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Ancient Egypt is known as one of the most outstanding civilizations since 3100 B.C. The Egyptian Kingdom was seen powerful and inspirational concerning its ruling, monuments, arts and science. However, today Egypt is still an intriguing and mystical civilization because of the unique features of the ancient kingdom. Not only archaeologists and scholars make researches about the structures and remains of this culture but other people also wonders about this kingdom and want to visit and discover the Egypt region. Considering all the structures and monuments it can be said that religion had a significant role in every aspect of the ancient Egyptians’ lives. The Egyptians had worshipped thousands of gods/goddesses and religious leaders known as pharaohs, they built pyramids as temples and believed harmony and eternity.
The Gods and Goddesses
The deities of Ancient Egypt were an indivisible part of peoples’ lives. There were over 2,000 gods and goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon. Some of the prominent deities are Amun-Ra, Ra, Mut, Osırıs, Isis Anubıs, Horus, Thoth, Hathor, Sekhmet, Geb, Bastet. ‘As Zeus was to the Greeks, the Egyptian god Amun-Ra or Amon was considered the king of the gods and goddesses. He became Amun-Ra after being amalgamated with the sun god Ra.’ The god of the sun, Ra, is believed to have created this world and most of the ancient Egyptian gods were merged with Ra and created by him. (Adhikari, 2019)
Moreover, ‘Osiris was worshipped as the god of the afterlife as the ancient Egyptians believed there was life after death.’ Horus, was the god of the sky, war, protection, light and the son of the Osiris and Iris. He revenged on his father’s death(Because Osiris was murdered by his brother Seth) and ruled Egypt. Sekhmet, considered as the goddess of war and healing. ‘The more famous gods became state deities while others were associated with a specific region or, in some cases, a ritual or role.’3
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Pharaoh ‘High Priest of Every Temple’
Another significant symbol of ancient Egypt was the pharaohs. The pharaoh was the political and religious leader of the people and was the most powerful person in those times. He was also regarded as the son of the sun god Ra, and the god Horus on earth. Furthermore, He was an intermediary between people and the divine, considered as half-man, half-god. He had also some duties such as building temples, religious ceremonies, defending the land to honour gods. (Mark, 2019)
The Egyptian Pyramids
The Egyptian Pyramids were impressive and architectural accomplishment structures built by men in ancient times, however still, remain its stature in the modern world. Several hypotheses and studies exist about these huge structures and the exact reasons behind building them. The main purpose was built tombs for Pharaohs and Queens. It was first started as a relatively small tomb than a pyramid called ‘mastabas’. Royal tombs were carved into the rock and covered with flat-roofed rectangular structures which were precursors to the pyramids. (History.com editors, 2009)
Then gradually grown into something much bigger and become a huge monument.
Harmony & Eternity
The ancient Egyptians believed that the stars in the sky and the constellations they formed were thought to have a direct relation on one’s personality and future actions. (Mark, 2016) The deities lived alongside the Egyptians and interacted with them daily. ‘Eternity, then, was not an ethereal, nebulous concept of some ‘heaven’ far from the earth but a daily encounter with the gods and goddesses one would continue to have contact with forever, in life and after death.’
People were expected to sustain the principle of ma’at (harmony) with an understanding that their actions in life not only affected them but others’ lives as well, and the running of the universe. People were supposed to rely on each other to maintain the balance as this was the will of the deities to provide the highest amount of enjoyment and happiness for them. (Mark,2016) This also allowed the gods to properly fulfil their tasks.
Consequently, Ancient Egypt was undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary civilizations. Religion was an important effect on every aspect of Egyptians’ lives. They worshipped thousands of gods and ruled by political and religious leaders known as pharaohs. Furthermore, several temples(pyramids) made by Egyptian labourers as tombs for Pharaohs and Queens. However, the prominent feature that distinguishes Egypt from the other cultures was how they treated each soul beautifully, how they were aware and thought carefully about their actions and kept the balance of their lives to live in harmony.
