Egypt: Land of the Gods

Long acknowledged as an integral part of the heritage of western civilization, ancient Egypt’s importance to world history cannot be exaggerated, especially in the context of religions. At least three of the world’s major religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—can trace their roots and/or early dissemination to the land of the Nile. These religions, especially the Coptic Church branch of Christianity, can even find parallels between many of their practices and rituals and the ancient religion of the pharaohs. Today, Egypt’s landscape is dotted with the churches, temples and mosques of these religions that stand alongside the temples of Isis, Osiris, Horus and other ancient Egyptian deities. This special presentation of the History Channel explores the religious history and influences of ancient Egypt. Egypt: Land of the Gods would be useful for classes on Ancient History, World History, Religious History, World Culture, Archeology and Geography. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

Death and Rebirth Along the Nile

Objectives
Students will explore the history and influence of world religions in Egypt. They will examine the relationship between contemporary and ancient religions, as well as their commonalities and differences. They will learn the basic tenets of ancient Egyptian religion as well as Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

National History Standards
Egypt: Land of the Gods fulfills the following National Standards for History for grades 5-12: chronological thinking, historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretations, and historical research capabilities for World History eras 3 and 4.

• compunction
• depiction
• desiccate
• duplicate
• funerary
• incantation
• inevitable
• intimate
• mortuary
• motivate
• sarcophagus
• sustenance
• venerate

Discussion Questions

1. Like most other religions, Pharonic religion has a central belief at its core. What is the central belief of the Pharonic religion?

2. Egyptians buried their dead with many of their personal belongings. Why did they do this?

3. Early Egyptian mummified bodies resulted naturally. What dried out these corpses?

4. Why did Egyptians mummify their dead?

5. The Egyptians believed that the heart was the center of wisdom and intellect, not the brain. The heart remained inside a body during the mummification process while the brain was removed. How did they remove the brain?

6. Pyramids are the symbol of Egypt. What was the purpose of the mammoth structures?

7. Discuss the Pharonic concept of the afterlife.

8. Why did the pharaohs of the New Kingdom abandon the pyramid structure for their burial chambers?

9. How did the burial chambers of the New Kingdom differ from those of the Old Kingdom and the Middle Kingdom?

10. What are the Pyramid Texts?

11. How did the deceased earn rebirth?

12. How were the afterlife judgments a “moral compass” for social behavior?

13. Discuss the blending of Coptic and Pharonic symbols and rituals.

14. Discuss the blending of Judaic and Pharonic symbols and rituals.

15. Discuss the blending of Islamic and Pharonic symbols and rituals.

Extended Activities

1. Design a sarcophagus and tomb for a pharaoh.

2. Using cardboard or papier-mâché, construct a pyramid.

Primary Sources

• Excerpt from the Book of the Dead

  They say,