The ancient Egyptians were concerned with realism in art, but not overly so. Indeed, many Egyptian works of art depict humans in an idealized form, rather than a natural form. The Egyptians did, however, believe that the primary function of art was to manifest life. For example, they believed that a depiction of a God was an incarnation of the God itself.

Throughout ancient Egyptian history, Egyptian people wore amulets that were dedicated to various Gods so that those Gods might offer them protection and good fortune. The Egyptians believed that these amulets were important both on Earth and in the afterlife, and so tended to bury rulers with amulets designed to ensure the favor of the Gods and to ward off evil spirits.

The ancient Egyptians generally understood the universe of pre-creation as the exact opposite of their own world. To early Egyptian theologians, the universe before creation was defined by inertia, darkness, and uncertainty. This was in complete contrast to their own world, which they viewed as defined by activity, light, and order.

Though the crocodiles were feared, hippos were considered even more deadly. The belief here was the association of hippos with the evil god Seth. Hippos were also capable of capsizing boats along the Nile.

Amun and Ptah are both considered to be the creator god's in some way. Amun is associated with fertility, while Ptah is associated craftsman, architects and artists. Horus is the sky god and Isis is a guardian and magician, and the wife of Osiris.

The temples of Karnak and Luxor were both temple complexes founded in the Upper Egyptian city of Thebes. As such, they are both associated with the worship of the chief Theban God, Amun. In the latter Pharaonic period, when Pharaonic authority resided in Thebes, the God Amun was fused with Ra to form Amun-Ra, the ultimate deity in the Egyptian pantheon. Karnak and Luxor were both centers of worship throughout the dynastic period.

The priesthood was an important part of Egyptian society. Priests generally held their positions for life and could even pass on their position to favored sons. Priests were important because they carried out the daily rituals that the Egyptians believed were required to placate and satisfy their various Gods. Priests generally carried out rituals on behalf of kings and rulers and were imbued by Pharaohs with the power to represent Pharaonic authority to the Gods. Many temples restricted access to their inner sanctums and only allowed high-ranking priests inside.

In Egyptian cosmology, the last event of creation is the first sunrise in history. The Egyptians believed that the Sun was an incarnation of the ultimate divinity and that the history of the world began with the first sunrise after creation.

Throughout ancient Egyptian history, temple ritual was an important component of religious worship. Temple rituals were carried out multiple times a day, always in the morning and evening. They were conducted by priests, who acted on behalf of rulers. These priests made offerings of food and libation to a specific God. These offerings were designed to satiate and placate the Gods. The rituals were carried out, usually, in the inner sanctum of the temple and were not open to the general public.

The ancient Egyptians tended to describe the God Amun as “hidden,” “unknowable,” or “esoteric.” His name literally means “hidden,” and this was his primary characteristic. The worship of Amun originated in Thebes and spread around the rest of Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period and the New Kingdom. During this time period, Amun was fused with Ra to form Amun-Ra.