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Geb could also be regarded as personified fertile earth and barren desert, the latter containing the dead or setting them free from their tombs, metaphorically described as "Geb opening his jaws," or imprisoning those there not worthy to go to the fertile North-Eastern heavenly Field of Reeds. | Geb could also be regarded as personified fertile earth and barren desert, the latter containing the dead or setting them free from their tombs, metaphorically described as "Geb opening his jaws," or imprisoning those there not worthy to go to the fertile North-Eastern heavenly Field of Reeds. | ||
In the Heliopolitan Ennead (a group of nine gods created in the beginning by the one god Atum or [[Ra]]), Geb is the husband of [[Nut]], the sky or visible daytime and nightly firmament, the son of the earlier primordial elements Tefnut and | In the Heliopolitan Ennead (a group of nine gods created in the beginning by the one god Atum or [[Ra]]), Geb is the husband of [[Nut]], the sky or visible daytime and nightly firmament, the son of the earlier primordial elements Tefnut and Shu, and the father to the four lesser gods of the system – Osiris, Seth, [[Isis]] and [[Nephthys]]. In this context, Geb was believed to have originally been engaged with Nut and had to be separated from her by Shu, god of the air. Consequently, in mythological depictions, Geb was shown as a man reclining, sometimes with his phallus still pointed towards Nut. Geb and Nut together formed the permanent boundary between the primeval waters and the newly created world. | ||
As time progressed, the deity became more associated with the habitable land of Egypt and also as one of its early rulers. As a chthonic deity he (like Min) became naturally associated with the underworld, fresh waters and with vegetation – barley being said to grow upon his ribs – and was depicted with plants and other green patches on his body. | As time progressed, the deity became more associated with the habitable land of Egypt and also as one of its early rulers. As a chthonic deity he (like Min) became naturally associated with the underworld, fresh waters and with vegetation – barley being said to grow upon his ribs – and was depicted with plants and other green patches on his body. | ||
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==Syncretization with Cronos== | ==Syncretization with Cronos== | ||
In Greco-Roman Egypt, Geb was equated with the Greek god Cronus, because he held a similar position in the Greek pantheon, as Geb did in Egyptian mythology. This equation is particularly well attested in Tebtunis in the southern Fayyum: Geb and Cronus were here part of a local version of the cult of | In Greco-Roman Egypt, Geb was equated with the Greek god Cronus, because he held a similar position in the Greek pantheon, as Geb did in Egyptian mythology. This equation is particularly well attested in Tebtunis in the southern Fayyum: Geb and Cronus were here part of a local version of the cult of Sobek, the crocodile god. | ||
The equation was shown on the one hand in the local iconography of the gods, in which Geb was depicted as a man with attributes of Cronus and Cronus with attributes of Geb. On the other hand, the priests of the local main temple identified themselves in Egyptian texts as priests of "Soknebtunis-Geb," but in Greek texts as priests of "Soknebtunis-Cronus." Accordingly, Egyptian names formed with the name of the god Geb were just as popular among local villagers as Greek names derived from Cronus, especially the name "Kronion." | The equation was shown on the one hand in the local iconography of the gods, in which Geb was depicted as a man with attributes of Cronus and Cronus with attributes of Geb. On the other hand, the priests of the local main temple identified themselves in Egyptian texts as priests of "Soknebtunis-Geb," but in Greek texts as priests of "Soknebtunis-Cronus." Accordingly, Egyptian names formed with the name of the god Geb were just as popular among local villagers as Greek names derived from Cronus, especially the name "Kronion." | ||
[[Category:Egyptology]] | [[Category:Egyptology]] | ||
[[Category:Egyptian gods]] | |||