Why are gods and goddesses depicted with animal heads?
Animals played a highly complex role in Egyptian society. Some had divine connections, while others had associations with the forces of chaos that needed to be subdued and were therefore hunted, killed, or sacrificed. Many animals were domesticated or kept as household pets. Egyptian gods were associated with various animals, but this does not mean they were “animal gods.” An animal symbolized a specific aspect of a god, but many gods had more than one animal form and no animal was associated with only one deity. Learn more about Egyptian gods and goddesses.
