1. Religion • Definition: belief in, worship of, or obedience to a supernatural power considered to have control of human destiny

2. Polytheistic vs. Monotheistic • Polytheism- The belief in many gods. • Ancient Egyptians were polytheistic • Hindus, Ancient Greece • Monotheism- The belief in a singular god. • Christianity, Islam, Judaism

3. Ancient Egyptian Religion • Beliefs: • Gods control the forces of nature • Gods control life and death • Gods identified with certain animals • Ka: Life force that left the body after death

4. The Afterlife • Egyptians believed in life after death • Believed that the dead needed to take things with them that they would need in the afterlife • This is why people were often buried with treasure, clothing, and other valuable objects

5. Mummification • Preserved the bodies of the dead through mummification • Egyptians believed that once they died, they were sent to the Underworld for their next life

6. Ancient Egyptian Gods • Re- Sun God • The most important God of Ancient Egypt • Represented light, warmth, and growth • Head of a falcon

7. Ancient Egyptian Gods • Horus- God of the sky • He is probably most well-known as the protector of the ruler of Egypt. • The Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was the 'living Horus'. • Head of a hawk

8. Ancient Egyptian Gods • Osiris- God of the death and rebirth, and ruler of the underworld • Judges the dead • The rise and fall of the Nile is believed to be the death and rebirth of Osiris

9. Ancient Egyptian Gods • Set- God of chaos • Set represented everything that threatened harmony in Egypt • Believed to cause a failed harvest

10. Ancient Egyptian Gods • Isis- God of protection • Queen of all Gods • Wife of Osiris • Nile floods bring renewed life