Culture/Religion of Ancient Egypt

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The ancient Egyptians believed in many different gods and goddesses. Each god had their own role to play in maintaining peace and harmony across the land. The ancient Egyptians believed that it was important to recognize and worship these gods and goddesses so that life continued smoothly.

Some gods and goddesses took part in creation, some brought the flood every year, some offered protection, and some took care of people after they died. Others were either local gods who represented towns, or minor gods who represented plants or animals.

The ancient Egyptians thought that it was very important to please the gods and goddesses. For that reason, worshipping the deities was a large part of life in ancient Egypt.

The temple in Ancient Egypt was an important structure, as it was considered to be the house of the gods. Temples were often built with the purpose of reflecting the myths of Egyptian Creation. Services in the temple reflected the daily life of the god it was built for. Three main services were held each day, one at dawn, one at midday, and a third at night. These services included the washing, adornment and feeding of the worshiped god, and presenting offerings. Festivals were used to represent the social life of the god, including taking him to visit another deity's house. The majority of the people could participate only in these festivals, as the inner sanctuaries of the temples where services took place were off limits to everyone but high priests. Festivals were scheduled many times each year, including the Feast of Opet, held in Thebes, and the New Year Feast.

Some gods and goddesses were worshipped by the pharaoh and priests in large temples. These were the 'official' gods and goddesses of the state, like Amun, Horus and Bastet.

Other gods and goddesses were worshipped by ordinary people in their homes. These were the gods and goddesses like Bes and Tawaret who protected people from the dangers of daily life, like scorpion bites, crocodile attacks and childbirth.

Rituals for the Dead A major part of Egyptian religion included rituals for the dead. The Ancient Egyptians believed that there was life after death, and that afterlife was organized in a hierarchical manner, similar to life on Earth.

Nobles and Clergy would have the best afterlife, while the peasants would live as they did in life. However, they believed that the afterlife should be made to consist of the best of one's life on earth. This required that one's name continue to exist, one's body remain intact, and there be an ample supply of food and drink. Thus, tombs were developed that included mummies, which preserved the body, inscribed texts with the deceased's name, and other desirable objects to have in the afterlife. An example is the tomb of King Tutankhamen, which was filled with elements of the young king's life, such as toys, arrows for practice, as well as likenesses of his servants and himself to aid him in the next life.