Also called the Great Nine, the Nine of Heliopolis, Pesedjet.
Their story
The Great Ennead of Heliopolis was a family of nine gods. Atum created Shu and Tefnut, who produced Geb and Nut, whose children were Osiris, Isis, Set and Nephthys. The Pyramid Texts address them as the Great Ennead in On, the Egyptian name for Heliopolis. In The Contendings of Horus and Seth the Ennead sits as a divine court deciding who should rule.
Best times to give to them
- the epagomenal days
- Wepet Renpet
- Khoiak
What they like being given
- nine small loaves or cakes
- water
- incense
- bread
How to honour them
- Honour the whole family together with nine small offerings.
- Read the creation story of Heliopolis aloud.
How they can help you
- family harmony
- understanding the Osiris story
- fair judgement
Symbols
- nine gods seated in a row
- the benben stone
Ennead also came to mean any group of gods, and some temples had enneads of more or fewer than nine.
Sources
- Pyramid Texts, Utterance 600
- The Contendings of Horus and Seth (Papyrus Chester Beatty I)
- Pinch, Egyptian Mythology
More Egyptian spirits
- The Seven Hathors The goddesses who foretell a child's fate
- Hu and Sia Divine command and divine understanding
- The Four Sons of Horus Guardians of the organs and the four directions
- The Ogdoad The eight primordial frogs and serpents