Also called Akeru (the plural form), the Earth Gate.
Their story
Aker was an earth god who guarded the eastern and western horizons, where the sun entered and left the underworld. He was shown as two lions sitting back to back, one facing yesterday and one facing tomorrow. The Pyramid Texts mention him in spells against snakes and in the passage of the dead king. The Book of the Earth, sometimes called the Book of Aker, shows the sun passing through his body.
Best times to give to them
- sunrise
- sunset
What they like being given
- water
- bread
- incense
- two small lion figures
How to honour them
- Place two lion figures facing outwards at a threshold as guardians.
- Honour him at sunrise and sunset, when the sun passes his gates.
How they can help you
- protection of doors and thresholds
- moving between phases of life
- protection from snakebite
Symbols
- two lions back to back
- the horizon sign
- a strip of land with a head at each end
He is closely related to the pair of lions called Ruty, yesterday and tomorrow, in Book of the Dead spell 17.
Sources
- Pyramid Texts
- Book of the Earth
- Wilkinson, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt
More Egyptian gods
- Osiris Lord of the afterlife and new growth
- Horus The falcon, protector of the rightful king
- Ra The sun who sails the sky
- Thoth Scribe of the gods, lord of wisdom
- Anubis Guardian and guide of the dead
- Khonsu The Traveller, the moon who heals
- Amun The hidden king of the gods at Thebes
- Ptah Creator by word and patron of craftsmen