The ancient Egyptians saw signs of gods all around them. They believed that:
• there were hundreds of gods and goddesses who controlled every aspect of their daily lives, as well as the world of the afterlife
• the gods created them and their world out of nothingness and would return it to nothingness if they did not please the gods
• the gods could take animal form, human form or a combination of both.
Egyptian paintings often show the gods with a human body and the head of a particular animal. Every Home, city and village had its own god and built a special temple or place of worship to honour it. People called on special gods to help them in various situations in life. For example, people believed that the goddess Taweret could protect women from evil forces during childbirth. Sekhmet was the goddess of war; Hathor was the goddess of love and beauty.
Stories about the gods helped to explain some of the world’s mysteries. People explained sunrise as the god Re starting on a boat journey towards the west. Another story was that Nut, the goddess of the heavens, swallowed the sun at the end of each day and then gave birth to it again the next morning.
Animal Worship
Ancient Egyptians believed that the gods appeared in real life in the form of animals. By worshiping falcons, they showed their respect for the god Horus; by worshiping baboons and ibises they showed their respect for the god Thoth. A person could be condemned to death for deliberately killing a sacred animal.
People believed that cats represented the gods Bastet and Pakhet. Many cat owners mummified their pets after death. Archaeologists have found hundreds of thousands of mummified cats in burial sites near ancient Egyptian cities.
Questions:
Copy the questions and answer in complete sentences where applicable.
- What did the ancient Egyptian gods look like?
- Why did the ancient Egyptians want to please their gods?
- Which gods might be helpful to someone:
b. wanting victory in battle?
4. Create a table such as the one shown below. Research and choose 5 gods and or goddesses. Draw the god/goddess and write a short description about them.
5. Design and draw your own god and/or goddess.
a. Explain why you chose those animal or human features and what personality traits the god or goddess was given.
a. Explain why you chose those animal or human features and what personality traits the god or goddess was given.