Nephthys was a daughter of the earth god Geb and the sky goddess Nut. She was a part of the Ennead of Heliopolis, a group of nine most potent Egyptian gods who governed creation and humans. Nephthys had a strong following, and her cult resided in Heliopolis, Hebet, Re-nerfert, Senu, Per-met, and Het-sekem.

Although some experts claim that the goddess was never that popular, she still had shrines and temples all over Egypt. She was first established as one of the major entities during the Predynastic Period that stretched from 6,000 BCE to 3,150 BCE. People probably worshiped her until Rome annexed Egypt.

Nephthys roughly translates to “Mistress of the House” or “Lady of the Temple Enclosure.” This makes sense because all images portray her wearing a crown with a hieroglyph signifying house. The phrase “house” refers to the heavenly home as she was often connected to ether and air.

Nephthys was a goddess protector, but she was also connected to death and decay. In fact, there were people in Ancient Egypt who worked as professional mourners. They were referred to as “Hawks of Nephthys.” In some way, the deity is also associated with reproduction and fertility, and it was believed that the goddess was highly proficient in magic.

According to uncovered ancient documents, Isis and Nephthys were mirror images of one another. Their ability to wield magic was very similar, and the sisters were balancing each other’s power. While Nephthys was presented as an entity of darkness, Isis controlled the light. In some ways, these two goddesses could be associated with the oriental concept of Yin and Yang.

Nephthys was the wife of Set, and she played an important role in one of Ancient Egypt’s most popular myths. According to the story, the goddess would seduce Osiris while disguised as his wife, Isis. This gave Set an excuse for killing his brother. Haunted by guilt, she would help Isis restore Osiris to life.

The goddess was associated with a few symbols, including a temple, sycamore tree, and a hawk. Nephthys gave birth to the death god Anubis. She also governed the setting sun, darkness, and twilight.

Nephthys is the daughter of Nut and Geb, and granddaughter of Shu and Tefnut. Nephthys has a sister, Osiris, and two brothers, Set and Osiris. Nephthys is Set’s consort or wife.