The Religion of Ancient Egypt: Beliefs, Deities, and Practices

The Mythology of Ancient Egyptian Religion

Ancient Egyptians had a creation myth. It started with dark, chaotic waters. From these waters, a hill called the ben-ben emerged. The god Atum stood on it. He was lonely. So he created Shu, the god of air, and Tefnut, the goddess of moisture. They established life and order. Atum later cried tears of joy. These tears fell and created humans. Shu and Tefnut had children: Geb, the earth god, and Nut, the sky goddess. They had five children. They were Osiris, Isis, Set, Nephthys, and Horus. Other gods like Thoth and Bastet also existed.

Another key myth is about Osiris and Isis. Osiris, god of fertility, was killed by his brother Set. Isis, his sister, brought him back to life. They had a son, Horus. Horus avenged his father’s death. He became king of Egypt. Osiris became the ruler of the underworld. Pharaohs were linked to this trinity. It symbolized unity and victory. During the New Kingdom, Pharaoh Akhenaten tried to change religion. He promoted a single deity, the sun-disk “Aten.” This was a form of monolatry. His son, Tutankhamun, reversed these changes.

Deities in Ancient Egyptian Religion

The ancient Egyptian religion saw gods as masters of creation and keepers of order. Egyptians believed all of Egypt’s beauty came from the gods’ blessings. They worshipped a vast pantheon of deities, each involved in aspects of nature and society. Each god took on different forms and mythical functions, often associated with animals.

Every god or goddess was tied to a specific location where their worship was strongest. The ancient Egyptian religion adapted, with gods often being combined through syncretism to represent new connections. This fluid relationship between deities, sometimes based on similar qualities and other times on different natures, defined their religious system. Although their origins were often enigmatic, temple and tomb art provide valuable insight into the gods’ nature and roles.