The research question I will be attempting to answer through this research paper is, what role did Egyptian religion play in daily life? I want to look at what purpose religion served, and what it explained to the ancient Egyptians. I hope to examine what religious practices were important to ancient Egyptians, and how their beliefs shaped their way of life. If I have enough room to address this, I hope to look at how this compared across social stratification, such as comparing pharaohs with low class laborers. This is important because religion had a huge impact on ancient Egyptian lives. Religion was a motive for many activities and practices in the lives of ancient Egyptians.
The first source I will be using is “Religion in the Lives of the Ancient Egyptians”. This article discusses the purpose of deities and how Egyptians used them in life. Religion was very thoroughly entangled in every aspect of life, including law. Religion was a way for Egyptians to explain their surroundings, such as the annual Nile flooding. Daily happenings such as the sun setting and rising, were also explained through religion. Deities were modeled after humans, as in they lived and died, and needed sustenance to survive. Humans provided this sustenance through rituals. According to this source, some rituals were practiced three times a day, by pharaoh or his priests.
The next source I am consulting is “Personal Piety in Ancient Egypt”. This article talks about religion in the daily life of the average Egyptian. While worship at large temples by important priests is usually thought of in this context, this article reveals personal relationships with deities among the Egyptian people. People would take their own personal problems to gods, and perform worship in their own homes, as well as bringing their own offerings to temples. Problems were associated with a certain god, who would then be worshipped accordingly to resolve the issue.
Finally, “Burial and the Dead in Ancient Egyptian Society: Respect, Formalism, Neglect” is the third source I will be using to talk about religion in the lives of the Ancient Egyptians. This article talks about mortuary practices within a religious context in Ancient Egypt. Like gods in temples, the dead also needed offerings to sustain them in the after life.
As all of these sources illustrate, religion played an integral role in the lives of the ancient Egyptian people. It was an active part of their daily lives, and essential in explaining mortuary practices and beliefs. When looking at the daily lives of Egyptians, religion is an invaluable indicator of daily actions and practices as well as explaining the everyday happenings in life.
Sources:
Teeter, Emily, and Douglas J. Brewer. “Religion in the Lives of the Ancient Egyptians.” Fathom Archives, The University of Chicago Library, fathom.lib.uchicago.edu/1/777777190168/.
Luiselli, Maria Michela. “Personal Piety in Ancient Egypt.” Religion Compass, vol. 8, no. 4, 2014, pp. 105–116., doi:10.1111/rec3.12106.
Baines, John, and Peter Lacovara. “Burial and the Dead in Ancient Egyptian Society: Respect, Formalism, Neglect.” Journal of Social Archaeology, vol. 2, no. 1, Feb. 2002, pp. 5–36, doi:10.1177/1469605302002001595.