Nephthys

Nephthys, also spelled Nebet-Het, is an ancient Egyptian goddess associated with night, mourning, and funerary rites. Her name is commonly translated as “Lady of the House” or “Mistress of the Place,” reflecting a protective role for households and the dead. In Egyptian theology she is closely linked with Isis and Osiris and appears in funerary literature as a helper of the dead.

She is commonly described as the sister of Isis and Osiris, and in some traditions she is the wife of Seth. The parentage of the god Anubis varies by myth; in many versions Anubis is considered the son of Nephthys, often with Osiris as the father. Nephthys is invoked in rites of mourning and protection, and together with Isis she assists in the embalming and guiding of the deceased to the afterlife.

Cult and iconography: Nephthys is depicted in temple reliefs and papyri associated with burial and the afterlife, frequently appearing in scenes with Isis. She figures in funerary spells, including the Book of the Dead, where she supports the deceased on the path to rebirth and protection against harm.

Legacy: In ancient Egyptian religion, Nephthys embodies the caring aspects of mourning and guardianship, representing both the night that conceals the dead and the protection afforded to ensure safe passage to immortality. Her cult persisted through the late periods of Egyptian history and into Greco-Roman times.