For most of ancient Egypt’s history, it observed a polytheistic form of religious worship. With 8,700 gods and goddesses, people were allowed to venerate any deity of their choice. Many worshipped several deities. The appeal of some deities spread throughout Egypt, while other gods and goddess were confined to a cluster of cities and small villages. Every town had its own patron god and built a temple honouring their protective deity.
Egyptian religious rites were based on the belief that serving the gods secured their assistance and protection. Hence rituals honoured their deities with a continuous supply of fresh clothing and food. Special ceremonies were intended to ensure the god’s assistance in battle, while others sought to maintain the fertility of Egypt’s fields and marshes.
Daily Temple Rituals
The temple priests and for select ceremonies, the pharaoh conducted the temple’s daily cult rituals. Pharaohs made offerings to the gods at the more important temples. Temple priests performing these daily rituals were obliged to bathe several times each day in the temple’s sacred pool.
The high priest entered the temple’s Inner Sanctuary every morning. He then cleaned and dressed the statue in fresh clothing. The high priest applied fresh makeup to the statue and placed it in position upon the altar. The high priest offered the statue three meals every day while it was on the altar. Following the statue’s ritual meal, the high priest distributed the food offering to the temple’s priests.
Religious Festivals
The cults of ancient Egypt staged dozens of festivals throughout the year. Known as heb, festivals allowed the populace to experience the god personally, give thanks for gifts from the gods such as a good harvest and make requests of the gods to intervene and show the supplicant its favour.
During many of these festivals, the statue of the god was moved from the temple’s inner sanctum and carried on a barque through the town. These festivals were one of the few times ordinary Egyptians could glimpse their god’s statue. Festivals were believed to play a crucial role in ensuring the annual Nile floods came, ensuring the land’s continued fertility.
Reflecting On The Past
For ancient Egyptians, their temples represented a source of assistance and protection. Egypt’s cults grew wealthy and influential, as they alone interpreted the will of the gods. In time their power eclipsed even that of the pharaohs. A complex network of temples sprang up across Egypt, maintained by priests and their surrounding communities. Today the remnants of these colossal complexes remind us of the depth of their belief and the power they wielded within Egyptian society.
