Ancient Egypt Temples-Home to the Gods

In ancient Egypt temples were constructed to house the numerous deities, both male and female, that were at the center of Egyptian mythology and religion. The beliefs held by the ancient Egyptians were more than just the foundation of a religion, these beliefs were central to the everyday life of Egyptian citizens.

For most of ancient Egyptian history, there existed a polytheistic religion in Egypt where individuals were free to worship any god or goddess they chose. In most cases multiple deities were worshipped. Some gods and goddesses enjoyed fame throughout Egypt while others were limited to worship in select cities and villages. Each town had a patron god and a temple dedicated to that deity. An order of high priests oversaw the temple, the rites and the daily activities associated with the temples.

Due to the lack of wood, in ancient Egypt temples were constructed of stone. The only other building material that was readily available was mud brick, which was known to crumble after just a few years. The temples built to house the gods were required to last for eternity and therefore stone was the only other viable choice.

Inside these ancient Egyptian temples, there existed a segregated system of sanctuaries. The sanctuaries were divided by the spiritual level of the persons allowed to enter them. Those who had not yet reached a spiritual worthiness were not allowed to enter the innermost chambers. In ancient Egypt temples there was also sometimes an exterior complex comprised of gardens and courtyards.

Through the years in ancient Egypt temples served a variety of purposes. Without a doubt, it appears that the primary purpose of most temples in ancient Egypt was to house and care for the gods to which they were dedicated. It seemed the very existence and good fortune of the entire land of Egypt rested upon tending the gods. The worst fate that could befall a city was failing to care for the temple of the patron god. A god who lacked attention would become angry and flee the temple, leaving the citizens of that town open to all kinds of disasters.

Beyond serving the needs of the god who resided in the temple, some temples also served other purposes. No king could rule the Egyptian nation without first becoming a god. In an elaborate ceremony the new pharaoh would enter the temple, along with the high priests. Once inside the most exclusive chambers of the temple, rites would be performed which would transform the mere mortal pharaoh into a deity to be revered and worshipped by the Egyptian people. Still yet, some temples in Egypt were reserved for the worship of the king, who was also considered a deity, after his death.

The wealth and sophistication in design of the temples in ancient Egypt vary greatly. The Temple of Karnak at Luxor and the Temple of Deir El Bahari are two of the most well known ancient Egypt temples.

Today, the remains of some ancient Egyptian temples are nothing more than crumbled ruins. Other ancient Egypt temples have stood the test of time and rise up alongside modern apartment complexes and shopping centers; a testament to the fact that much of the ancient world is still a tremendous part of modern Egypt.