Facts & Figures

"The original Priesthood of Set in ancient Egypt survived for twenty-five recorded dynasties (ca. 3200-700 BCE). It was one of the two central priesthoods in predynastic times, the other being that of HarWer ('Horus the Elder'). Unification of Egypt under both philosophical systems resulted in the nation's being known as the 'Two Kingdoms' and in its Pharaohs wearing the famous 'Double Crown' of Horus and Set. "Originally a circumpolar/stellar deity portrayed as a cyclical counterpart to the Solar Horus, Set was later recast as an evil principle by the cults of Osiris and Isis. During the XIX and XX Dynasties Set returned as the Pharaonic patron, but by the XXV Dynasty (ca. 700 BCE) a new wave of Osirian persecution led to the final destruction of the original Priesthood of Set....." - Murray Hope, "The Temple of Set FAQ"

The Hyksos invaders gave Set two wives, (Godesses of their own) Anath, and Astarte, whom the Egyptians themselves accepted and integrated into their pantheon. After the Hyksos were driven from Egypt, the worship of Set, indeed the very mentioning of His Name, was banned throughout most of the remainder of their civilisation.

I read with some interest some time ago that inhabitants of a small farming village in Upper Egypt had hunted down and killed an unknown species of canine ,called "Salawa" by them, in 1996. (It is interesting that the word "Salawa" is also applied to henna, where it used as a descriptive term for the natural red form). Scientists are calling this creature the "Set Animal" and it was apparently a large canine, similar, if not related to, the "African Cape Hunting Dog" The link shows a picture of one of these canids. Certain elements of Set are not that hard to see. It was reported as having a dull reddish-brown coat, squared-off ears, and a forked tail. If this is correct, academic beliefs that Set was a portrayal of an entirely fictional creature will need to be re-defined. I should state for the record, however, that I have been unable to find verification of this discovery from any of my usual sources of information.

I missed the news bulletin myself, but I was told that a new dinosaur recently discovered in South America has been named after Set. Apparently it is similar to a pterodactyl and "has a good head on it!". I will update this when I am able to find out the details.

In order to drive away Set from attacking the full moon of the month Pachons an antelope was sacrificed, and a black pig was hacked in pieces upon an altar made of sand, which was built on the bank of the river. On the twenty-sixth day of the month, Choiak, which was the time of the winter solstice, an ass was slain, and a model of the serpent-fiend was hewn in pieces. On the first day of Mesore, which was the day of the great festival of Heru Behutet, large numbers of birds and fish were caught, and those which were considered to be of a Typhonic character were stamped upon with the feet, and those who did this cried out, "Ye shall be cut in pieces, and your members shall be hacked asunder, and each of you shall consume the other; thus doth Ra triumph over all his enemies, and thus doth Heru-Behutet, the great god, the lord of heaven, triumph over all his enemies."

The occasional picture found of Set with a dagger in His head, symbolises the belief that He is anathema to Mankind, and needs to be ritually placated or held at bay.

For those interested in pusuing this area of research, the most famous pharoahs who held a special reverence for Set were Sekhemib, Ramses I and II, and Seti I. In fact, the Rameside dynasties originated as a family of Sethian priests.

The Papyrus of Ani (the best known version of "The book Of The Dead") credits Set with opening the way for the sun and the moon to travel through the sky. He also retrieved the astral body of Horus from the hands of the Akeru Gods. In fact, according to the papyrus, Set, along with Horus, is directed to keep watch over the living, and all evil done by the living attacks the two God's souls. This statement is interesting, considering the underlying meanings of the Set Mythos.

The following facts about Set are of interest: Set is one of the very few Khemetic Gods who remained unchanged (other than the political ramifications) from the beginning to the end of the Ancient Egyptian civilisation. The Egyptians themselves believed that Set's power was demonstrated by such events as solar and lunar eclipses and the waning of the moon. After viewing the lunar eclipse that was visible in Australia and other areas in 2000, it is easy to see why the Egyptians believed Set controlled such event. The moon appeared blood red, and more like a hollywood effect than reality. With the next similar eclipse not scheduled for another 1000 years, the facts that it occurred during the beginning of the new millenium, and on Set's birthday was far more of a coincidence than is easily believable.