Religious Beliefs
Vinith Upadhya
Why did the Ancient Egyptians believe in and worship many Gods?
- Gods created, ruled world
- Each served a different purpose
- Some more important than others-
Osiris (God of underworld [home of dead])
What Egyptian gods had the body of a human and the head of an animal?
- Anubis, jackal head-God of necropolis (place where Egyptians believed bodies of dead were prepared for afterlife)
- Thoth, ibis head-God of writing, knowledge
- Horus, falcon head-Sky God
Why could only priests and priestesses enter the temple?
- Egyptians believed temples were homes of the gods
- Temples resembled palaces because statue of God lived there.
- When statues were in temple, priest and priestesses carried out certain rituals to honor them
- On important festivals, statue taken through outside courtyard to sacred part of temple, ordinary Egyptians watching from edges of courtyard can see it.
- Smaller structures built outside temple for common people to worship
What did Commoners pay homage to Gods and Goddesses for?
- Most people had small area in home
- Made offerings to God for protection
- Sometimes asked for children as well as keeping away bad/dead spirits
Image Sources:
[Image] http://www.pbs.org/empires/egypt/special/virtual_library/akenhaten_temple.html September 16, 2015.Web
[Image] http://www.pbs.org/empires/egypt/special/virtual_library/ram_nef_abusimpel.html September 16, 2015.Web