Brother of Osiris, Isis and Nephthys. Somewhat
estranged husband of Nephthys. Murderer of
Osiris. Depicted as a man with the head of an
ass, or some other unidentified animal. God of
thunder and violent storms. He is a hunter by
nature and well equipped to live off of the land.
Set is often associated with red haired people
and animals.
His most villainous side is portrayed in the often mentioned tale of his battle with his brother Osiris and his nephew Horus.
For many Set represents the element of limitation.
All good things must come to an end, and Set is there
perform such a task. This is not necessarily a negative
thing. He instigates change where things have grown
stagnant, whether it be for good or evil. The distinction
is irrelevant to him. In this sense he brings about new
beginnings, even if they should arrive unwelcomely.
During much of Egyptian history Set was a god who
struck fear and anger in the hearts of the people.
However, during the 19th Dynasty Pharaohs such as
Seti I and Ramses II made an attempt at popularizing
the worship of Set. Some believe this was due to the
fact that the above mentioned Pharaohs had features
corresponding to Set, i.e. red hair.