Geb

Geb in hieroglyphs

Geb in an Egyptian Context

As an Egyptian deity, Geb belonged to a complex religious, mythological and cosmological belief system developed in the Nile river basin from earliest prehistory to 525 B.C.E. Indeed, it was during this relatively late period in Egyptian cultural development, a time when they first felt their beliefs threatened by foreigners, that many of their myths, legends and religious beliefs were first recorded. The cults within this framework, whose beliefs comprise the myths we have before us, were generally fairly localized phenomena, with different deities having the place of honor in different communities. Despite this apparently unlimited diversity, however, the gods (unlike those in many other pantheons) were relatively ill-defined. As Frankfort notes, “the Egyptian gods are imperfect as individuals. If we compare two of them … we find, not two personages, but two sets of functions and emblems. … The hymns and prayers addressed to these gods differ only in the epithets and attributes used. There is no hint that the hymns were addressed to individuals differing in character.” One reason for this was the undeniable fact that the Egyptian gods were seen as utterly immanental—they represented (and were continuous with) particular, discrete elements of the natural world. Thus, those who did develop characters and mythologies were generally quite portable, as they could retain their discrete forms without interfering with the various cults already in practice elsewhere. Also, this flexibility was what permitted the development of multipartite cults (i.e. the cult of Amun-Re, which unified the domains of Amun and Re), as the spheres of influence of these various deities were often complimentary.

The worldview engendered by ancient Egyptian religion was uniquely appropriate to (and defined by) the geographical and calendrical realities of its believer’s lives. Unlike the beliefs of the Hebrews, Mesopotamians and others within their cultural sphere, the Egyptians viewed both history and cosmology as being well ordered, cyclical and dependable. As a result, all changes were interpreted as either inconsequential deviations from the cosmic plan or cyclical transformations required by it. The major result of this perspective, in terms of the religious imagination, was to reduce the relevance of the present, as the entirety of history (when conceived of cyclically) was ultimately defined during the creation of the cosmos. The only other aporia in such an understanding is death, which seems to present a radical break with continuity. To maintain the integrity of this worldview, an intricate system of practices and beliefs (including the extensive mythic geographies of the afterlife, texts providing moral guidance (for this life and the next) and rituals designed to facilitate the transportation into the afterlife) was developed, whose primary purpose was to emphasize the unending continuation of existence. Given these two cultural foci, it is understandable that the tales recorded within this mythological corpus tend to be either creation accounts or depictions of the world of the dead and of the gods place within it.

Geb was one of the most archaic deities in the Egyptian pantheon, whose centrality was attested to by both his place in the cosmos (as the fertile earth that sustained the lives of the early Egyptians) and his place in the mythic corpus (as the father of such manifestly important deities as Osiris, Isis, and Set). He was revered primarily in Lower Egypt, especially in the area around Heliopolis.

Mythological Accounts

Characterization

Amongst the group who believed in the Ennead, a form of Egyptian mythology centred in Heliopolis, Geb (also spelled 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. <mention the afterlife thing here and drop a hint about the cult part>

As time progressed, the hieroglyph 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.

He is also the predecessor of the Greek titan Kronos. (This is a later syncretic version, not a predecessorship (Wilkinson, 106).)

Relationships

In the Ennead, he is the husband of Nut, 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 Nephthys. In this context, Geb was said to have originally been engaged in eternal sex with Nut, and had to be separated from her by Tefnut. Consequently, in early depictions he was shown reclining, with his phallus pointed towards Nut.

His association with vegetation, and sometimes with the underworld, also brought him the occasional interpretation that he was the husband of Renenutet, a minor goddess of the harvest, who was the mother of Nehebkau, a god associated with the underworld, who was on the same occasions said to be his son by her.

Creation Accounts

Because of this association with fatness, and vegetation, and so forth, the individual glyph became used as the word for goose. This led 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.

Geb in Egyptian Religion

Given the fact that Geb was associated with the underworld, it is not surprising that he is frequently mentioned in the Pyramid Texts—funerary inscriptions whose primary purpose was to present liturgical utterances to the gods on behalf of deceased pharaohs. Throughout this vast corpus of texts, the god of the soil mentioned by name more frequently than most other Egyptian deities.

For example, the following utterance makes use of a number of elements from the mythic characterization of Geb, including his affiliation with kingship, his role as father of Osiris, his aptitude as a healer, and the universality of his chthonic embrace (as all living beings must eventually pass into earth). In the quotation that follows, it should be noted that any mention of "Osiris N." refers to the soul of the deceased, as all beings came to be identified with the God of the Dead (Osiris) upon their passing from the mortal realm.

To say: Geb, son of Shu, this is Osiris N.;

the heart of thy mother trembles for thee, in thy name of "Geb."

Thou art the eldest son of Shu, his primogeniture.

O Geb, Osiris N. is this one here;

heal him, that [what is the matter with him] may cease;

thou art the Great God, the only one.

Atum has given thee his heritage; he has given thee the whole Ennead;

even Atum himself together with them. The son of his eldest son (Shu) is united with thee (Geb),

(when) he sees thee, that thou art glorified, that thy heart is great (proud).

Thou art [???], in thy name of "wise mouth," "Hereditary prince of the gods."

Thou art standing on the earth; thou judgest at the head of the Ennead;

thy fathers and thy mothers are at their head; thou art More powerful than any god;

thou art come to Osiris N., that thou mayest protect him against his enemy.

O Geb, wise-mouth, hereditary prince of the gods, it is thy son, Osiris N.

Thou causest thy son to live with him; make thy son prosperous with him;

Thou art lord of the entire earth;

thou art powerful over the Ennead and even (over) every god.

Thou art mighty; thou turnest away every evil from Osiris N.;

thou shalt not cause it to return to him, in thy name of "Horus who repeats not his work."

Thou art the ka of all the gods;

thou hast brought them; thou nourishest them; thou causest them to live.

Make Osiris N. live.

Numerous similar depictions of the god exist throughout the Pyramid Texts.

Another aspect of Geb's character, namely his association with the fertility of the earth, was also referenced in Egyptian funerary customs—specifically through the notion that the deity continued to exercise jurisdiction over the fruits of the earth. As a result, when certain types of funeral liturgies called for the presentation of earthly bounty (i.e. beer, bread, or animal products) to the gods, they were offered in Geb's name, for the benefit of the deceased.

Finally, the location of Geb within the potent divine lineage of Atum, Osiris, and Horus also guaranteed his presence in these burial practices. During the Opening of the Mouth ceremony, which was utilized to sanctify both mummies and religious icons alike, the recipient is anointed with water and incense in the name of various deities, including the earth god:

The Chapter of the opening of the mouth of the statue of Osiris, the royal scribe, Hunefer, which is to be performed [when] its face [looketh] towards the south, [and when it is set] upon the sand behind him. And the Kher-heb shall say four times unto the Sem priest as he goeth round about him bearing four vases of water: 'Thou art pure with the purification of Horus, and Horus is pure with thy purification. Thou art pure with the purification of Thoth, and Thoth is pure with thy purification. Thou art pure with the purification of Sep, and Sep is pure with thy purification. Thou art pure with the purification of Seb [Geb], and Seb [Geb] is pure with thy purification. Pure. Pure.' [Say] four times. 'Incense hath been offered unto thee of the incense of Horus, and incense hath been offered unto Horus of thy incense. Incense hath been offered unto thee of the incense of Thoth, and incense hath been offered unto Thoth of thy incense. Incense hath been offered unto thee of the incense of Sep, and incense hath been offered unto Sep of thy incense. Incense hath been offered unto thee of the incense of Seb [Geb], and incense hath been offered unto Seb [Geb] of thy incense.'

References

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