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.

The God Thoth was the ancient Egyptian deity associated with writing and knowledge. As such, he was the natural benefactor of ancient Egyptian scribes and other government officials. He was said to be married to the Goddess Ma’at (the divine personification of order and justice) and thus, was present for the judgment of the dead.

Heka is a God in the ancient Egyptian pantheon and the divine personification of magic. The ancient Egyptians believed that magic had been created by the God Atum, when he created the universe. Heka was worshipped by ancient Egyptians who were sick or injured and desired a magical remedy. To the ancient Egyptians, there was no real distinction between magic and scientific understanding, and both were forces to be used against sickness and misfortune.

The scarab beetle was considered sacred to Egyptians. They represented life after death and even the resurrection. They are popular today as they are seen belonging in pieces of jewelry.

All of these types of temples were commonly built in ancient Egypt. Mortuary cults were created to provide for the maintenance and care of a deceased ruler’s tomb and legacy; birthing and fertility houses were commonly visited by Egyptian people to pray for successful conception and childbirth or an abundant harvest; and barque stations were used as stopping points on the many ceremonial processions of boats which were meant to imitate the sailing of the Gods across the sky.

The Karnak Temple Complex was built over the course of ancient Egyptian history (beginning in the Middle Kingdom). It was constructed adjacent to the city of Thebes and reflects the religious traditions of the Thebans. Karnak contains three main precincts: the largest one is dedicated to the chief deity of Theban religion, Amun; the two smaller precincts are dedicated to Mut (Amun’s partner) and Montu (a deity associated with warfare).

The Third Intermediate Period begins with the fall of the New Kingdom in the eleventh century BCE. It was a period of time when Egypt was ruled by a series of foreign conquerors. First, the Libyans ruled Egypt during the twenty-second and twenty-third dynasties, and then the Nubians ruled Egypt during the twenty-fourth dynasty.

Adultery was illegal for both men and women throughout most of ancient Egyptian history. Women, however, were forbidden from committing adultery with anyone. Whereas men were only forbidden from committing adultery with a married woman. This was done to ensure that a father could be reassured of his paternity, and not out of some modern appreciation for women’s rights.