Ancient Egyptian Religion
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature. The myths about these gods were meant to explain the origins and behavior of the forces they represented. The practices of Egyptian religion were efforts to provide for the gods and gain their favor.
Formal religious practice centered on the pharaoh , the king of Egypt. Although he was a human, the pharaoh was believed to be descended from the gods. He acted as the intermediary between his people and the gods, and was obligated to sustain the gods through rituals and offerings so that they could maintain order in the universe . Therefore, the state dedicated enormous resources to the performance of these rituals and to the construction of the temples where they were carried out. Individuals could also interact with the gods for their own purposes, appealing for their help through prayer or compelling them to act through magic. These popular religious practices were distinct from, but closely linked with, the formal rituals and institutions. The popular religious tradition grew more prominent in the course of Egyptian history as the status of the pharaoh declined. Another important aspect of the religion was the belief in the afterlife and funerary practices . The Egyptians made great efforts to ensure the survival of their souls after death, providing tombs, grave goods, and offerings to preserve the bodies and spirits of the deceased.
Formal religious practice centered on the pharaoh , the king of Egypt. Although he was a human, the pharaoh was believed to be descended from the gods. He acted as the intermediary between his people and the gods, and was obligated to sustain the gods through rituals and offerings so that they could maintain order in the universe . Therefore, the state dedicated enormous resources to the performance of these rituals and to the construction of the temples where they were carried out. Individuals could also interact with the gods for their own purposes, appealing for their help through prayer or compelling them to act through magic. These popular religious practices were distinct from, but closely linked with, the formal rituals and institutions. The popular religious tradition grew more prominent in the course of Egyptian history as the status of the pharaoh declined. Another important aspect of the religion was the belief in the afterlife and funerary practices . The Egyptians made great efforts to ensure the survival of their souls after death, providing tombs, grave goods, and offerings to preserve the bodies and spirits of the deceased.
The Holy Family
Holy Family
Isis (mother)
drawn as a beautiful and graceful woman
Osiris (father)
king of the afterlife often shown with face of the reigning pharaoh
Horus (son)
often drawn with the head of a falcon
traits - good hunter, can travel very fast
Isis (mother)
drawn as a beautiful and graceful woman
Osiris (father)
king of the afterlife often shown with face of the reigning pharaoh
Horus (son)
often drawn with the head of a falcon
traits - good hunter, can travel very fast
Partial list of egyptian Gods
- Ammut - part-crocodile and part-lion - fierce goddess
- Amun-Re - most powerful god of Egypt in New Kingdom; bringer of life - sun
- Anubis - jackal-headed god; god of the dead person; guardian of tombs and pyramids
- Bastet - daughter of Re; head of a cat; goddess of joy
- Horus - head of a falcon and carried an ankh in his right hand - son of Isis and Osiris who defeated his uncle Seth in battle and became ruler over Egypt; sky god, god of light and heaven.
- Osiris - wrapped as a mummy - god of vegetation and the underworld (death)
- Maat - daughter of the sun god Re; goddess of justice and truth ( daughter of Osiris)
Egyptians believed that after you died. Osiris and Maat would meet you to weigh your heart. The heart was placed on one side of a scale and Maat's Feather of Truth on the other side. Forty-two gods or goddesses would interview the heart. They questioned it about crimes it may have committed. If the heart was light with no hate, the person would gain eternal life. If the heart was heavy, the goddess Ammut would eat it.
- Amun-Re - most powerful god of Egypt in New Kingdom; bringer of life - sun
- Anubis - jackal-headed god; god of the dead person; guardian of tombs and pyramids
- Bastet - daughter of Re; head of a cat; goddess of joy
- Horus - head of a falcon and carried an ankh in his right hand - son of Isis and Osiris who defeated his uncle Seth in battle and became ruler over Egypt; sky god, god of light and heaven.
- Osiris - wrapped as a mummy - god of vegetation and the underworld (death)
- Maat - daughter of the sun god Re; goddess of justice and truth ( daughter of Osiris)
Egyptians believed that after you died. Osiris and Maat would meet you to weigh your heart. The heart was placed on one side of a scale and Maat's Feather of Truth on the other side. Forty-two gods or goddesses would interview the heart. They questioned it about crimes it may have committed. If the heart was light with no hate, the person would gain eternal life. If the heart was heavy, the goddess Ammut would eat it.
What is a Deity
A deity is a name used to identify beings with divine qualities and powers.
The Egyptian pantheon comprised the many deities worshipped by the Ancient Egyptians. A number of major deities are addressed as the creators of the cosmos. These include Atum, Ra, Amun (Amen), and Ptah amongst others, as well as composite forms of these deities such as Amun-Ra. This was not seen as contradictory by the Egyptians. The development of Egyptian religion in the New Kingdom lead some early Egyptologists such as E.A. Wallis Budge to speculate that the Egyptians were in reality monotheistic. Others such as Sir Flinders Petrie considered the Egyptians to be polytheists. Erik Hornung argues that the best term to apply to their religion is 'henotheism' which describes 'worship of one god at a time but not a single god.
Deities can be found in may religions not just Ancient Egyptian it can also be found in Buddhism, Hindu and many others.
The Egyptian pantheon comprised the many deities worshipped by the Ancient Egyptians. A number of major deities are addressed as the creators of the cosmos. These include Atum, Ra, Amun (Amen), and Ptah amongst others, as well as composite forms of these deities such as Amun-Ra. This was not seen as contradictory by the Egyptians. The development of Egyptian religion in the New Kingdom lead some early Egyptologists such as E.A. Wallis Budge to speculate that the Egyptians were in reality monotheistic. Others such as Sir Flinders Petrie considered the Egyptians to be polytheists. Erik Hornung argues that the best term to apply to their religion is 'henotheism' which describes 'worship of one god at a time but not a single god.
Deities can be found in may religions not just Ancient Egyptian it can also be found in Buddhism, Hindu and many others.
Cosmology
The Egyptian conception of the universe centered on Ma'at , a word that encompasses several concepts in English, including "truth," "justice," and "order." It was the fixed, eternal order of the universe, both in the cosmos and in human society. It had existed since the creation of the world, and without it the world would lose its cohesion. In Egyptian belief, Ma'at was constantly under threat from the forces of disorder, so all of society was required to maintain it. On the human level this meant that all members of society should cooperate and coexist; on the cosmic level it meant that all of the forces of nature—the gods—should continue to function in balance. This latter goal was central to Egyptian religion. The Egyptians sought to maintain Ma'at in the cosmos by sustaining the gods through offerings and by performing rituals which staved off disorder and perpetuated the cycles of nature.
When envisioning the shape of the cosmos, the Egyptians saw the earth as a flat expanse of land, personified by the god Geb, over which arched the sky goddess Nut . The two were separated by Shu, the god of air. Beneath the earth lay a parallel underworld and undersky, and beyond the skies lay the infinite expanse of Nu , the chaos that had existed before creation. The Egyptians also believed in a place called the Duat, a mysterious region associated with death and rebirth, that may have lain in the underworld or in the sky. Each day, Ra traveled over the earth across the underside of the sky, and at night he passed through the Duat to be reborn at dawn.
When envisioning the shape of the cosmos, the Egyptians saw the earth as a flat expanse of land, personified by the god Geb, over which arched the sky goddess Nut . The two were separated by Shu, the god of air. Beneath the earth lay a parallel underworld and undersky, and beyond the skies lay the infinite expanse of Nu , the chaos that had existed before creation. The Egyptians also believed in a place called the Duat, a mysterious region associated with death and rebirth, that may have lain in the underworld or in the sky. Each day, Ra traveled over the earth across the underside of the sky, and at night he passed through the Duat to be reborn at dawn.
Unifying tendencies
Many deities could be given epithets that seem to indicate that they were greater than any other god, suggesting some kind of unity beyond the multitude of natural forces. In particular, this is true of a few gods who, at various times in history, rose to supreme importance in Egyptian religion. These included the royal patron Horus, the sun god Ra, and the mother goddess Isis. During the New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BC), Amun held this position. The theology of the period described in particular detail Amun's presence in and rule over all things, so that he, more than any other deity, embodied the all-encompassing power of the divine