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| {{Hiero|Geb|<hiero>G39-b-A40</hiero>|align=right|era=egypt}} | {{Hiero|Geb|<hiero>G39-b-A40</hiero>|align=right|era=egypt}} | ||
| Amongst the group who believed in the ], a form of ] centred in ], '''Geb''' (also spelt '''Seb''', and '''Keb''') was the personification of the earth, and indeed this is what his name means - ''earth''. In the Ennead, he is the husband of ], the sky, the son of the primordial elements ] (moisture) and ] (dryness), and the father to the four lesser gods of the system - ], ], ], and ]. | Amongst the group who believed in the ], a form of ] centred in ], '''Geb''' (also spelt '''Seb''', and '''Keb''') was the personification of the earth, and indeed this is what his name means - ''earth'', and thus it was said that when he laughed, it caused ]s. In the Ennead, he is the husband of ], the sky, the son of the primordial elements ] (moisture) and ] (dryness), and the father to the four lesser gods of the system - ], ], ], and ]. | ||
| As time progressed, the ] used in his name became more associated with the habitable land of egypt, and so thus ]. Likewise, since it was used as his name, he too became associated with vegetation, with ] being said to grow upon his ]s, and was depicted with plants and other green patches on his body. Gradually, vegetation began to be thought of as something that ought to be fat, and plump, and so the hieroglyph was used in these words too. | |||
| His name means ''Earth'', however, this became more associated with the habitable lands, and so he became associated | |||
| Because of this association with fatness, and vegetation, and so forth, the individual glyph became used as the word for '']''. Indeed, the accession of a new ] was announced by releasing four wild geese, to the four corners of the sky, to bless his reign with prosperity. This lead to Geb's name also taking the meaning ''goose'', and so, it was for this reason that Geb became called the ''Great Cackler'', and subsequently represented as a black goose, where black represented the fertile soil. When the Ennead and ] later merged, it was thus Geb who was considered the goose who laid the egg from which ] emerged. The connection with geese | |||
| With ], he was the father of ]. | |||
| “Goose” or “Earth” (the same hieroglyphic was used for both words.) As a vegetation god, he was shown lying down with green patches or plants on his body. To do "green things" was slang for beneficial, life-producing behavior. Geb was called “the Great Cackler,” and as such, was often represented as a black goose. It was in this form that he was said to have laid the egg from which the sun was hatched. The laughter of Geb was thought to cause earthquakes, and barley was said to grow from his ribs. | |||
| The ''Hymn of Geb'' says: | |||
| Geb was pictured as a man with a goose on his head, or as a Nile goose. The Egyptian hieroglyphic for goose was used in words such as “fat” and “plumb” - hence further connecting Geb with the richness of the earth. The accession of the new pharaoh was announced by releasing four wild geese to the four corners of the sky, to bless his reign with prosperity. | |||
| ⚫ | :''Behold, I rejoice on my standard, on my seat. I am the creator of ], making his place in the limits of the sky, the ruler of ]. I rejoice in the lord of the palace. My nest is unseen; I have broken the ]. I am the lord of millions of years. I have made my nest in the limits of the sky, and descended to the earth as the Goose, who drives out all sins''. | ||
| Geb is a son of ] and ] and a god of fertility and the ]. The Egyptians were unusual in this regard; in other ], the Earth is usually represented by a ]. Geb is one of the ]. With ], he was the father of ], ], ], ] and ]. With ], he was the father of ]. | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ==Other names== | |||
| *Seb | |||
| *Keb | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 20:32, 1 June 2005
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| Geb in hieroglyphs | ||||
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Amongst the group who believed in the Ennead, a form of Egyptian mythology centred in Heliopolis, Geb (also spelt Seb, and Keb) was the personification of the earth, and indeed this is what his name means - earth, and thus it was said that when he laughed, it caused earthquakes. In the Ennead, he is the husband of Nuit, the sky, the son of the primordial elements Tefnut (moisture) and Shu (dryness), and the father to the four lesser gods of the system - Osiris, Set, Isis, and Nepthys.
As time progressed, the glyph used in his name became more associated with the habitable land of egypt, and so thus vegetation. Likewise, since it was used as his name, he too became associated with vegetation, with barley being said to grow upon his ribs, and was depicted with plants and other green patches on his body. Gradually, vegetation began to be thought of as something that ought to be fat, and plump, and so the hieroglyph was used in these words too.
Because of this association with fatness, and vegetation, and so forth, the individual glyph became used as the word for goose. Indeed, the accession of a new pharaoh was announced by releasing four wild geese, to the four corners of the sky, to bless his reign with prosperity. This lead to Geb's name also taking the meaning goose, and so, it was for this reason that Geb became called the Great Cackler, and subsequently represented as a black goose, where black represented the fertile soil. When the Ennead and Ogdoad later merged, it was thus Geb who was considered the goose who laid the egg from which Ra emerged. The connection with geese
With Renenutet, he was the father of Nehebkau.
The Hymn of Geb says:
- Behold, I rejoice on my standard, on my seat. I am the creator of darkness, making his place in the limits of the sky, the ruler of infinity. I rejoice in the lord of the palace. My nest is unseen; I have broken the egg. I am the lord of millions of years. I have made my nest in the limits of the sky, and descended to the earth as the Goose, who drives out all sins.