For comprehensive information see our New Egypt Mythology Section and Old Egyptian Mythology Section. You may also read The Egyptian Book of the Dead

An Overview of the Ancient Egyptian Cult by Jefferson Monet

Unlike our modern religions, ancient Egyptian religion was not based on a set of theological principles, nor did it really depend on the content of canonical writings. Rather, it evolved around how people interacted with their gods, and these actions are termed by Egyptologists as "cult", which is roughly synonymous with "ritual". In the ancient Egyptian language, there is no specific word for "ritual". They variously referred to these interactions with the gods as irt ht (doing things), irw (things done) or nt (regular procedures). Cults were focused on ntr, which since the Ptolemaic (Greek) period has been translated as god. However, the ancient Egyptians applied this term to people and things which we today would hesitate to call gods.

The Ancient Ankh, Symbol of Life by Taylor Ray Ellison

The Ankh was, for the ancient Egyptians, the symbol (the actual Hieroglyphic sign) of life but it is an enduring icon that remains with us even today as a Christian cross. It is one of the most potent symbols represented in Egyptian art, often forming a part of decorative motifs. The ankh seems at least to be an evolved form of, or associated with the Egyptian glyph for magical protection, sa.

The Anceint Egyptian Concept of the Soul by Caroline Seawright

To the Ancient Egyptians, their soul - their being - was made up of many different parts. Not only was there the physical form, but there were eight immortal or semi-divine parts that survived death, with the body making nine parts of a human.

The Ancient Egyptian Ka by Alan Winston

The Animal Cults of Ancient Egypt by Jefferson Monet

During the classical age, there was no other aspect of Egyptian religion that elicited more derision from writers than the aspect of Egyptian animal worship. Among the various cults established by the ancient Egyptians, it seems to many even today to be one of the most strange and mysterious. There is evidence of animal cults that dates back to at least the fourth millennium BC in Egypt, including predynastic ritual burials of animals such as gazelles, dogs, cattle, monkey and rams at sights such as Badari, Naqada, Maadi and Heliopolis. In reality, animals were rarely if ever worshipped as gods in ancient Egypt, but were instead thought of as manifestations of the gods. Like cult statues, they were actually one vehicle through which the gods could make their will manifest, and through which the faithful could demonstrate their devotion to the gods.

The ba was, to the ancient Egyptians, the closest concept to what our modern world considers a soul, living on after death, but also with many differences.

God's Wife of Amun by Taylor Ray Ellison

Beginning from the 18th Dynasty and the start of Egypt's New Kingdom, one of the most consistently important positions held by Egyptian Women (outside of queen) was that of the God's Wife of Amun (Hemet Netjer nt Imen). She took on the function of playing consort to the "National God" in one of Egypt's most important cities, Thebes, yet it could be argued that it was as much an important political posting as it was a religious role (In many ways, it is difficult to separate the two in ancient Egypt). 

Creation by Marie Parsons

The ancient Egyptians believed that there was a time when nothing had existed, when "the sky had not yet coming into being, the earth had not yet come into being, the gods had not yet been born, and death had not yet come into being," as Pyramid Text 1466 had stated. For the Egyptians, creation was essentially an act of generation, and the generative principle was represented by the yearly flooding of the Nile River, and its waters seemed like the primeval waters, as they left in their wake mounds of fertile black soil.

The djed pillar, was a roughly cruciform object with at least three cross bars, but almost always four that became one of the most recognizable symbols in ancient Egypt. It was sometimes surmounted by a small capital (or perhaps more correctly, an abacus used to support the architrave), and often stands on a rectangular base. Some depictions of the pillar portray it with human arms holding the royal regalia. In representations and in other instances, such as amulets, the djed pillar could be depicted as flat, but at other times it was produced as a fully round pillar.

The Ancient Egyptian Concept of Fate by Jefferson Monet

Today, many Egyptians continue to believe, as they have for some 4,500 years, that fate plays a big part in their lives. While one might hear in the west concerning a possible promotion that "I hope I get it, I sure worked hard for this promotion", one is more likely to hear in Egypt, simply "inshallah", meaning "if God is willing". Of course, fate is actually very interwoven with religion, and the more religious a people are, the more likely that they are to believe that their destiny is not in their own hands. Even many modern Christians believe in preordination, that the thread of their life is already laid out by God, and hence their fate is sealed. The ancient Egyptians believed that, from the beginning of life, an individual was surrounded or assisted by powers that affected his destiny in many ways.

Morality and Ethics are always interesting historical topics. To our modern minds, what is basically ethical and moral sometimes seems relatively clear, such as not cheating or stealing, working hard to earn a living, etc., but even today in some societies, that is not always so obvious. Yet most ancient societies certainly had standards of conduct in one form or another. In ancient Egypt, in order to understand morality and ethics, one must have a basic knowledge of the term, ma'at. Ma'at was the ethical conceptions of "truth", "order" and "cosmic balance". These principals were also personified in a goddess named Ma'at.

The Eyes of Ancient Egypt by Jimmy Dunn

Grand Festivals in Ancient Egypt by Ilene Springer

There was nothing better than breaking the routine of life with a grandiose festival for the ancient Egyptians. Religious or political, festivals allowed both rich and poor to put away their cares for a day or two and celebrate the best of ancient Egypt. Imagine New Year’s Eve in New York City’s Times Square—and you’ll have an idea of what an Egyptian festival was like.

Me and My Shadow by Jefferson Monet

To the ancient Egyptians, an individual had various components, a belief that is not foreign to some modern religions that believe us to be both flesh and spirit. However, to the Egyptians, the individual was somewhat more complex, consisting of flesh (the body), the ka (life force), the ba (soul), the name and the shadow (shut, swt), all of which were necessary to form a functional human being. The shadow was certainly thought to be an important part of an individual, for it was, like the body, visible. It is not surprising that the ancient Egyptians would recognize their shadow as an important element, for they certainly gave reverence to the sun, and the shadow's relationship to light was understood.

The Menit Necklace of Hathor by Jimmy Dunn

The Moon in Ancient Egypt by Jefferson Monet

The moon has always played an important role in Egyptian religion, even through modern times, with it's symbolisms related to the Islamic faith. During ancient times, it was never as important to the Egyptians as the sun, though the moon was considered by them to be the nightly replacement of the sun. Within all of the known creation accounts, the Sun is always paramount. However, in the relationship between the Moon and the stars, the lunar god can be designated as "ruler of the stars". However, unlike the solar Aten, it is uncertain that the disk of the moon was itself ever worshipped as a deity during the history of ancient Egypt. Rather, like animals, it was regarded as a symbol or manifestation of specific deities.

Mountains & Horizon of Egypt by Jimmy Dunn

Piety of the Common Ancient Egyptians by Jimmy Dunn

Unfortunately, far less is known about the worship of common people in Egypt than about that of the state religion. There is a great deal of ancient Egyptian material that has survived regarding the state religion of Egypt's elite, but relatively little evidence documents how the common Egyptians viewed and worshipped their gods. Nevertheless, a fair amount is known about popular religion, at least in certain areas and at certain times, and we can only presume that what is known is indicative of the broader pictures. Although the common people played little or no active part in the formal rituals conducted by the official cults from the New Kingdom onward, they were nevertheless a very religious people.

On the Politics of Ancient and Modern Religion by Wayne Philips 

For anyone interested in religion on almost any level, the study of ancient Egypt can be a revelation. Certainly there were religions prior to that of the Egyptians, but they are not nearly so documented, nor are they so central to many of today's modern religions. Further more, it is a grand topic, who scholars have documented, but philosophers have hardly touched. This can only be a brief overview, but in frankly we wish to create inspiration and more dialog on the subject. In this respect, we will limit our discussion to some comparisons between the Christian and ancient Egyptian religion, as those are the two religions that are most familiar to us.

Opet Festival - Part I: An Introduction by John Watson

The Opet Festival, particularly from the time of the New Kingdom, was one of ancient Egypt's most important yearly events!

Opet Festival - Part II: The Path to Renewal by John Watson

The route and events of the Opet Festival, one of the most important during the New Kingdom, frequently changed over time, though we are not sure why.

The Oracle in Ancient Egypt by Marie Parsons

The ancient Egyptians had their own ways of finding out answers to both big and small problems. Kings were chosen, nobles were appointed, thieves made to confess their guilt, legal disputes settled, crops were planted, sometimes by the "yes" or "no" from the Deity of choice.

The Origins of Egyptian Religion by Taylor Ray Ellison

The origins of Egyptian religion are difficult if not impossible to define. We have no doubt that its roots exist deep within prehistoric times, occurring long before Egypt existed as a nation state and the invention of writing. In fact, the hieroglyphic symbol for god, described as a "cloth wrapped on a pole by Alan H. Gardiner, predates the establishment of actual Egyptian writing. Though many scholars are interested in this topic, there exists little definitive evidence from which to draw clear conclusions and so amongst anthropologists and Egyptologists, there remain many different opinions.

An Overview of Ancient Egyptian Religion by John Watson

Without the ancient Egyptian Religion, there would probably be little reason for one to visit Egypt today. The great Pyramids would not exist, nor of course, would there be the fabulous temples, the tombs on the West Bank of Thebes (modern Luxor) and their mummies, or the colorful decorations that adorn these structures that have lured travelers to Egypt over the past three thousand years. Behind every aspect of Egyptian life, including the art, the political structure and the cultural achievements one must see the religious forces that shaped the fabric of ancient Egypt. The spiritual world that was created by the ancient Egyptians was a richly fascinating one which remains unique in the history of human religion, but at the same time, somehow familiar.

Priests in Ancient Egypt by Marie Parsons

Priests in ancient Egypt had a role different to the role of a priest in modern society. Though the Egyptians had close associations with their gods, they did not practice any form of organized religion, as modern times would define it.  The priests did not preach, proselytize, or care for a congregation. They were not messengers of any "divinely revealed truth."

Was Pharaoh Divine? by Ken Humphries 

Obviously the answer is ‘No’, the question is did the ‘Egyptian in the street’ believe that he was and why was it necessary that he believed the religious teachings. To understand the development of kingship and the belief in the divinity of the pharaoh we need to look at the development of the civilisation in the Nile Valley and compare it to the progress made elsewhere in the world. Religion and religious ceremony was necessary to hold together the primitive civilisations and cultures that were beginning to form some 7,000 years ago or more. The great fear of the time was death and the blackness that this brought. The promise of life after death for those that believed and followed the ‘true’ teachings was a big incentive to conform. 

The Royal Cults of the Kings of Ancient Egypt by Jefferson Monet

Ancient Egyptian cults can be divided into several categories, including Divine Cults, which worshipped actual existing gods, Royal Cults for the worship of the king, Private Cults, animal cults and what might be referred to as other Funerary Cults for the worship of deceased private individuals. Of these, perhaps the second most important, after Divine Cults, were the Royal Cults. The cult of the king was one of the most prominent features of ancient Egyptian religion. The Egyptian ruler, because of his status as a ntr, or god, received both a cult during his life and after his death. He (or she) acquired and maintained his divinity as a result of specific kingship rituals, of which, the coronation was clearly the most important.

The Sistrum of Hathor by Jimmy Dunn

Tyet, the Knot of Isis by Jimmy Dunn

Votive Objects and Offerings by Jimmy Dunn

Individual piety with regards to public worship in ancient Egypt, from the earliest of times, involved three types of activity, consisting of prayer, sacrifice and the dedication of votive offerings. Such activities were not limited to the piety of common people, but royalty and the priesthood's role were obviously expanded, including participation in ceremonies and other religious functions. However, in the earliest periods of Egyptian history, there is very little if any actual textual information or depictions of religious activities. Hence, we know relatively little about prayer and sacrifice, but we are somewhat better off with regards to votive offerings since, at a number of sites, the objects themselves have survived.

Why the Ancient Egyptians Built Pyramids: A Matter of Religion by Alan Winston

We see Egypt's ancient pyramids as monumental structures that inspire our imagination with awe and wonder. They were monumental tombs for the kings, but why did the Egyptians go to so much trouble, toiling sometimes over many years in order to build them? In fact, while tombs indeed, the great pyramids were also fundamental to their religious beliefs. A part of ancient Egyptian life was the Nile inundation. As rains fell during the spring in the Ethiopian highlands the level of the Nile River in Egypt rose above its banks, flooding the Nile Valley between June and October. This turned much of the valley into large lakes, but as the waters receded, they left behind fertile silt from which new life would emerge. It was almost certainly this annual experience that the Egyptians linked to their concept of creation.

Women in Ancient Egyptian Religion in Old-New Kingdoms, Part I by Marie Parsons

Religion was an integral part of life in ancient Egypt, for women as well as for men. Women of the household maintained ancestor cults and kept shrines in their homes dedicated to deities especially caring of women, such as the goddess Taweret, and the bandy-legged dwarf Bes. Both these divinities were involved in guarding the woman and child through the pregnancy and childbirth process. In addition to the domestic observances and household shrines, many women of the elite class also participated in religious life and temple service, from the Old Kingdom onwards.

Women in Ancient Egyptian Religion, Part II - The Divine Adoratrice and God's Wife of Amun in the Third Intermediate Period by Marie Parsons

One of the highest ranks a woman could attain in a cult of the god was the position known as God’s Wife. Another high temple rank for women was Divine Adoratrice, which in the 18thDynasty was sometimes held by women of high status at court, like the mother of the queen, or by the wife of the high priest in the Amun cult at Karnak.

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