Gods of Egypt
The ancient Egyptians worshipped over 1,400 different gods and goddesses in their shrines, temples, and homes. These deities were the centre of a religion lasting over three thousand years!
Many of the Egyptian gods and goddesses were anthropomorphic, which means that they were usually depicted as part human and part animal. Can you think of anything that might be anthropomorphic?
Each deity was responsible for a certain part of daily life or the world around the Egyptians. For example, the ibis-headed Thoth was the god of writing and knowledge, while the falcon-headed Horus was god of kingship.
Keeping all of these gods and goddesses happy was hard work and required daily rituals to be performed in temples across Egypt. Food, water, incense, and precious materials would be offered to the deities in their temples everyday by groups of priests acting on behalf of the Pharaoh. Sometimes, even the Pharaoh would be worshipped as a god in their own right.
Medinet Habu on the west bank of Luxor is the mortuary temple of Ramesses III where the divine cult of the deceased Pharaoh would be performed
Download the lesson plan and activities to learn more about the ancient Egyptian creation myth and some of the most recognizable gods and goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon. See how many your Young Explorers can spot on their next trip to the museum!
Download the lesson plan and activity pack from Google Drive
