The afterlife and the king were central to ancient Egyptian religions. They also equated the king with Osiris, Horus, and other gods. Osiris, the first Egyptian king, was killed by Seth his evil brother and was later avenged in Egypt by his son Horus. This myth was told in many versions, but the most elaborate version appears in the writings of Plutarch 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 the dead had an afterlife that involved a spiritual journey. During their journey they would face demons and other malevolent creatures. They had to use the help of Horus (a falcon-headed god), to get past the obstacles. This belief led to the Egyptian tombs being filled with spells and incantations from the Book of the Dead. The dead also had guardian gods who helped them on their journey.
The crooks and flail
In Ancient Egyptian religion, the crook and flail were symbols of power and authority. It is commonly depicted with the ruler pharaoh as holding it. Although often shown together, the flail and crook were not always used together.
The solar vision of the afterlife
The ancient Egyptians had a highly complex conception of reality, and their religious beliefs often overlapped with actual science. For example, the Egyptians viewed the sky in a cosmic ocean. They built monuments to align with this cosmos. The Sphinx, for example, was positioned to catch the rising sun over its shoulder.
The role of a king in the afterlife beliefs of Egypt
Egyptians believed the soul would be transferred to another realm upon death. This realm was named the Duat. This realm allowed the dead to live out the rest of their lives away from the disease and nastiness that plagued the bodies. A powerful figure in the afterlife who played an important role in preparing his subjects for this realm, was the king.
The crook
The crook and flail were ancient Egyptian symbols of kingship and fertility. They were attributes of the god Osiris. The Gerzeh cultures are the earliest to have a crook. The first flail was found at Abydos in tomb U547. The crook and flail were originally separate objects, but by the Second Dynasty they were often seen paired together.
The crook and flail as a sign of filial piety
In ancient Egypt, the flail and crook were symbols for pharaonic authority. The crook, which looked like a snake, represented the god Osiris. The flail was made out of wood, which was very rare in ancient Egypt. Howard Carter discovered the flail and crook inside King Tut's grave.