Religion was part of every corner of life in ancient Egypt. Egyptians worshipped hundreds of gods, believed the king was the link between the gods and people, and spent a great deal of effort preparing for life after death. Their beliefs lasted, with changes, for more than 3,000 years.
Maat: order against chaos
At the heart of Egyptian religion was maat, the idea of truth, justice and cosmic order. The world had been created out of chaos, and chaos was always threatening to return. The king’s most important duty was to keep maat by honoring the gods, building temples and ruling justly.
The gods
Gods could appear in human form, as animals, or as humans with animal heads: Horus the falcon, Anubis the jackal, Hathor the cow. Some, like the sun god Ra and Amun, were worshipped across the country; others were local. Gods were often grouped in families, such as Amun, Mut and Khonsu at Thebes. See our guide to Egyptian gods and goddesses.
Temples and priests
Temples were the homes of the gods, not places where the public gathered. Each day priests washed, dressed and fed the god’s statue in the dark sanctuary. Ordinary people prayed at small shrines at home and saw the gods at festivals.
Death and the afterlife
Egyptians believed that with mummification, the right spells from the Book of the Dead and a good life, they could pass the judgment of the dead and live forever. Only once was this system challenged, by Akhenaten, who worshipped only the Aten.
