Ancient Egypt - the eternal subject that captivates the minds of scholars and researchers.
A culture that has been the subject of much archaeological research and study,
a popular topic among both specialists and the general public. Despite this,
however, it still seems mystical, shrouded in conundrums and wonders.
Egyptian religion and beliefs, the deification of animals, and understandings
of life and death contribute to this mystery. Images of Egyptian gods are so widespread
that even if we don't know the name of the particular deity, as soon as it is
depicted with the head of an animal and a human body, we immediately recognize it as Egyptian.
Where did the Egyptians' cult of animals came from?
According to specialists, the Egyptian religion cannot be considered as a separate entity.
It must be seen against the background of the non-religious activities and values of the people.
The beliefs of the ancient Egyptians were related to nature in one general system. As for animals,
because of their contribution to everyday life, people saw them as the manifestation of the gods.
Because of their strength, agility, speed, and beauty, the Egyptians began to deify cats,
bulls, crocodiles, and others. Thus, the images of deified animals are present
everywhere around them, in their daily life, in their religious rituals, and even in wars.
The cult of animals was so strongly embedded in the Egyptian religion that the Egyptians built
necropolises for the sacred animals, in which they placed their mummified remains. Individual tribes
built temples and altars for their deities, embodied in the image of a particular animal.
The most important figure in any group or tribe performed the functions of a priest.
In his work, the specialist in ancient history Francisco José Gómez notes Pharaoh Menes as
the first pharaoh to unite the lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and thus become
the sole high priest of all Egyptian deities. The cult of animals continued until the end of
ancient Egyptian history, but at a later stage, the so-called anthropomorphic gods appeared.
The animal head is retained as an attribute, but the deity is now depicted with a human body.
Egyptian religion combines multiple versions of the origin of the world.
Different priests form different theories, which they even change according to momentary needs.
Although their religion is polytheistic, it recognizes that there is one supreme god, and
the various deities worshiped are manifestations of him. The number of gods was great, new deities
appeared, and old ones ceased to be worshiped. According to the era or the ruling dynasty,
some gods are united or displaced by others. Amon - Egyptologists define him as the mysterious
god. He is most often depicted in human form with the symbols of power: a scepter and a crown.
Ra - The Sun God. He is believed to be the creator of all living things on earth and in heaven.
During the New Kingdom, these two deities were united into one - God Amon-Ra.
During the reign of Akhenaten, the god Aten was declared the god of the
Sun Disc and the supreme deity. Horus – Depicted as a falcon,
the god Horus was the god of the sky and the divine symbol of the king.
Ptah - god of creation, creator of the world.
He is the patron of craftsmen. Osiris - King of the Underworld. God of rebirth.
Isis - Goddess of creation, raising the dead. She is the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus.
Apis – the sacred bull, God of fertility Anubis - God of the dead. Patron of burials,
mummification, and necropolises. He is depicted as a jackal.
Bastet – the cat goddess who is the patroness of pregnant women.
Bes – Household god, guardian against evil forces. His image resembled a gnome.
Khnur – God with a ram's head. A potter god who is believed to have created life on a potter's wheel.
Nekhbet - Vulture goddess, guardian of Upper Egypt.
Wadget – Cobra goddess and patroness of Lower Egypt.
Nut - Goddess of the sky, believed by the Egyptians to swallow the sun in the evening
to give birth again in the morning. Sokhmet – Goddess of War. She is
depicted with the head of a lioness. Sobek - the crocodile god, lord of the waters.
Thoth - Depicted as a man with the head of an ibis, he is the god of knowledge and writing.
Set - God of lightning Celtic - Scorpion goddess,
patroness of women in childbirth. Hathor – daughter of Ra and great
mother goddess. She is depicted as a cow. Khepri - Scarab God, a symbol of rebirth.
The Egyptians also worshiped several deities, guardians of the organs of the dead:
Duamutef - guardian of the stomach, depicted with a jackal's head.
Imseti - guardian of the liver, depicted as a mummified man.
Kebehsenuef – guardian of the bowels, depicted with a hawk's head.
Hapi – guardian of the lungs, depicted with the head of a baboon.
Death had a special meaning for the Egyptians. According to their religion,
earthly life is only a path to eternal life in the afterlife. It was for this reason that they
attached so much importance to funeral rites. It was extremely important for the Egyptians
to prepare for life after death. For this, they prepared their tombs with great care.
In order to preserve their bodies, they were mummified. In the process of mummification,
the brain was taken out with a hook through the nose, and the other organs were stored in vessels
called canopies. The lid of each vessel depicted the respective deity, guardian of the organ.
A legend details the transition of the deceased to the afterlife. Before passing on to eternity,
he must face the Court of Souls presided over by Osiris. There, the deceased must swear that
he had committed no sins. This is proven by comparing the weight of his heart to a feather.
According to belief, the heart contains all the sins of a person. If it is heavier than a feather,
they throw the condemned into boiling water or into the mouth of a beast.
If, however, he proves innocent, he passes into the realm inhabited by the souls of the righteous.
In archaeological investigations of Egyptian tombs, researchers have found
texts and drawings on sarcophagi or on papyrus rolls of so-called incantations.
These texts, inscribed on tomb walls, sarcophagi, and stelae, are collected in the Book of the Dead.
Perhaps the book is accepted as sacred, secret knowledge.
Studying the scriptures, the interpretations of scholars are divided in several directions.
According to some, it describes the funeral ritual or the path of the dead to the afterlife.
According to another theory, the collected spells give guidance to the dead on how to
deal with difficulties or how to achieve what they desired in the next life.
You can learn more about Al Azif - Howl of the Midnight Demons or also
called the Book of the Dead in our video THE MOST DANGEROUS books in the world.
According to the beliefs of the Egyptians, the pharaoh is the king of the world, the only
priest and living god. In literal translation, the word pharaoh means "Big House" or "Royal Palace".
The pharaoh is the master of the universe and the personification of all of Egypt.
He is a mediator between the world of the gods and the world of men. He is believed to
be a direct son of Ra, and as such his death is seen as an ascension to the other gods.
One of the main duties of the pharaoh is to maintain cosmic order. Strictly defined rituals
and ceremonies accompany his entire earthly life. Thanks to them, the pharaoh manages to repel
chaos and maintain balance in the universe. Egyptologists share that this is precisely
the foundation on which the religion of the ancient Egyptians was built:
the belief that thanks to the cult and rituals the universal order is maintained. The basis of
religious activity is the constant repetition, not the development, of rituals and ceremonies.
For this reason, the building of temples is of utmost importance to the people. These
incredible architectural achievements, such as the Egyptian pyramids and temples, still intrigue
lovers of Egyptian culture to this day. However, researchers distinguish two types of temples.
The first is the huge majestic pyramids, which are supposed to represent the royal tombs - the
funerary temple of the pharaoh. However, this thesis is still the subject of great debate.
Researchers are divided on whether the pyramids were intended to be part of a funerary ritual or
were built for an entirely different purpose. The other type is the temples of the deities, where
the glory of a particular deity is celebrated. Shrines that inspire awe in the faithful.
They are not isolated buildings, but part of large complexes that also include workshops, warehouses,
libraries, housing for the priests, and more. As we have already said, the pharaoh is the
only high priest, but he is assisted by numerous priests who form an influential and privileged
caste. Priests performed complex and important functions in the temple in which they served.
They had the right to marry, have children, and own land. But they
also had strictly defined requirements for their appearance, clothing, and lifestyle.
They had to be literate, and their behavior served as an example for society.
An important aspect of Egyptian religion and daily life was magic and divination,
which again served to maintain universal order. According to their beliefs, through divination,
they reveal the unfavorable future, and with the help of magic, which had a positive character,
they tried to counteract misfortune. Magic is also part of the religious cult and some priests
use it. Magic was also practiced for healing purposes, to cure diseases. Divination, in turn,
was considered sacred. The Egyptians saw it as a way for the gods to communicate with people.
Some of the methods of divination include the interpretation of dreams and divination by water.
Thanks to the archaeological studies of Egyptian architecture and art, we have the opportunity to
touch the culture and religion of Ancient Egypt. The walls of the Egyptian pyramids and temples are
filled with texts with many spells, hieroglyphs, reliefs, and drawings, telling stories,
giving guidance, and scenes depicting gods and pharaohs. All of them deeply connected
with the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians. Interestingly, the more we learn about
ancient Egypt, the more questions seem to multiply. Hopefully,
as technology advances and new discoveries are made, we will begin to get answers to some of
the existential questions that have plagued those interested in the subject for decades.
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