Ancient Egyptian religions focused on the king and the afterlife. They also associated the king with the gods Osiris and Horus. Osiris, the first king of Egypt, was murdered by his evil brother Seth and then was avenged by Horus, his son. The story was told in many ways, but the most extensive version is found in Plutarch's writings in the second-century AD. It was intended to connect a living monarch with the god Horus.
Egypt believes in an afterlife
Ancient Egyptians believed that afterlife included a spiritual journey. During their journey they would face demons and other malevolent creatures. To get through all the obstacles they faced, they had to rely on Horus, the falcon-headed god. The Book of the Dead spells and incantations were found in the Egyptian tombs. To aid them in their journey, the dead were aided by guardian Gods.
The crook and flail
Ancient Egyptian religion considered the flail and crook to be symbols of power and authority. It is frequently depicted holding the viceroy and ruling pharaoh of Nubia as a god’s sword. Although often shown together, the flail and crook were not always used together.
The solar vision of the afterlife
The ancient Egyptians had a very complex understanding of reality. Many of their religious beliefs overlapped with actual science. For example, they viewed the sky as a cosmic ocean, and they built monuments in alignment with the cosmos. The Sphinx was, for example. It was positioned so that it could catch the rising sun above its shoulder.
The role of the king and egypt’s afterlife beliefs
Egyptians believed that the soul would travel to another realm after death. This realm was called Duat. The Duat was a realm where the dead could live out their remaining lives free from any disease or nastiness that plagued them. The king was a powerful figure who could prepare his people for this realm.
The crook
The crook and flail were ancient Egyptian symbols of kingship and fertility. They were Osiris' attributes. The Gerzeh culture has the oldest known example of the crook, while Abydos' first flail was discovered in tomb U547. Although originally two separate objects, the crook and flail became more common in later centuries.
The crook and flail as a sign of filial piety
In ancient Egypt, the crook and flail were symbols of pharaonic power. The god Osiris was represented by the crook which looked almost like a snake. The flail was made with wood, which was extremely rare in ancient Egypt. Howard Carter discovered a flail and crook in King Tut's tomb.