Rulers and Empires

Ancient
Egyptian Deities

Ancient Egyptians believed in
the supernatural that included
numerous creatures, from spirits
and demons to gods and goddesses,
who personified the invisible powers
of Nature. As the empire evolved,
the gods gradually found their places
in a family tree.

Deities

Ancient Egyptian deities have a number of interesting features. They are often depicted as anthropomorphic creatures, that is, they have a human form and human traits. However, they are better known in the human form with the head of an animal. There are gods who are also depicted in a purely animal form.

Ancient Egyptians built monumental temples for their gods and goddesses. Each deity had its own cult, usually connected to one settlement.
A sanctuary inside the temple housed a statue of the given deity.
The picture on the left shows the ruins of the temple at Luxor, the one on the right shows the temple at Karnak.

The Sun god

One of the oldest and un­doubtedly the most popular and most respected god was the central figure of the Sun cult, Ra. Ra’s realm included the sky, the Earth, and the underworld. He is the central god in many creation myths. According to one such myth, humans were born out of his tears. Pharaohs considered themselves ‘the sons of Ra’.