Sia or Saa, an ancient Egyptian god, was the deification of perception in the Heliopolitan Ennead cosmogony and is probably equivalent to the intellectual energies of the heart of Ptah in the Memphite cosmogeny.[1] He also had a connection with writing and was often shown in anthropomorphic form[2] holding a papyrus scroll. This papyrus was thought to embody intellectual achievements.[3]
The god personifies the perceptive mind. In ancient Egyptian mythology, Sia was believed to have been created from blood dripping from the phallus of Ra, the sun god. In the Old Kingdom, Sia was often depicted on the right side of Ra and was responsible for carrying a sacred papyrus containing knowledge and intellectual achievements. It was believed that Sia traveled in the boat of the sun god, as depicted on the walls of tombs in the Valley of the Kings. [4]
Sia appeared standing on the solar barque during its journey through the night in New Kingdom underworld texts and tomb decorations,[5] together with Hu, the "creative utterance," and Heka, the god of magic. These gods were seen as special powers helping the creator, and although Heka had his own cult Sia did not.[6]
Hieroglyph: Sia
edit
| ||||||||||||||
| Sia in hieroglyphs | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Sia (hieroglyph) was also used to represent "to perceive", "to know" or "to be cognizant".
References
edit- ^ The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, George Hart ISBN 0-415-34495-6
- ^ The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt, Wilkinson ISBN 0-500-05120-8
- ^ The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, George Hart ISBN 0-415-34495-6
- ^ The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, George Hart ISBN 0-415-34495-6
- ^ The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt, Wilkinson ISBN 0-500-05120-8
- ^ Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many, Hornung pg. 76
 | This Ancient Egyptian religion article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |