Religion in ancient Egypt permeated every facet of society. Ancient Egyptian religion combined theological beliefs, ritual ceremonies, magical practices and spiritualism. Religion’s central role in everyday Egyptians’ daily lives is due to their belief that their earthly lives represented merely one stage on their eternal journey.
Moreover, everyone was expected to uphold the concept of harmony and balance or ma’at as one’s actions during life affected one’s own self, others’ lives together with the universe’s continued functioning. Thus the gods willed humans to be happy and enjoy pleasure by leading a harmonious life. In this way, a person could earn the right to continue their journey after death, the deceased needed to live a worthy life to earn their journey through the afterlife.
By honouring ma’at during one’s life, a person was aligning themselves alongside the gods and allied forces of light to oppose the forces of chaos and darkness. Only through these actions could an ancient Egyptian receive a favourable assessment by Osiris, the Lord of the Dead when the deceased’s soul was weighed in the Hall of Truth after their death.
This rich ancient Egyptian belief system with its core polytheism of 8,700 gods lasted for 3,000 years with the exception of the Amarna Period when King Akhenaten introduced monotheism and the worship of Aten.
Facts About Religion In Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Egyptians had a polytheism belief system of 8,700 gods
- Ancient Egypt’s most popular gods were Osiris, Isis, Horus, Nu, Re, Anubis and Seth.
- Animals such as falcons, ibis, cows, lions, cats, rams and crocodiles were associated with individual gods and goddesses
- Heka the god of magic facilitated the relationship between the worshippers and their gods
- Gods and goddesses often protected a profession
- Afterlife rituals included the process of embalming to provide a place for the spirit to reside, the “opening of the mouth” ritual ensure the senses could be used in the afterlife, wrapping the body in mummification cloth containing protective amulets and jewels and placing a mask resembling the deceased over the face
- Local village gods were worshipped privately in people’s homes and at shrines
- Polytheism was practised for 3,000 years and was interrupted only briefly by the heretic Pharaoh Akhenaten who installed Aten as the sole god, creating the world’s first monotheistic faith
- Only the pharaoh, the queen, priests and priestesses were allowed inside temples. Ordinary Egyptians were only allowed to approach the temple’s gates.
The God Concept
Ancient Egyptians believed their gods were the champions of order and the lords of creation. Their gods had hewn order from chaos and bequeathed the richest land on earth to the Egyptian people. The Egyptian military avoided extended military campaigns outside their borders, fear they would die on a foreign battlefield and not receive the burial rites that would enable them to continue their journey into the afterlife.
For similar reasons, Egyptian pharaohs declined to use their daughters as political brides to seal alliances with foreign monarchs. Egypt’s gods had bestowed their benevolent favour on the land and in return Egyptians were required to honour them accordingly.
Underpinning Egypt’s religious frameworks was the concept of heka or magic. The god Heka personified this. He had always existed and was there at the act of creation. In addition to being the god of magic and medicine, Heka was the power, which enabled the gods to perform their duties and allowed their worshippers to commune with their gods.
Heka was omnipresent, imbuing Egyptians’ daily lives with meaning and the magic to preserve ma’at. Worshippers may pray to a god or goddess for a specific boon but it was Heka who facilitated the relationship between the worshippers and their gods.
Each god and goddess had a domain. Hathor was ancient Egypt’s goddess of love and kindness, associated with motherhood, compassion, generosity, and gratitude. There was a clear hierarchy amongst the deities with the Sun God Amun Ra and Isis the goddess of life often contending for the preeminent position. The popularity of gods and goddesses often rose and fell over millennia. With 8,700 gods and goddesses, it was inevitable that many would evolve and their attributes merged to create new deities.
