Were Pharaohs Really Worshiped?

By: Ali Abu Dashish and Maydaa Abo El-Nadar

CAIRO, Dec. 30 (SEE)- The nature of the Pharaoh has always been controversial amongst scientists. Ancient Egyptian texts called the governor King “Nso” or god “Nthr”. The Pharaoh was worshiped during his life and after his death.

In this regard, Egyptian archaeologist Hussien Abdel Basir said, “Although studying the monarchy’s nature and concept in ancient Egypt shows that the Pharaoh was always described as a god, iin other texts he was not treated as a god.”

So what about deifying kings in ancient Egypt?

The truth is as a result of some important royal rituals, the Pharaoh was protecting the holy pinity. Thus, during practicing these rituals he was sanctified, whether in a symbolic or real way. The most important ritual was crowning the pine Pharaoh on Egypt’s holy throne. In this scene he was seen as the ideal method, through which he could unite with the “Ka” (his holy monarchy).

The royal “Ka” represented in ancient Egypt the power of inherited life and the creative, eternal, royal, and sanctified spirit. This union was very important, as it made the kings’ rule stronger and supported his holy monarchy’s concept.

These rituals became prominent in the modern kingdom, especially since the beginning of Amenhotep III’s era, Akhenaten’s father. During the rituals of the daily service, in several ancient Egyptian temples, the Pharaoh’s statues received offerings as the gods’ ones did. At the temple of Abu Simbel, located in Aswan (southern Egypt), there are several scenes of presenting offerings for the king as a god.

Worshiping the sanctified god continued even after his death. The importance of the Pharaoh was due to the role he played in society, whether in the religious field or in the political one. Thanks to worshiping the Pharaoh, pyramids in the old and modern kingdoms, and funerary temples in the modern kingdom on the river’s Nile western shore at Luxor, were built.

Since the beginning of the ancient Egyptian history, royal tombs included a space to present material offerings including food and drinks. The pyramids of the fourth dynasty’s kings, and those of the following dynasties’ kings, included funerary temples, located at the pyramids’ eastern part. The funerary temple, at these pyramids, included a statue of the dead Pharaoh that received rituals and offerings on his behalf.

Kings of the 18th dynasty, of the modern kingdom, built what is called “Temples for Memories’ Commemoration”, in other words, they built temples to commemorate the dead kings. These temples were established on the Nile’s western part. Ancient Egyptians went there, during feats, to visit dead kings and present offerings. These temples were administrated by the state and the priests dedicated to serve the dead kings’ soul that continued to receive offerings as famous gods Amun and Ra-Horakhty did.

Kings of the modern kingdom built what is known “Million Years Temples” as places dedicated for the royal and worshiped “Ka”. These temples were dedicated for the kings during their lives and after their death. Workers and artists, who lived at the city’s monastery’s, constructed royal tombs and booths including a booth to honor, Amenhotep I, son of Ahmose I and Ahmose-Nefertari. This family was worshiped by workers and artists, as they considered them the ones who protected the city. Also workers, at the mines of the Sinai’s peninsula in the middle kingdom, worshiped Sneferu, father of Khufu.

To sum up, the nature of the Pharaoh in ancient Egypt differed from one era to another. Eras of power and prosperity added holiness to its kings, some of them inclined to worship himself during his life, such as Senusret III and Ramses II. There were kings worshiped during their lives, others were worshiped after they died. Generally, holiness surrounded most of ancient Egyptian kings who were considered the gods’ sons on earth, and who ruled Egypt and the world on behalf of their sanctified fathers.