Summary
Nephthys was the ancient Egyptian goddess of mourning and a protector of the dead, the sister of Isis, Osiris and Seth. She is shown as a woman wearing on her head the hieroglyphs of her name, a house topped by a basket. Although married to Seth, the murderer of Osiris, she took the side of her sister Isis, helped her find and mourn Osiris, and with her watched over every Egyptian buried with the right rites.
Who Was Nephthys?
Nephthys belonged to the great family of gods worshipped at Heliopolis, the Ennead. She was the daughter of Geb, the earth, and Nut, the sky, and the sister of Osiris, Isis and Seth, whose wife she became.
Her Egyptian name, Nebet-hut, means “Lady of the House”, probably the house or enclosure of a temple. The Greek form of the name gave us “Nephthys”. See how she fits among the other gods in ancient Egyptian gods.
Nephthys in the Myth of Osiris
When Seth killed Osiris and scattered his body, Nephthys turned against her husband and joined Isis in searching for the pieces. The two sisters mourned Osiris together, and their laments became the model for the songs of mourning sung at Egyptian funerals.
The sisters were often shown as two kites, birds of prey whose high cries sounded like weeping. In the version told by the Greek writer Plutarch, Nephthys was also the mother of Anubis by Osiris; Isis adopted the child, who grew up to become the god of embalming.
Protector of the Dead
Because she had helped bring Osiris back to life, Nephthys was believed to protect every dead person who hoped to be reborn like him:
- on coffins and sarcophagi she was often painted or carved at the head, with Isis at the feet, both spreading their winged arms;
- she guarded one of the four canopic jars, the one holding the lungs, under the protection of the god Hapy;
- on Tutankhamun‘s gilded canopic shrine, now in the Grand Egyptian Museum, she is one of four goddesses who stand with outstretched arms around it, with Isis, Neith and Selket.
Read more in Egyptian mummies and sarcophagi.
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View This TripWhere to See Nephthys
Nephthys rarely had temples of her own, but she appears in tombs and temples across Egypt beside Isis and Osiris:
- in the royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings, where the two sisters kneel at either end of sarcophagi;
- in the Temple of Seti I at Abydos, the great cult centre of Osiris (see Temple of Seti I);
- at Dendera, in the rooftop chapels of Osiris.
Nephthys: FAQ
What is Nephthys the goddess of?
Mourning, the protection of the dead and, with Isis, the rebirth of Osiris.
Who was Nephthys married to?
Seth, the god of chaos and the desert, who murdered their brother Osiris.
Is Nephthys the mother of Anubis?
In the best-known version of the myth, yes: Anubis was the son of Nephthys and Osiris, and was raised by Isis.
What is the symbol of Nephthys?
The hieroglyphs of her name worn on her head: the sign for a house with a basket on top.
Were Isis and Nephthys sisters?
Yes. They were daughters of Geb and Nut and are usually shown together, mourning and protecting Osiris and the dead.
