[MUSIC] Most of the deities in the divine world had particular roles in a bureaucracy that mirrored the one in the earthly world. For example, in regard to official documentation, Thoth functioned as the scribe and messenger of the gods. And his consort, Seshat, often accompanied him. Others, such as Montu, functioned in the military realm. It is important to note that none of these images themselves were interpreted to be the actual god. Rather, they were the visible form of the abstract concept with which the god was originally associated. The essence of the divine being could inhabit statues, paintings, carvings, reliefs, through rituals enacted by the pharaoh or his priests. In other words, just as the myth or story about the gods served to explain the divine power or forces in human terms, on an intellectual level that was more concrete. The image was to provide the people with an approachable and recognizable form of the divine. The ancient Egyptians, then, did not worship the image directly. Similarly, the Egyptians did not revere the myths describing and explaining the deities. These stories made the gods more comprehensible to them. Ancient Egyptians recognized these literary and visual images. These intermediary elements could take a variety of forms, such as a statue, a relief, a stele, or an amulet, and examples could either be private or royal. These associations I've just talked about date later into the historical period. In the earliest times, however, the beliefs of humankind had focused on understanding and dealing with the forces of the universe. But they quickly began illustrating some of these ideas on pottery. For example, we have several in the Penn Museum. By the predynastic and early dynastic periods, we the see the development of concrete images that relate to the deities that would soon become the gods and goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon. The Egyptian concept of primeval gods appears to reflect their earlier concerns with how the cosmic elements of the world in which they lived actually worked. The resulting plan envisioned either several gods or a series of divine couples. They represent the aspects of the universe prior to and at creation. The Egyptians associated such creator gods with different geographic areas and they developed separate myths and creation theologies. They are now called cosmogonies. The major religious centers, such as Heliopolis, Hermopolis, and Memphis, each had specific doctrines. In the first location, which was linked with the center of the solar cult in the North, Atum functioned as the primary deity. And the Ennead, which was a set of nine, was completed by his eight children. And they are Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, and Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys. In this story, Atum is the progenitor and he single-handedly creates the elemental components of the universe. He begets air and moisture as a matched pair. And this couple, in turn, creates earth and sky, the chthonic and the celestial elements. They, in turn, are responsible for the last two pairs. Further elaboration of this creation mythology involves conflict between the two brothers, Osiris and Seth. It also includes the battles between Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris, and his uncle, Seth. Part of the story appears in the scene at the temple of Seti I at Abydos, and it also occurs elsewhere. The relationship of this doctrine and ancient Egyptian kingship is clear. The deceased pharaoh is identified with the god and his mummy takes on Osiris' resurrected form. This need for legitimization of the royal genealogy through the burial process is reflected in the private sector as well, as is evident in their preparations also.