Explain and asses the importance of religious beliefs, organisation and buildings for New
Kingdom Egypt in the Ramesside period
Central issues
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Importance of religion to society: at all levels - state & personal
Fluctuation of religious development in relation to the fortunes of the Egyptian state
Importance of ma’at
Importance of rituals
Role and importance of oracles
Personal piety
Temples
o Cult importance
o Economic importance
Political importance of religion/priesthood
Secondary sources
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Breasted – religious advancement in early Ramesside period –“[religion reached] its noblest and
most exalted period”
O’Connor – ma’at a crystallisation of various religious + secular ideas – “the appropriate
arrangement of the universe and of human affairs”
O’Connor – rituals, not myth or theology, which dominated Egyptian religious life
Breasted – development and importance of personal piety – reaction to Armana period – “an age
of personal piety and inner aspiration to god now dawned among the masses”
Kemp – growth of temple ritual extended religious authority over the masses – “replacing some
of the bureaucratic control with greater and more overt psychological manipulation”
O’Connor – limitation to priesthoods' power – “ultimately the temple establishments had neither
the necessary nor the occasion of developing substantial military or police powers, coercive
resources which were ultimately linked to power in ancient Egypt”
Ancient Sources
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Harris Papyrus (Ramesses III) – evidence of distinction in amount and quality + quantity of
temple offerings to various cults + comparison reveals prominence of Amun cult – evidence of
pattern throughout Ramesside period of political favouritism (Breasted)
Wilbour Papyrus (Ramesses IV) – evidence of important economic role of temples + temple
land subdivided - evidence of temples economic influence at all levels
Tomb of the high priest of Amun, Amenhotep (Ramesses IX) - change in temple economic
policy + evidence of growing economic importance of temple at cost of pharaoh