Ancient Egyptian Religion Religion guided every aspect of Egyptian life. Egyptian religion was based on polytheism, or the worship of many deities, except during the reign of Akenaten. The Egyptians had up to 2000 gods and goddesses. Some, like Amon, were revered throughout the country, while others had only a local following. Often gods and goddesses were depicted as part human and part animal. For example, Horus, the sky god, had the head of a hawk and the body of a human. They considered animals such as the bull, the cat and the crocodile to be sacred. Their two main gods were Amun-Ra and Osiris. Amun-Ra was believed to be the sun god and lord of the universe. Osiris was the god of the underworld. Stories about him revolved around the idea of ​​immortality. Osiris was the god who made a peaceful afterlife possible. The Egyptian "Book of the Dead" contains the main ideas and beliefs of the ancient Egyptian religion. Because their religion emphasized the afterlife, the Egyptians devoted much time and wealth to preparing for survival in the afterlife. The Egyptians had many tales of how the world began. According to a legend, it all began with an ocean in the darkness. Then a mound of dry earth arose and the sun god Re appeared. He created light and all things. Another version sees the sun god emerging from a sacred blue lotus that grew from the mud, while a third version sees him appearing as a beetle on the eastern horizon. Temples were considered the dwelling places of the gods. They were everywhere. Each city had a temple built for that city's god. The purpose of the temple was to be a cosmic center through which men could communicate with the gods. As the priests became more powerful, the tombs became part of the great temples. A typical temple flood plan is shown below with the purposes of each section indicated. The duty of the priests was to care for the gods and satisfy their needs. The priests had many duties such as funeral rites, teaching schools, supervising the artists and works, and advising people on problems. Death and Funerals The Egyptians viewed death as a transitional stage in the progress towards a better life in the afterlife. They believed that they could only reach their full potential after death. Each person was thought to have three souls, the "ka", the "ba" and the "akh". For these to function properly, it was considered essential that the body survive intact.