Ancient Egyptian ReligionReligion guided every aspect of Egyptian life. Egyptian religion was based on polytheism, or the worship of many deities, except during the reign of Akenaton. The Egyptians had up to 2,000 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 both human and animal. For example, Horus, the sky god, had the head of a falcon and the body of a human. They considered animals like the bull, the cat and the crocodile to be sacred. Their two main gods were Amon-Ra and Osiris. Amon-Ra was considered 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 ancient Egyptian religion. Because their religion emphasized an afterlife, Egyptians devoted much time and wealth to preparing for survival in the next world. The Egyptians had many stories about how the world began. According to legend, it all started with an ocean plunged into darkness. Then a mound of dry earth rose and the sun god Re appeared. He created light and all things. Another version shows the Sun God emerging from a sacred blue lotus that grew in the mud, while a third version has him appearing as a beetle on the eastern horizon. Temples were considered dwelling places for the gods. They were everywhere. Each city had a temple built to the god of that city. The purpose of the temple was to be a cosmic center through which men communicated with the gods. As priests became more powerful, tombs became an integral part of great temples. Below is a typical plan for flooding a temple with the objectives of each section indicated. The priest's duty was to care for the gods and meet their needs. Priests had many duties such as funeral rites, teaching school, supervising artists and works, and advising people on problems. Death and funerals The Egyptians considered death as a transitional stage towards a better life in the other world. They believed that they could only reach their full potential after they died. 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..