Who were the gods?
The ancient Egyptians had many gods and goddesses.
Gods created the universe and made sure everything was in order. They were also involved in everyday life.
The gods represented natural forces such as storms, thunder, death and fire. The Egyptians supported and pleased them through offerings and rituals so that the natural order, or maat, could be kept.
Some gods were stars, others were humans and animals. The funerary god Anubis is commonly shown in art as a jackal (a dog).
The god Khnum was the god of the Elephantine Island on the Nile. People believed Khnum was in charge of the annual flood that fertilized the farms.
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Watch: Ancient Egyptian beliefs
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Learn more about the gods
Image source, Manchester Museum, University of Manchester
Image source, Manchester Museum, University of Manchester
Image source, Manchester Museum, University of Manchester
Image source, Manchester Museum, University of Manchester
Image source, Manchester Museum, University of Manchester
End of image gallery
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How important were the gods to the Pharaohs?
Around 3100BC, the pharaohs said they represented the gods and controlled the temples where the rituals were carried out. - Temples were filled with images of the gods and only the pharaoh and the priests could go inside.
The pharaoh was divine. This meant that people believed he had been chosen to rule by the gods.
Pharaohs built temples and performed rituals to keep maat, or order and keep the gods happy.
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When did beliefs change?
There was a mixture of gods and rituals in Egypt under Greek and Roman rule from 300BC onwards.
The Roman Empire officially became Christian in the 4th century AD (AD301 - 400).
The ancient Egyptian temples and gods died out by the 6th century AD (AD501 - 600).
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Activities
Activity 1: Name the gods
Match the god to their name below.
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Activity 2: Quiz – Ancient Egyptian gods
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