![]() The baby, which was born prematurely, emerged as a hideous creature-half black ibis and half baboon. One myth tells that he raped his sister Isis, impregnating her in the process. Set’s Rape of IsisĪ common theme in Set’s mythology was his violation of sexual norms and general sexual deviancy. Set imprisoned Isis shortly after coming to power he believed her to be a threat to his power. For a time, it seemed that he had gotten away with his fratricide, as he went on to rule Egypt as its king. Using an elaborate trap involving a finely crafted sarcophagus, he killed his older brother. Jealous of his brother Osiris’s success, Set plotted to depose him. The tale, which included nearly every significant god and goddess, was unique in that it managed to capture a sense of the Egyptian value system. The most important extant myth from Ancient Egypt was the murder of Osiris. In either case, his unconventional birth was thought to foreshadow his representation of disorder and chaos. In some tellings, he tore himself from Nut’s womb in others, his mother spat him into existence. Unlike his siblings, Set did not have a traditional birth. This incongruence may explain why he was cast as a force of evil and disorder. While he retained his desert-centric characteristics, such traits did not fit neatly into the agrarian framework of Nile-bound Egyptian society. Following the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, Set’s worship was incorporated into the larger Egyptian mythos. Set was originally worshipped in Upper (Southern) Egypt as a god of the desert. The Trustees of the British Museum CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 While Set's primarily links were to chaos and destruction, the deity was also associated with strength. This stela shows Set (left) being worshipped by an artisan or craftsman in the ancient village of Deir el-Medina. Though few independent myths have been found, evidence suggests that Set existed prior to his incorporation into the Egyptian mythos, and it is all but certain that such myths existed as well. While Set was a tremendously important god in the Egyptian pantheon, his mythology was largely Osiris-centric. Some of this jealousy may have been warranted-his wife eventually bore an illegitimate child with Osiris. Having formed a connection in the womb, the two were married before they were born.Ī key element of Set’s mythology was his unrelenting jealousy of his elder brother Osiris. Set took his sister, Nephthys, as his wife. His siblings included Osiris, Horus ( Note: not in all mythological versions), Isis, and Nephthys. Set was born to the earth and sky gods Geb and Nut. Regarded as the mightiest of the gods, Set proved his strength in the nightly battles against Apophis, the chaos monster. He was often associated with sandstorms, thunderstorms, and flash floods given Egypt’s reliance on the Nile’s waters, all of these forces were regarded as destructive nuisances. Set was not simply a force of disorder, but instead served as the god of khenenu, or confusion. tutincommon CC BY-NC-SA 2.0Īs a trickster god, Set opposed the Egyptian concept of maat, or divine order. This granite figure is part of a display portraying the coronation of Rameses II, which features Horus and Set offering their blessings to the newly crowned pharaoh. He could turn himself into an ox, an oryx, a hippopotamus, a bull, a crocodile, and a panther. Like many Egyptian gods, Set was capable of shapeshifting. While most Egyptian deities were associated with a specific animal, it has been suggested that Set’s form did not represent an animal at all rather, he may have represented a mythical, chimeric beast. ![]() Set was an easy god to recognize in hieroglyphics, as he always appeared as an unidentifiable aardvark/ant-eater headed man. Note that Horus’s name likely meant “he who is above.” Attributes Set’s name may have meant something to the effect of “he who is below,” on the basis that Set was Horus’s opposite. As with many Egyptian deities, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the meaning of Set’s name. ![]()
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