Those one loved in life would either be waiting when one arrived or would follow after. The Egyptian afterlife was known as the Field of Reeds and was a mirror-image of life on earth down to one’s favorite tree and stream and dog. Osiris later served as the Supreme Judge of the souls of the dead in the Hall of Truth and, by weighing the heart of the soul in the balances, decided who was granted eternal life. Isis then embalmed her husband’s body and, with powerful charms, resurrected Osiris who returned from the dead to bring life to the people of Egypt. Set, consumed by jealousy, hated his brother and killed him to assume the throne. Osiris, as eldest, was announced as ‘Lord of all the Earth’ when he was born and was given his sister Isis as a wife. Angry with the lovers, Atum separated them by stretching Nut across the sky high away from Geb on the earth.Īlthough the lovers were separated during the day, they came together at night and Nut bore three sons, Osiris, Set and Horus, and two daughters, Isis and Nephthys. Atum had intended Nut as his bride but she fell in love with Geb. This ocean was without bounds, depthless, and silent until, upon its surface, there rose a hill of earth (known as the ben-ben, the primordial mound, which, it is thought, the pyramids symbolize) and the great god Atum (the sun) stood upon the ben-ben and spoke, giving birth to the god Shu (of the air) the goddess Tefnut (of moisture) the god Geb (of earth) and the goddess Nut (of sky). The Egyptian Creation Myth is similar to the beginning of the Mesopotamian story in that, originally, there was only chaotic, slow-swirling waters. Deities such as Isis, Osiris, Ptah, Hathor, Atum, Set, Nephthys, and Horus were already established as potent forces to be recognized fairly early on. The first written records of religious practice in Egypt come from around 3400 BCE in the Predynastic Period of Egypt (6000-3150 BCE). (24)(25) Egyptian Religion The Egyptian Gods The god Khnum, who became the god of rebirth and creation in later dynasties, was originally the god of the source of the Nile who controlled its flow and sent the necessary yearly flood which the people depended on to fertilize the land. The Nile was also linked to the ancient goddesses Hathor and, later, as noted, with Isis and Osiris. The river became known as the “Father of Life” and the “Mother of All Men” and was considered a manifestation of the god Hapi, who blessed the land with life, as well as with the goddess Ma’at, who embodied the concepts of truth, harmony, and balance. The Nile was also an important recreational resource for the Egyptians. According to some myths, it was Isis who taught the people the skills of agriculture (in others, it is Osiris) and, in time, the people would develop canals, irrigation, and sophisticated systems to work the land. Not surprisingly, the Egyptians came to believe that the gods caused the river’s annual floods which deposited the fertile black soil along the arid banks. Unlike the Tigris and Euphrates which needed to be tamed on account of their unpredictable natures, the Nile’s consistent rise in the middle of July and fall in September gave Egyptians a dependable source of nourishment for vegetation over the year. The geography of Nile River may have influenced this belief. The principle of harmony (known to the Egyptians as ma’at) was of the highest importance in Egyptian life (and in the afterlife) and their religion was fully integrated into every aspect of existence. The great monuments which Egypt is still celebrated for reflect the depth and grandeur of Egyptian culture which influenced so many ancient civilizations, among them Greece and Rome. 525 BCE) as an independent nation whose culture was famous for great cultural advances in every area of human knowledge, from the arts to science to technology and religion. Egypt thrived for thousands of years (from c. Later, the country was known simply as Misr which means ‘country’, a name still in use by Egyptians for their nation in the present day. In the early Old Kingdom, Egypt was simply known as ‘Kemet’ which means ‘Black Land’ so named for the rich, dark soil along the Nile River where the first settlements began. The name ‘Egypt’ comes from the Greek Aegyptos which was the Greek pronunciation of the Egyptian name ‘Hwt-Ka-Ptah’ (which means “House of the Spirit of Ptah”, who was a very early God of the Ancient Egyptians). Egypt is a country in North Africa, on the Mediterranean Sea, and is among the oldest civilizations on earth.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |