel “The Kane Chronicles” by Rick Riordan, which features characters from Egyptian mythology, including Nephthys. In the book, she is introduced as the sister of the goddess Isis and the mother of Carter and Sadie, the story's protagonists.
- The manga “Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas”, where Nephthys appears as a goddess of Olympus (in this version the Egyptian and Greek gods coexist), responsible for protecting the kingdom of Hades and overseeing the underworld.
Egyptian deities other than Nephthys