Seth

Introduction

Seth, who is also known as Set, is an Ancient Egyptian god who is regarded as the patron of Upper Egypt’s 11th nome.  He was the brother of one of the gods, known as Osiris, and was an enemy of the god of the desert, known as Horus, who was the child of Isis. His cult eventually died out during the 1st millennium BC, and he was regarded as an evil god later.

The worship of Seth was originally held at Nubt, which was a predynastic center in Upper Egypt. It was also the site of a vast cemetery. The town lost its position as the pre-eminent center of Upper Egypt after the Kingdom of Egypt was unified in 3050 BCE, with the capital being Abydos and the royal god Horus.

He is one of the first five gods that were created by the union of the earth and the sky. His name is often translated as an “instigator of confusion,” and he was associated with people and foreign lands.

Physical Traits

Seth was depicted as a composite figure that had a canine body, a long, curved, pointed snout, and square-tipped ears. Various animals such as the aardvark, ass, fennec, jackal, oryx, and the long-snouted mouse have also been suggested as his form.

Even the ancient Egyptians rendered Seth’s figure in various ways, which makes it look like a mythical composite. Some believe that it’s a depiction of a giraffe, as the flat-topped horns resembled nosecones in the animal. The Egyptians depicted Seth in various ways, such as as as a donkey or a man wearing a mask made out of donkey’s head. During the Late Period, Seth was also depicted as a mythological creature.

He is often depicted as a red-haired creature with a long, curly tail and a dog-like body that’s referred to as the Seth Animal. Scholars claim that this mythological creature was inspired by the Saluki breed. Others maintain that it’s a mythological creature that was only meant to represent Seth, whose other notable symbols included the racoons, crocodiles, tortoises, and the griffin.

Family

Seth is the son of Geb, the Earth, and Nut, the Sky. His siblings include Osiris, Isis, and Nephthys, whom he married and fathered Anubis. According to other accounts, he had relationships with the foreign goddesses Anat and Astarte from which a crocodile deity called Maga was born.

As the first-born of the gods, which meant the land of Egypt, was Osiris. He was able to reign as ruler of the world and teach the newly-created people how to worship the gods and also provided them with laws and culture.

When it came to choosing a wife, Osiris married Isis and she was able to bestow on humanity various gifts of equality and compassion. During this time, the world was a paradise, with everyone having equal rights and food abundance. Seth became resentful of the success of his brother and plotted to kill him. His anger grew when his wife and sister Nephthys, deceived him by seducing Osiris in the form of Isis.

Other Names

Seth was also called Setekh, Setesh and Set.

Powers and Abilities

He was a trickster who was known for his ability to lead storms and manage warfare. During the Early Dynastic Period of Egypt, he was an important deity who was known for his benevolent nature and for being able to grant love spells through his name. He was also known for saving the sun god Ra from a serpent known as Apophis. He was able to prevent the creature from blocking Ra’s path through the night sky.

During the time of Ramesses II, the myth of Set had gained widespread recognition. He had transformed from being a god of love and protection to a villain who stood for everything that the Egyptians hated. Some of the god’s most hated topics included foreign influence, famine, disorder, and waste.

Modern Day Influence

Seth was one of the main characters in the Hollywood movie Gods of Egypt.