Geb

geb.jpg Geb was the god of the earth, usually depicted having a green colour, and in many cases lying down, often with vegetation growing out of him. Commonly the sky goddess Nut, his spouse, is shown in such illustrations as well, stretched out above him and standing on hands and feet on the four corners of the earth; in some cases their father and god of the air, Shu, separates them by supporting the sky.

Being the personification of the earth Geb also had a less positive side; it was in him that every deceased was buried, unable to move freely. Already the Old Kingdom Pyramid Texts state that "the earth is an abomination for ... (name of the deceased), he shall not enter into Geb so that he will not decay".

Geb was one of the gods of the Ennead of Heliopolis, being the grandson of Atum and the son of Shu and Tefnut. He was the father of Osiris, Isis, Nephthys and Seth.

 

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