Domains & Iconography
Domains: chaos, night adversary
Iconography: giant serpent
Adversary of Renewal
Apophis attacks the solar barque with coils and gaze to halt time; if dawn fails, order fails. The crew binds and pierces him; Mehen encloses; spells blind his sight—mythic choreography that ensures sunrise.
Ritual Defeat
Priests enacted anti‑Apophis rites: spitting, trampling, stabbing wax images, and burning written names. These performative condemnations cooperated with cosmic combat, aligning temples with the barque’s crew.
Legacy
Apophis remains Egypt’s cipher for uncreation; his nightly defeat expresses a disciplined confidence: order is work, renewal is earned.