Amun and Mut

Great Temple of Amun, Karnak

From the reign of Seti I, who was the son of Ramesses I and the father of Ramesses II. This detail shows Amun embraced from behind by his consort, Mut. The artistry of Seti's delicate raised reliefs, as seen here, is contrasted to the crude sunken reliefs of Ramesses II (next photo).

Seti's name means "Man of Seth." His father came from Canaan, and worshiped the Caananite storm god Ba'al, to whom Seth is the Egyptian equivalent. Seth was sometimes considered an evil or unlucky god, because he killed his brother, the good harvest god Osiris (as a storm destroys and scatters the grain.) However, Seth was a popular god with soldiers, who liked to associate themselves with the power of the storm. Indeed, one of the four divisions of the New Kingdom army (Re, Amun, Ptah, Seth) was named after this god.