Are Apep/Apophis and the Cobra Wadjet the same Egyptian Deity?

No, they are not. Apep/Apophis and the Cobra Wadjet are as different as night and day, as fire and water, as chaos and order. They are two separate deities in Egyptian mythology, with different roles and symbolism. Let me explain why.

Apep/Apophis: The Serpent of Chaos

Apep/Apophis was the ancient Egyptian demon of chaos, who had the form of a serpent and, as the foe of the sun god, Re, represented all that was outside the ordered cosmos. He is the boat-crashing rapids, the drowning dark, and the apocalyptic, primordial devourer of the sun, light, and life. He is believed to dwell in the Tenth Region of Night, a place of darkness and terror in the underworld. He is opposed by many other Egyptian deities, especially Ra, who battles against him daily every night. Each sunrise was said to be a victory of Ra over Apep, albeit a temporary one until the day the sun will rise no more and everything ends.

Apep/Apophis was not a popular deity among the ancient Egyptians. He was seen as the enemy of everything that was good and true. He was feared and hated by the people, who performed rituals and spells to ward off his influence. He was also the target of curses and insults, such as “spit upon Apep” or “trample upon Apep”. He was sometimes depicted as being slain or bound by various gods, such as Set, Isis, Thoth, or Horus. He was also sometimes shown as being eaten by a cat, a symbol of the sun god.

Apep/Apophis was a destructive force, a threat to the cosmic order, and a source of evil. He was the antithesis of Wadjet, the cobra goddess of protection.

Wadjet: The Cobra of Protection

Wadjet was the ancient Egyptian cobra goddess of Lower Egypt. She was depicted as a woman with the head of a cobra, or as a cobra itself. Wadjet was seen as a protector of the pharaoh and the people of Egypt. She was also associated with fertility and rebirth.

Wadjet was one of the oldest and most revered deities in Egyptian mythology. She was worshipped in Lower Egypt, serving in the pantheon as the protector goddess of the region. She was closely associated with the Eye of Ra, a powerful protective deity. The image of Wadjet with the sun disk is called the uraeus, and it was the emblem on the crown of the rulers of Lower Egypt. She was also the protector of kings and of women in childbirth. Wadjet was said to be the nurse of the infant god Horus, and with the help of his mother Isis, they protected Horus from his treacherous uncle, Set, when they took refuge in the swamps of the Nile Delta.

Wadjet was a benevolent force, a guardian of the cosmic order, and a source of truth. She was the opposite of Apep/Apophis, the serpent of chaos.

Why are they sometimes confused?

One of the reasons why Apep/Apophis and Wadjet are sometimes confused is because they were both associated with the pharaoh’s crown. The pharaoh’s crown was often depicted with a cobra at the front, representing Wadjet. However, the pharaoh’s crown was also sometimes depicted with a serpent on the back, representing Apep/Apophis. This is because the pharaoh was seen as both a protector and a destroyer. He was responsible for maintaining order and truth in Egypt, but he also had the power to destroy his enemies.

Another reason why Apep/Apophis and Wadjet are sometimes confused is because they both have similar names. Apep/Apophis is also known as Apepi, Apopis, or Apopi, while Wadjet is also known as Wadjit, Uto, Uatchet, or Edjo. These names can sound alike, especially when transliterated from hieroglyphs to other languages. However, they have different meanings and origins. Apep/Apophis means “the one who is spat out” or “the enemy”, while Wadjet means “the green one” or “the papyrus-colored one”.

Apep/Apophis and the Cobra Wadjet are not the same Egyptian deity. They are actually very different in their roles and attributes. Apep/Apophis is the ancient Egyptian demon of chaos, who had the form of a serpent and, as the foe of the sun god, Re, represented all that was outside the ordered cosmos. He is the boat-crashing rapids, the drowning dark, and the apocalyptic, primordial devourer of the sun, light, and life. Wadjet is the ancient Egyptian cobra goddess of Lower Egypt. She was depicted as a woman with the head of a cobra, or as a cobra itself. Wadjet was seen as a protector of the pharaoh and the people of Egypt. She was also associated with fertility and rebirth.

They are two separate deities in Egyptian mythology, with different roles and symbolism. They are as different as night and day, as fire and water, as chaos and order.