1. Religion in Ancient Egypt
How Religion Affected Egyptian Political, Legal, and Creative Thought

2. Impact of Geography on Religion: The Nile
Rose and the land was covered with water; the Nile subsided and land, now full of life was ready to be sewn and produce crops
Consequently, Egyptians accepted water as the beginning of everything
Water revered in the form of a creator-god named Atum, who emerged from the first hill that rose from the water
Atum was “the perfect one” that created the earth and sky, who later had children

3. Impact of Geography on Religion: Climate
From the Old Stone Age man had buried the dead, and early Egyptians did too
Hot, dry climate meant that body did not rot, but desiccated and remained a wholly recognizable corpse
Consequently developed unparalleled emphasis on continued existence of physical body after death
Sun also recognized as another great life-giving force (hence Sun-god Re)

4. The Development of Deities
Atum ejected from his being Shu (air) and Tefenet (moisture) (the sun itself)
Atum also known as Ra
Separated sky (Nut) from the earth (Geb)
Geb and Nut had children: the gods Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys
Anubus born out of love between Nephthys and Osiris—helped Isis by embalming king’s body
Local gods, such as Amon (Thebes) began to emerge during Middle Kingdom

5. Nut (goddess of the sky and heavens) is depicted with her husband-brother Geb. Together they bore 5 children (Osiris, Horus the Elder, Seth, Isis, and Nephthys

6. The Depiction of Deities: Atum
Atum is rarely depicted as a human, but rather as a crown or as one of his many totem animals (i.e. a black bull, cobra)
Not only the father of the gods, but also the father of the pharaohs
Atum, wearing the double crown, worshipped by the deceased Lady Tashenat; Third Intermediate Period; in the Louvre

7. Religious Beliefs
Aside from their physical body, each person had a ka, ba, and akh
Ka is a person’s spiritual duplicate, which was stored in the heart and separated from the body at death
Ba is essentially the person’s character or personality; left the body at death; depicted as a human-headed bird
Akh is the form the person would exist in in the afterlife (through spells said over the mummy)

9. Religion and Political Thought
Concept of the god-king was central
Pharaoh believed to be the earthly embodiment of the god Horus (son of Amon-Re)
Partial divinity of king helped to ensure stability since the word of the king would be considered the word of the gods
The Pharaoh owned all of the land in Egypt, the people, and their possessions

10. Religion and Legal Thought
Believed law was infused into the world by the gods at the time of creation
Goddess Ma’at personified law (truth, righteousness, and justice)
Despite absolute power, the king must rule over Egypt subject to Ma’at
Goal was to maintain equilibrium
According to Ma’at, the goal of all people was to maintain the correct balance of the universe

11. Depiction of Ma’at
Ma’at is personification of law, justice, order, and truth
Depicted as a young woman sitting or standing
Held scepter in one hand and ankh in other
Sometimes has wings or ostrich feather

12. Religion and Legal Thought
Likely because of Ma’at, Egyptians generally law abiding, stability-seeking people
Unlike the Mesopotamians, Egyptians did not have a codified body of laws
Legal system was based on precedent
Courts ensured that laws were consistent

13. Ma’at and Economics
Pharaoh had absolute control over means of production and distribution of wealth
See influence of Ma’at in employment
Skilled trades were passed down from father to son
Led to stability and continuity in Egypt

14. Religion and Culture: Art
Virtually all art was produced for religious purposes
Pharaoh chief patron and subject of the arts
Art not innovative, but rather sought to remain unchanged
Art served to capture for eternity the ideal form of the individual represented

15. Religion and Culture: Sculpture
Sculptures ranged from small statues to huge works (I.e. Sphinx)
Looked straight ahead
Not engaged in activity
Lacked emotion
Captured grandeur

16. Religion and Culture: Reliefs and Paintings
Reliefs are pictures cut into stone
Most commonly found in tombs
Aimed to convey to the gods the character of the deceased
Illustrated activities to be enjoyed in afterlife
Not concerned with realism or perspective