Ancient Egyptian ReligionCHW 3M

• Complex polytheistic belief system• Gods controlled nature and nature was divine itself• Religion was a conglomeration of different cults•As new beliefs were developed old ones were discarded

Gods lived in temples were• preists tended to the needs of the gods• pharaoh was “go-between” with

Ancient Egyptian Belief System

1. Ma’at: fundamental force that governs the Universe

2. Divinity of Pharaoh• kingship was a divine force of nature• pharaoh viewed as both human and god• “go-between” for common man and gods• expected to uphold ma’at in Egyptian society

•Includes concepts of truth, justice and order• allowed forces of nature to existence in balance and order, any disruption was harmful• common man expected to behave in accordance with ma’at

Important Beliefs

It was important to preserve the body because ba would return occansional to “get new life”

Ba – personality• unique• remained with the body after death• rituals meant to release Ba from body to join ka in afterlife

Ka – life force• not unique• left the body after death

Journey to Afterlife• had to avoid many supernatural obstacles•Mummies buried with everything they would need for journey• lead to final judgement

Book of the Dead: collection of hymns, spells, and instructions to allow the deceased to pass through obstacles in the afterlife.

3. The Afterlife: Egyptian were obsessed with death and how best to journey to the other side

Egyptian believed the soul had two parts:

Weighing of the Heart (final judgement)• Osiris compared the heart of deceased to the feather of ma’at

heart in balance (found worthy)• life meet code of standards

• ka and ba are reunited• allowed to pass to eternal paradise

heart heavier (found unworthy)• life fell short of code of standards

• devoured by demon Ammut• eternally death

The Final Judgement

Pyramids• burial monuments for the Pharaohs• construction began when new Pharaoh was crowned• may have been designed to “magically launch” the pharaoh's soul directly into the abode of the gods.

• Pharaohs divine and housed the spirit of God Horus who lead them on the path of Ma’at• in afterlife would be incarnation of Osiris, God of the Dead• Pharaohs spent most of their lives preparing for their death

Pharaoh and the After-Life

Great Pyramid of Giza

Most famous of the Pyramids• built for Khufu around 2500BC• 5.5 millions tonnes of stone• height: 146m, side length: 230 m•Tallest man made structure for 3800 years

Construction•how Pyramid was made unknow• probably made by small team of skilled stone masons (2500) working year round.• peasants would have helped during floods