Before the rise and spread of Christianity, the religious beliefs of the Egyptians were very diverse. For thousands of years, the religion of Egypt has gone through several stages of its development. The gods changed, and with them religious rituals arose and disappeared.
Instructions
Step 1
In ancient Egypt, there was some semblance of a single religion, which at the same time was combined with multiple cults of local gods. By focusing on worshiping one of the idols, the Egyptians still recognized other deities. For this reason, the religious structure of Ancient Egypt is considered to be polytheistic. The tendencies of monotheism manifested themselves first of all with the emergence of the cult of the god Aton.
Step 2
The inhabitants of Egypt in ancient times were sure that the world and the life of each person were completely controlled by the gods. They were depicted on the walls of temples, majestic sculptures were created in honor of the gods. Images of the gods can be found in the burials of the palace nobility and pharaohs. It is believed that the Egyptian pyramids were one of the ways to perpetuate the divine nature of the country's rulers.
Step 3
Legends say that all living things in the world were spawned by the god Atum, who appeared in the world from chaos and complete darkness. He created the god Shu and his companion, the goddess Tefnut. Shu was a reflection of the inextricable connection between heaven and earth, and Tefnut personified the feminine principle, which gave life to all living things. From the marriage union of these deities, other gods were born, each of whom was responsible for one of the elements.
Step 4
Perhaps the most famous religious character in Egypt is the god Osiris. A beautiful legend has reached modern times about how he was born, how he rightly ruled over nations, taking care of the needs of every person. Osiris in his deeds was helped by the goddess Isis, who was distinguished by wisdom and loyalty to her husband. The myth of Osiris reflected the aspirations of ordinary Egyptians, who were convinced that justice in the world depends entirely on the will of the gods.
Step 5
Over time, the god Ra became one of the central deities in the system of religious beliefs of the Egyptians. He personified the power and energy of the Sun. Every day Ra ascended to the zenith across the vast sky, and by sunset he again descended underground, where he bravely fought the forces of darkness, invariably defeating them. In daily battles with evil, the god of wisdom Thoth helped him. His divine nature was determined by the Moon.
Step 6
During the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, the cult of the god Aton flourished. He was the embodiment of the solar disk and absorbed the features of many other Egyptian deities. In an effort to strengthen his sole power, Amenhotep IV declared Aton the only god for all Egyptians. Throughout the reign of this pharaoh, the worship of other gods was prohibited.
Step 7
This is just a small part of the huge pantheon of gods that the Egyptians worshiped at different times. The inhabitants of Egypt also treated the Nile River with great reverence and sacred trepidation, on which the life of the country's population largely depended. The full-flowing Nile was worshiped, considering him a deity, prayers and hymns were folded in his honor.
