Religion was deeply integrated into Egyptian culture and society. By analyzing the documents provided, one can trace the role of Egyptian cosmology in the Egyptian way of life. First of all, the pantheon of the gods in Ancient Egypt was diverse and broad, as each god had its own scope of “responsibilities” and powers that affected life on earth through various interactions with people (Jan 15). Hence, each document can provide a certain insight into ancient Egypt’s religious beliefs and myths.
In the “Creation by Atum,” one can trace the story of the development of the Sun and Atum – the God of Sunrise. The Sun played an essential role in the life of Egyptian society, which relied on the Sun on terms of agricultural development and prosperity (Allen 221). Therefore, the Egyptians worshiped Atum, the creator of all, to attract his favor. In addition, the “Creation by Atum” tells the origin story of the God, which came from Waters and gave birth to Shu and Tefnut, which birthed Geb and Nut, creating a dynasty of Gods.
The “Hator’s Rage and the Destruction of Mankind” is an Egyptian myth that provides even more details on the life of Egyptian society and the role of religion in it. Re represents a central figure in all pantheons, like the pharaoh. His power is absolute, yet, to punish the ones who plot treason against him, he gathers all gods who decide to punish mankind and plotters by sending Hathor down (Maier 220). The massacre of mankind had begun, and to stop it, Re had to be smart and substitute human blood with strong beer to make Hathor drunk and ill. That saved mankind, and since then, that has been celebrated with Hathor festivals, where everybody drank beer to honor the survival of Mankind.
Works Cited
Allen, James P. Genesis in Egypt: The Philosophy of Ancient Egyptian Creation Accounts. Yale Egyptological Seminar, 1988, pp. 28-29.
Jan, Assmann. “Magic and theology in Ancient Egypt.” Envisioning Magic. Brill, 1997. 1-18.
Maier, Walter A. “Hathor.” ’Ašerah. Brill, 1986. 217-221.