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Domestic Piety (Religion in the Home)

As well as the state religion centred on the king and his relationship with the gods, the ancient Egyptians also worshipped gods in their own communities. This type of religion is sometimes called ‘domestic piety’ or ‘personal piety’. Sometimes it is taken to mean non-royal funerary religion as well the religion practised in the home. It was not completely different from the state religion but nor was it identical.

Here are some of the items in the Egypt Centre associated with domestic piety, some are also associated with state religion, and/or funerary ritual:

Bes related items

Amulets

A232 Ancestor stela

AB110 Cippus

EC446 and EC447 fertility figures

W1358 and W1359 New Year vessels 

W1326 Thoth ostracon

W1327 Hathor ostracon

Apotropaic wand

W2052 Bed legs

Hathor related items

Several of the items from the Royal City of Amarna were possibly also connected with religion in the home. These include: the limestone monkeys; ring bezels without cartouches; ring bezels with cartouches; as well as several other items.

For more general information on religion in the home this link is useful: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/7s07628w

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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