Egyption Religion

Ancient Egyptian Religion

    Religion guided every aspect of Egyptian life. Egyptian religion was based on
    polytheism, or the worship of many deities, except for during the reign of Akenaton. The
    Egyptians had as many as 2000 gods and goddesses. Some, such as Amun, were
    worshipped throughout the whole country, while others had only a local following. Often
    gods and goddesses were represented as part human and part animal.

    For example, Horus, the sky god, had the head of a hawk, and body of a human. They
    considered animals such as the bull, the cat, and the crocodile to be holy. Their two chief
    gods were Amon-Ra and Osiris. Amon-Ra was believed to be the sun god and the lord
    of the universe. Osiris was the god of the underworld. Stories about him revolved
    around the idea of immortality. Osiris was the god that made a peaceful afterlife
    possible. The Egyptian "Book of the Dead" contains the major ideas and beliefs in the
    ancient Egyptian religion. Because their religion stressed an afterlife, Egyptians devoted
    much time and wealth to preparing for survival in the next world.

    The Egyptians had many tales about how the world began. According to one legend, it
    started with an ocean in darkness. Then a mound of dry land rose up and the sun god
    Re appeared. He created light and all things. Another version has the sun God emerging
    from a sacred blue lotus that grew out of the mud, while a third version has him
    appearing as a scarab beetle on the eastern horizon.

    Temples were considered dwelling places for the gods. They were everywhere. Each
    city had a temple built for the god of that city. The purpose of the temple was to be a
    cosmic center by which men had communication with the gods. As the priests became
    more powerful, tombs became a part of great temples. Shown below is a typical temple
    flood plan with the purposes of each... [continues]

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