The 12 Egyptian Zodiac Signs
The Nile (January 1–7, June 19–28, September 1–7, November 18–26) People born under this sign are practical, peaceful, intelligent, and communicative. They’re prone to mood swings, but often have enough control over their feelings to react calmly when they’re upset and make wise decisions. They’re also excellent observers and analysts, always looking to see how they can move forward in their personal and professional lives. The Nile is the only Egyptian zodiac sign not represented by a deity, although it’s sometimes associated with Hapi, the god of the source of the Nile River. The Nile shares many traits and characteristics associated with the Western zodiac sign Capricorn. Ruling Planets: the Moon, Uranus Compatible with: Seth, Amun-Ra
Amun-Ra (January 8–21, February 1–11) Amun-Ra is the god of creation and is considered the King of the Gods. Those born under his sign are typically natural leaders who strive to help others as often as they can. They’re generally optimistic, confident, and have strong willpower to help them see their endeavors through. They’re not satisfied with an average life and want to leave their mark on the world. On the downside, those born under Amun-Ra may use their many talents and accomplishments to hide their true feelings, and it can be difficult to get to know Amun-Ra signs intimately. Amun-Ra signs share traits and characteristics attributed to the Western zodiac sign Taurus. Ruling Planets: the Sun, Saturn Compatible with: The Nile, Horus
Mut (January 22–31, September 8–22) The goddess Mut symbolizes the divine mother, and her name means “mother of the world.” Those born under her sign are often educators, advocates, and devoted parents with charm and patience to spare. The people of Mut think rationally and tend to be right about everything, although they have special interests in spirituality and philosophy too. Mut signs prefer to open up only to those closest to them and can be quite shy. Once they get to know someone, they have no problem sharing their wisdom and generosity. Mut signs have much in common with the Western zodiac sign Scorpio. Ruling Planet: the Sun Compatible with: Thoth, Amun-Ra
Geb (February 12–29, August 20–31) Geb is the god of the earth, and legend has it that earthquakes were caused by his laughter. People born under his sign are naturally empathetic and can easily discern the moods of others. They’re highly reliable and intelligent, respond to conflict diplomatically, and make great writers, counselors, and community members. Their sensitivity makes them charming, and Geb signs are often very trustworthy friends. On the downside, Geb signs can become very anxious over making other people happy and might struggle to set boundaries with others. Geb signs are most comparable to the Western zodiac sign Aquarius. Ruling Planet: Earth Compatible with: Seth, Horus
Osiris (March 1–10, November 27–December 18) Osiris is the god of both the underworld and rebirth, and those born under his sign have a dualistic nature. They can be strong but indecisive and vulnerable, determined to succeed but also generous with others, and individualistic but passionate, natural leaders. They’re frequently intelligent, charismatic, and very direct when they communicate. Osiris signs don’t enjoy following orders and gravitate to entrepreneurial fields where they can be their own boss. They generally put themselves first, which can make them appear selfish sometimes. Osiris signs share many characteristics with the Western zodiac sign Aries. Ruling Planets: the Sun, Pluto Compatible with: Isis, Thoth
Isis (March 11–31, October 18–29, December 19–31) Isis is the mother goddess of nature and the patroness of children, the poor, and the dead. Isis signs have very nurturing dispositions and enjoy taking care of others, hosting guests, and giving advice. They’re very straightforward, open, and have a great sense of humor—Isis signs can see the best in someone while still being upfront with them. They’re very sociable and work as well on a team as they do by themselves. Isis signs are successful in fields like art, entertainment, or marketing. However, they can sometimes be demanding and their sense of obligation to others can be misconstrued as “playing the martyr.” People born under Isis share many personality traits with the Western zodiac sign Pisces. Ruling Planets: the Moon, Earth, Uranus Compatible with: Osiris, Thoth
Thoth (April 1–19, November 8–17) Thoth is the god of the moon, learning, writing, and science. Those born under his sign are creative problem solvers with a thirst for knowledge that can improve their lives and the lives of their loved ones. They make natural teachers, mentors, writers, or journalists and are gifted with great communication skills. They deeply value honesty and service, and are attracted to people who hold those values too. Smart as they are, those born under Thoth can be highly opinionated and struggle to listen to new ideas they don’t fully understand yet. They’re also easily wounded by lying or betrayal. Thoth signs have traits in common with the Western zodiac sign Virgo. Ruling Planets: the Moon, Mercury Compatible with: Isis, Bastet
Horus (April 20–May 7, August 12–19) Horus is the god of the sky and the protector of the pharaoh (the king of the Egyptian kingdom). Horus-born people are courageous and feel a strong sense of duty to their loved ones, no matter the risk. They’re charismatic, optimistic leaders who inspire others easily and can succeed in any job they like (especially if they want to be a politician or public figure). Horus signs are hardworking, practical, intelligent, and selfless when it comes to putting their loved ones’ needs first. However, they can be stubborn, and their strong will is sometimes seen as bullying others into doing things their way. Horus' traits and characteristics overlap most with the Western zodiac sign Libra. Ruling Planets: the Moon, the Sun Compatible with: Bastet, Geb
Anubis (May 8–27, June 29–July 13) Anubis is the god of mummification and the guardian of the underworld. People born under Anubis tend to be introverted and prefer fewer, deeper relationships over many, shallower ones. They’re passionate, creative, sensitive, and confident, expressing their opinions openly and commanding respect from others. Anubians are quite perceptive and caring in relationships and are happy to take care of their loved ones. Anubis signs are also comfortable with the darker, more macabre side of life and gravitate to fields like psychology, education, or medicine. Anubis signs are most similar to the Western zodiac sign Leo. Ruling Planet: Mercury Compatible with: Isis, Bastet
Seth (May 28–June 18, September 28–October 2) Seth is the god of chaos and violence. People born under his sign are always seeking change, adventure, or thrills and want to be on the move all the time. They set high goals for themselves and don’t stop until they’ve accomplished them—they’re perfectionists with determination who refuse to lose or finish in second place, no matter who stands in their way. However, they’re also very sociable and charismatic, and love being the center of attention. While most deities in the Egyptian zodiac are benevolent or flexible in their morality, Seth embodies the malevolent and disordered aspects of life. This sign’s constant quest for perfection and change can backfire on them and their loved ones if they’re not careful. Seth signs have the most in common with the Western zodiac sign Gemini. Ruling Planet: Mars Compatible with: Geb, the Nile
Bastet (July 14–28, September 23–27, October 3–17) Bastet is the goddess of cats and pleasure and the protector of women, fertility, and love. People born under her sign value peace and balance, and their sharp intuition helps them avoid unnecessary conflict. They enjoy life and prefer to be surrounded by friends, music, art, and pleasant things. They’re loyal, devoted, and affectionate in relationships, but maintain a constant air of mystery around themselves. Bastet signs are often fascinated by occultism or metaphysics, and it can be difficult to get a read on what they’re thinking. They’re emotional and sensitive, and have a tendency to get possessive sometimes. Bastet signs share many traits and characteristics with the Western zodiac sign Cancer. Ruling Planets: the Moon, the Sun Compatible with: Horus, Sekhmet
Sekhmet (July 29–August 11, October 30–November 7) Sekhmet is the goddess of both war and healing. Like Osiris signs, those born under Sekhmet have dual personalities—one side is fun and carefree, while the other is disciplined, strict, and a perfectionist. They’re proud people with a strong moral code who command respect easily, making them good judges, leaders, and confidants. They tend to be optimistic and see obstacles as learning opportunities. Sometimes, a Sekhmet sign’s opposing traits can confuse them or make them wander from their moral code. Sekhmet signs are most similar to the Western zodiac sign Sagittarius. Ruling Planet: the Sun Compatible with: Bastet, Geb
About the Egyptian Zodiac
The Egyptian zodiac has 12 signs named after deities (except The Nile). The Egyptians assigned their own gods and goddesses to the Greek zodiac system sometime after the invasion of Alexander the Great in 332 BCE. Before that, the Egyptians measured the movements of the stars and planets to predict their effects on the Earth and seasons. They considered astronomy to be a divine skill, but hadn’t really applied the placement of the stars to human characteristics until the Ptolemaic Period (304–30 BCE). Astrology was very popular during this time. Egyptians decorated their tombs with zodiac signs and included horoscopes on pottery. Some temples even have zodiacs painted on their ceilings, which is significant since typical Egyptian temples rarely showed any foreign or outside influences.
People inherited traits from the deity whose sign they were born under. Rather than the stars and planets influencing a person’s character themselves, the Egyptians believed someone’s personality resembled that of the god or goddess they were born under. For example, those born under Seth were believed to be inherently chaotic and driven like him, while those born under Isis were considered naturally nurturing or caring.
Each sign covers up to 30 days a year, but the days aren't consecutive. Unlike Western zodiac signs, which reign supreme for about a month at a time, Egyptian zodiac signs recur 2 to 3 times throughout the year. This is because of how the Egyptians measured time—each Egyptian month was 30 days long and split into three 10-day periods each called decans. This results in 36 annual decans, each represented by one of 36 asterisms (small groups of constellations and stars) that rose over the Egyptian horizon every 24 hours. Each zodiac sign may cover several decans or other groupings of days, but they are not necessarily consecutive on the calendar. The decan system only accounted for 360 days of the year, so the remaining 5 days were considered a special month for festivals and celebrations. The Egyptians were also the first to adopt a 24-hour day.
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