Image Gallery
The Goddess Hathor
This bust comes from a triad statue that showed King Amenhotep III flanked by the god Osiris and the goddess Hathor. It is one of the numerous statues that adorned Amenhotep III's mortuary temple at Thebes. Some 150 years later, when the temple was destroyed by an earthquake, this and other statues were reused in the nearby mortuary temple of Merenptah, Western Thebes. 18th Dynasty, c 1390-1352 BCE.
The British Museum, London.
Questions & Answers
How long were the gods & goddesses of ancient Egypt worshipped?
- The gods & goddesses of ancient Egypt were worshipped from the Predynastic Period (c. 6000-3150 BCE through the Roman Period of Egypt (30 BCE- 646 CE).
How did people worship the gods of ancient Egypt?
- People worshipped the gods through festivals and private rituals. There were no "worship services" as one would understand them today. Clergy communed with the god/goddess at the temple and people could visit the temple complex but were not allowed in the temple itself.
Who was the most popular deity of ancient Egypt?
- Isis was the most popular deity of ancient Egypt. Temples were raised in her honor outside of Egypt as far away as Roman Britain and her cult was a major contender with early Christianity.
Who was the most powerful deity of ancient Egypt?
- The most powerful deity of ancient Egypt was Amun. Amun was worshipped the longest and his clergy was so wealthy that their power rivaled that of the monarch.
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External Links
Ancient Egyptian Gods & Goddesses/British Museum
britishmuseum.org
Religion and gods in ancient Egypt - The Australian Museum
australian.museum
