Similarities And Differences Between Egypt And Sumeria

Essay, Research Paper

Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt are two religions that believed in monotheism. However, they differed in the way they perceived the afterlife and the role they played in the eyes of the gods. Mesopotamians believed did not believe in an after life while the Egyptian did. Mesopotamians also believed that they were created for the amusement of the gods and to do the gods work. While the Egyptians believed that they should have a respect for the Gods and that they became equal to the gods when they died. This difference in beliefs led to a differentiation in the way they lived their lives.

The pharaohs of ancient Egypt were an integral part of religion. They formed a bridge over the chasm dividing the people and the gods. In pre-dynastic times the Egyptians believed that their Pharaoh was the god Horus, son of Re, the sun god. Therefore being a Pharaoh there was nothing that you could not do. He was head of the government and high priest of every temple. In practice officials did their work, in his name. The pharaoh was the most important and powerful person in the kingdom. Most pharaohs were men but some well-known pharaohs, such as Nefertiti and Cleopatra, were women. Because the pharaoh was considered a god, one of his most important roles was as a representative between humans and the gods. Religion was not separated from government in Egypt. The pharaoh not only ruled the kingdom, but was also believed to maintain order in the universe. The regular patterns of nature, the annual flooding of the Nile, the cycle of the seasons, and the progress of the sun that brought day and night, were considered gifts of the gods for the people of Egypt. Art in all its forms was devoted principally to the service of the pharaoh. When a pharaoh died he was believed to be united with the sun and then a new Horus ruled on earth. In later times, around the third dynasty, the kings became “transformed into” gods. The heir to the throne had to undergo a procedure in order to become a god. This procedure included a ritual that merged the king with the god. Belief was that all future kings had two aspects of his being, his physical being and his “ka.” The ka was his spiritual counterpart that was part of the king at birth and remained with him throughout his life. Before assuming the throne a ritual was performed that united the king’s ka and his person. The king and his priests would enter a temple, perform the ritual, and emerge as a god. All of the people would wait outside to witness the miracle of the transformation when the king re-emerged from the temple. In this way was the new king accepted as a god and his word was accepted as law.

Concerning religious matters, directly under the king were the priests. Their duty was to take care of the images of the gods. They also prepared the statues, or images, for the religious festivals. It was the priest s role to read the scrolls before religious events. In later dynasties the priests were the voices of the oracles. Special compartments, called priest holes, were strategically placed inside the temple. The priests were able to speak from these holes unseen by the person asking questions or favors of the gods. Oracles were considered the pinnacle of the decision of the gods. The priests were in charge of the temple riches and granaries. They were on a rotation schedule and might work officially one week out of the month. Their laboratories were in the temples, where they prepared incense and healing potions. Shrouded in mystery, they were seldom seen by the common people unless they were reading magical texts or performing religious rituals. Inside the temple sanctuaries only the king saw them.

The ancient Egyptians were extremely devout in their beliefs. The ancient Egyptians believed that deities, gods and goddesses, influenced everything that happened in nature, including what people did. Because of that, they worshipped many deities. The main god was the sun god Re. The Egyptians prayed to Re and the goddess Rennutet for good harvests. The most important goddess was Isis. She represented the devoted mother and wife. Her husband and brother, Osiris, ruled over farmland and the dead. Horus, son of Isis and Osiris, was god of the sky. He was called the lord of heaven and was often pictured with the head of a falcon. In each Egyptian city and town, the people worshipped their own special god in addition to the major deities. One local deity was Thoth, the god of wisdom and writing. Many deities were pictured with human bodies and the heads of animals. The animal head reminded the people of a real or imagined quality of the animal and made it easy to identify the deity. Most ancient Egyptians prayed at home because the temples did not offer regular services for people. Each temple was either regarded as the home of a certain deity or dedicated to a dead king. They were dedicated to their gods and worshipped daily in many different ways. Their way of life revolved around these beliefs. They had a strong sense of justice and endeavored to do that which was right. The common people abhorred adultery, stealing, murder and lying. They were a highly sophisticated society with values and morals. Magic was commonplace for them as is demonstrated by the wearing of amulets to ward off evil. Magical texts were written in tombs to protect against would-be robbers. Many spells against snakebite have been discovered. Mag