Egyptian earth god. Son of Shu
and Tefnut. Brother
and consort of the sky god Nut.
Father of Osiris,
Seth, Isis,
and Nephthys.
Geb was generally depicted lying on his back, often wearing the crown
of Lower Egypt, with the body of Nut above him.
Sometimes, however, the air god Shu was shown standing on the body
of Geb, supporting Nut and perhaps separating her from Geb. His skin
was often green, indicative of his role as a god of fertility and
vegetation. The goose was his sacred animal and his symbol in Egyptian
hieroglyphics.
Geb was also said to imprison the souls of the dead, preventing them
from passing on to the afterlife. The laughter of Geb was said to
cause earthquakes.
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Gods