The way animals were worshipped in Ancient Egypt has long been one of the empire’s most vivid features. Cats, crocs and even goldfish got the mummification treatment – and the culture’s myriad gods plied their divine trade in the image of some of the region’s most iconic creatures. In this exclusive video, the American University at Cairo’s Salima Ikram shares the secrets of Egypt’s enduring animal adoration.
The divinity of animals was a key part of religious belief in Egypt. Evidence of it appears as far back as the First Dynasty – some feel it started even before then – yet Dr Ikram explains that it really gathered pace and popularity during the 26th Dynasty and beyond, from around 700 BC to 400 AD. Dr Ikram has long been one of the world’s foremost authorities on Egyptian religion, and has published books such as Divine Creatures: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt and the Non-Human Mummies Catalogue. In the video, she explains how Egyptians believed that animals were born as gods’ creatures, and that gods would enter their bodies and animate it. The sounds animals made were thought to be the secret language of the gods; thus Egyptians felt they were actually closer to divinity than themselves, and would question animals, through a priest’s interpretation, on matters as mundane as inheritance or property.
MOVIE: Salima Ikram Shares the Secrets of Egypt’s Animal Cults
Another intriguing area explored in the video is the gods themselves. Sekhmet, for example, embodied strength, rage and plagues, and took the form of a lionness. Conversely, Dr Ikram explains how the long, tapered bill of the Ibis resembles a pen – hence Thoth, the god of wisdom and writing. One of Dr Ikram’s favourite gods, however, is Sobek, who takes the form of a crocodile, a creature which can bask in the searing desert heat all day, before sloping into the Nile by night. No wonder, then, that he embodies the rising and setting of the sun. This video is a must-see for those interested in the religion of Ancient Egypt, with Dr Ikram’s esteemed views accompanied by some spectacular Sandro Vannini photography. You could also take a look at our other exclusive videos, such as legendary archaeologist Zahi Hawass showing some of the latest treasures being unearthed at the Valley of the Kings.
