Summary
Apophis, called Apep by the Egyptians, was the giant serpent of chaos and darkness who tried every night to swallow the sun. He was not a god to be worshipped but the great enemy of order, the opposite of maat. Each night, as the sun god Ra sailed through the underworld, Apophis attacked his boat, and each night he was defeated so that the sun could rise again.
The Nightly Battle
The Egyptians pictured the sun crossing the sky by day and travelling through the Duat, the underworld, by night. In one of the hours of the night Apophis lay in wait, a serpent so long that his coils filled the river, trying to stop the sun boat or drink the water it sailed on. A crew of gods defended Ra. The strongest was Seth, standing at the prow and spearing the serpent; Ra himself, as the Great Cat of Heliopolis, is shown cutting off his head with a knife. Read about the cat in cats in ancient Egypt.
Chaos That Never Dies
Apophis could be wounded and driven back, but never destroyed for good. He was the threat of disorder that always surrounds the created world. Storms, earthquakes and eclipses could be explained as moments when he seemed to be winning, and the priests answered with ritual.
Rituals Against Apophis
Temple priests performed ceremonies to help the gods. A late papyrus called the Book of Overthrowing Apophis describes them: priests wrote his name or made figures of him in wax, then spat on them, trampled them, cut them with knives and burned them, while reciting curses. His name was sometimes written with knives stuck into the hieroglyphs, to make him harmless even on the page. See how writing could be magic in Egyptian hieroglyphs.
8-Day Cairo, Siwa and White & Black Desert Adventure
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View This TripApophis the Asteroid
The name lives on in space: asteroid 99942 Apophis, about 340 metres across, will pass unusually close to Earth on 13 April 2029, close enough to be seen with the naked eye from some places. Astronomers have ruled out any risk of impact, but the name of the ancient serpent of chaos was chosen for a reason.
Where to See Apophis
The serpent appears in the books of the underworld painted on the walls of the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, such as the Amduat and the Book of Gates, often bound, pierced with knives or cut into pieces. See the other powers of the Egyptian world in ancient Egyptian gods and the Book of the Dead.
Apophis: FAQ
Who was Apophis?
The giant serpent of chaos, also called Apep, who tried to swallow the sun every night in the underworld.
Was Apophis worshipped?
No. He was the enemy of the gods and of order, and rituals were performed to destroy him.
Who fought Apophis?
Seth, spearing him from the sun boat, and Ra himself in the form of a great cat, with other gods of the boat.
Is Apophis evil?
He stood for chaos and non-existence, the opposite of maat, the order of the world.
Why is an asteroid called Apophis?
Its discoverers named it after the Egyptian serpent of chaos; it will pass close to Earth on 13 April 2029 but poses no danger.
