In ancient Egypt, it was easy to spot an ancient Egyptian god in drawings, hieroglyphics, statues, paintings and other works of art. Ancient Egyptians gods did not look like people. Most had animal heads or green bodies or something that set them apart.They could also be recognized by what they carried. Some gods carried an ankh (symbol of life) and some gods carried the scepter of power.
God jobs: Egyptian gods could not be lazy or hang around causing trouble as they did in other ancient civilizations. In ancient Egypt, everyone had a job to do. Gods were no exception. All the gods had jobs. There were over 2,000 gods in ancient Egypt because there was a lot of work to do.
The God Relay System: Most ancient civilizations around the Mediterranean built temples to honor their gods, and quite often each temple honored only one god. If you wanted to talk to a specific god, you went to a specific temple. This was not true in ancient Egypt. There were many Egyptian cities built along the Nile River. These cities built many temples. Each temple was used for a variety of purposes including store rooms, guest rooms for visiting dignitaries from other cultures, school rooms, places to meet and gossip, and more. Each Egyptian temple was also used to honor and communicate with their many Egyptian gods using a relay system. The statues inside a temple were called temple gods. Their job was to listen to requests. In ancient Egypt, if you wanted something, what you did was pray to the temple gods. The temple gods would pass on or relay your request to the right god, the god that could consider granting or not granting your request.
The reed whack: If ancient Egyptians did not get their request granted, the next time they visited a temple they might give the temple statue a little whack with a reed to let the gods know how disappointed they were. It was just a small whack, and only sometimes. The ancient Egyptians were very practical. They knew they not get everything they wanted, but they did want to speak their mind if it was something important. This was an example of free speech in ancient Egypt. There were laws. There were limits. But people could speak far more freely than they could in other ancient cultures.
The ancient Egyptians were not afraid of their gods, not most of them anyway. In most ancient civilizations, if you whacked a statue of a god with a reed, you would be very afraid of angering the gods. Not so in ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptians believed the gods were on their side, whether their wish was granted or not. Most people in ancient Egypt were afraid of one particular god - the god Ammut (also spelled Ammit.) Ammut was the god with the crocodile head. The ancient Egyptians believed if you did something really bad during your lifetime that the god Ammut might magically appear when you died and eat you. With her crocodile head, she had the teeth to do so. If you were eaten, you could not travel on to your happyafterlife, your life after death. That would be a terrible thing. The ancient Egyptians, most of them, tried very hard to do many good deeds during their lifetime to save themselves from the horrible fate of being eaten by the god Ammut when they died. Most Egyptians would agree that even Ammut was on their side because, after all, who wants a bunch of bad guys in your afterlife? So it was very good of Ammut to clean things up. The ancient Egyptians were very practical in their own way.
False Beards: Those few gods that had more human-like heads wore weird looking false beards. Even some with animal heads had false beards. That is why pharaohs wore false beards - because when a pharaoh died, he became a god. The ancient Egyptians allowed their pharaohs to go ahead and wear a false beard even before they died. It was a gift of respect. Unless you were a pharaoh or a god, no ancient Egyptian could wear a false beard, not in this lifetime nor in their afterlife.
What did the ancient Egyptians believe in? (BBC cartoon)
Ancient Egyptian Myths - Creation Stories, Isis, Osiris, and more
Can you name these Egyptian gods? (interactive game)
Ancient Egyptian Deities - interactive
Isis and Osiris (ancient myth retold by Lin Donn for kids)
Ancient Egyptian Tall Tales shared with us byEgyptologist Jacques Kinnaer
Ancient Egypt gods and goddesses, interactive worksheet
The weighing of the heart ceremony
Free PowerPoints Ancient Egyptian gods
See also: Stories about Ancient Egypt, some animated
FAQs
Most Egyptian gods represented one principle aspect of the world: Ra was the sun god, for example, and Nut was goddess of the sky. The characters of the gods were not clearly defined. Most were generally benevolent but their favor could not be counted on. Some gods were spiteful and had to be placated.
How many gods and goddesses are there in Egyptian mythology? ›
The gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt were an integral part of the people's everyday lives. It is not surprising then that there were over 2,000 deities in the Egyptian pantheon.
Who are the 2000 Egyptian gods? ›
There were over 2,000 deities in the Egyptian pantheon, many whose names are well known - Isis, Osiris, Horus, Amun, Ra, Hathor, Bastet, Thoth, Anubis, and Ptah among others - but many more less so who were also important.
Was the first god a woman? ›
Archaeological evidence suggests that God was considered female for the first 200,000 years of human life on earth, even if male-dominated religions sought to displace the matriarchal order.
Who is the Egyptian god of death for kids? ›
Osiris was the Ancient Egyptian God of The Dead and The Underworld. According to myth, he was murdered by his own brother Seth, and then resurrected by his wife Iris.
Is Gods of Egypt OK for kids? ›
The many violent and scary scenes and characters make Gods of Egypt unsuitable for children and young teenagers. You might also be concerned about the sexual references and attitudes to women shown in the movie. This movie deserves its M rating and isn't recommended for viewers under 15 years.
Who is the number 1 Egyptian god? ›
Arguably Ancient Egypt's most important god, Ra was the Creator God. He was one of the first to emerge in Egyptian mythology. Ra created Earth, Heaven and the Underworld, as well as all of the gods and living creatures that inhabit these three worlds.
Which Egyptian god is a cat? ›
Bastet, ancient Egyptian goddess worshiped in the form of a lioness and later a cat. The daughter of Re, the sun god, Bastet was an ancient deity whose ferocious nature was ameliorated after the domestication of the cat around 1500 bce.
Who is the strongest Egyptian god? ›
For the Egyptians, the most powerful god is Ra, but they also believed that Ra stopped taking an active hand in the world a long time ago after 'growing old'.
Who was Ra for kids? ›
Egyptians had many gods that they worshiped, but Ra was one of the most important. His origin story tells us that he is the god of the sun and created everything. Egyptians thought that he died every night when the sun went down and was reborn every morning.
The Nine Gods of Egypt. The nine Ennead gods of Egypt are Atum, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys. They are the family of Atum the god of the sun, and are the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the sun god.
Who is the 13th god of Egypt? ›
13. Hathor. Hathor and Isis (see below) shared similar roles – including in responsibility and how they were depicted – but at different phases of Ancient Egyptian civilization. Hathor was primarily an Old Kingdom goddess; a daughter of Ra, consort of Horus, lady of the sky, and protector goddess to pharaohs.
Is Anubis a dog? ›
The animal that symbolized Anubis has been identified variously as a wild dog, an Egyptian wolf, or, more traditionally, as a jackal, but it is actually impossible to say with certainty what species he belonged to because of the physical characteristics that distinguish him belong somewhat to all three species.
Who is the god of death? ›
Hades ruled the underworld and was therefore most often associated with death and feared by men, but he was not Death itself — it is Thanatos, son of Nyx and Erebus, who is the actual personification of death, although Euripides' play "Alkestis" states fairly clearly that Thanatos and Hades were one and the same deity, ...
Why are gods and goddesses important in ancient Egypt? ›
The ancient Egyptians believed in many different gods and goddesses. Each one had their own role to play in maintaining peace and harmony across the land. Find out about their special powers and duties. Some gods took part in creation and others brought a flood every year, which was important for growing crops.
Why is Egyptian mythology interesting? ›
Egyptian myths are primarily metaphorical, translating the essence and behavior of deities into terms that humans can understand. Each variant of a myth represents a different symbolic perspective, enriching the Egyptians' understanding of the gods and the world. Mythology profoundly influenced Egyptian culture.
What is unique about Ra the Egyptian god? ›
He was the patron of the sun, heaven, kingship, power, and light. He was not only the deity who governed the actions of the sun, he could also be the physical sun itself, as well as the day. While he possessed many literal forms, Ra also expressed himself differently when combined with other deities.
Who is the most powerful Egyptian god or goddess? ›
Ra. Arguably Ancient Egypt's most important god, Ra was the Creator God. He was one of the first to emerge in Egyptian mythology. Ra created Earth, Heaven and the Underworld, as well as all of the gods and living creatures that inhabit these three worlds.
