The Meaning of The Name ‘Andjety’
The meaning of ‘Andjety’ is ‘he who is of Andjet’. Here the word ‘Andjet’ refers to the place ‘Busiris’ or ‘Djedu’ in the Nile delta in ancient Egypt. There were also some alternative names to address Andjety such as Anezti, Anedjti etc.
Who The God Andjety Was
According to ancient Egyptian mythology, Andjety was basically the local god of 9th Nome of Lower Egypt. The term ‘nome’ basically was used to address the provinces of both Upper and Lower Egypt.
There were twenty nomes in Lower Egypt. Among them, one nome was centred at Busiris or Djedu where Andjety was worshipped in large scale. He was also described as the one “who presides over the eastern nomes.”
Andjety a Symbol of Rulership
Andjety is depicted in anthropomorphic form as a man whose appearance and attributes clearly indicate that he is representing a ruler who later was deified. There are references to this fact in ancient Egyptian pyramid texts.
It might have happened that this god actually was a local ruler who once ruled the region of Busiris. Another possible explanation is given by scholars that this god was nothing but the personification of the concept of rulership. He bears all the emblems of kingship.
Seneferu was the pharaoh at the beginning of Forth dynasty. He is considered as the builder of the first true type of pyramid tomb. The depiction of this king came wearing the crown of Andjety.
Influential Nature of Andjety Towards Osiris
His iconography has a clear indication of his influence from every aspect on Osiris. He is depicted with two sceptres; a crook and flail which later also can be seen in Osiris iconography.
The most prominent feature of Andjety is the high conical crown fashioned by two feathers. The crowd consisted of a small sun disk in front of two ostrich feathers, flanked by two ‘uraei’ who also wear sun disks. This crown seems very similar to the ‘Atef’ crown of Osiris.
In a simple way, it can be asserted that Osiris came in appearance in its standardized form when attributes and characteristics of Andjety were totally absorbed by Osiris.
Andjety Bull of Vultures
According to ancient Egyptian mythologies, Andjety was considered as the husband of several ancient Egyptian goddesses. This might have been the reason why in pyramid texts he is given the epithet “Bull of Vultures”.
God of Re-birth
Andjety was also considered as the god of rebirth. In this aspect, he was considered as the husband of Meskhenet, goddess of birth. His important role in re-birth in the afterlife as well as fertility can be traced in the use of pictures of two features of uterus used as a substitution in the writing of his name in the initial stage in ancient Egyptian pyramid texts.
Association with Anat
It was during the period of the eighteenth dynasty when Hebrew workers came to the worship of Anat. Anat was generally considered as the Goddess of War. During this period, Andjety came into consideration as the husband of Anat. This might have resulted in the reflexion of the concept where war and death were brought in one stage because of their inter-related aspects.
Independent Nature of The God
According to ancient Egyptian pyramid texts, in the initial stage of his development, Andjety was worshipped in Lower Egypt in large scale. Before the absorption by Osiris, Andjety was a widely accepted deity of rulership as well as fertility, birth and re-birth and had his own independent nature.
Assimilation with Osiris
It is believed that even after the emergence of Osiris, Andjety was continued to be worshipped as an independent deity. According to archaeological evidence, it can be assumed that from the period of New Kingdom he may have been started to be shown in a combined and assimilated form with Osiris; who was also known as Osiris-Andjety.
The funerary temple of Sethos I at Abydos can be treated here as an honourable mention. The depiction of Osiris-Andjety is very much prominent here. Here the depiction is like this: the king is representing incense, a specific perfume used in many religious rites to the above mentioned combined god. Here Osiris-Andjety is accompanied by Isis; goddess of women and fertility.
Cult Centre
The main cult centre of Andjety was obviously Busiris of Djedu. The meaning of his name is itself the best indicator of him being the local god of Busiris.
