Examine the ways the geography of ancient Egypt influenced religion. If the geography had been different, would the beliefs been different as well?

Effects of Ancient Egypt’s Geography and Religion Your Name Date of Submissions Professor’s Name Course Number Throughout history, geography and culture have always been entangled with one another. That is, geographic location and nature have influenced how humans have built their societies, while societies have also adapted and shaped the environment around them. This fact is very apparent in the case of Ancient Egypt, where the society’s culture and history have been very entangled with the presence of the Nile River and Egypt’s physical location, among others. Specifically, these geographic details have been central to ancient Egyptian life, evidenced by their symbolic, economic, and cosmological significance. In the succeeding sections of this paper, I would like to focus on how the desert landscape symbolized the afterlife's threshold and influenced alternative conceptions of eternity among the Ancient Egyptians. The Nile River As mentioned earlier, one of the most important (if not the most important) geographical features that shaped the lives of Ancient Egypt was the Nile River. Due to the river's 'delta' formation and direction, Egypt became very fertile back then due to the deposit of mineral-rich sediment across the basin. In fact, even today, the Nile Delta is still considered one of the world's most fertile farming areas despite being located next to a desert landscape (Elshinnawy). This is why the Nile River has become revered as the 'Lifeblood of Ancient Egypt.' Accordingly, the geographical features, the natural cycle of harvest and seasons, and the advantages that the Ancient Egyptians reaped from these natural occurrences have shaped their religion. Symbolic Significance of the Nile During ancient times, Egyptians were already aware of the cycle of seasons, flooding, and even natural occurrences in the region. However, rather than attribution to natural phenomena, they believed that these occurrences were a consequence of the ebb-and-flow and the will of superior beings. For instance, the Nile's flooding (and watering of the crops) was believed to be a potent symbol of divine providence and cyclical renewal in ancient Egyptian religious thought. These flooding occurrences inundate banks, provide more nourishment to the soil, and water the crops about to be gathered in a 'predictable' pattern based on the stars. They believed that deities like Osiris (the god of the afterlife and resurrection), who live in the heavens, are also the ones who are responsible for controlling them (Borisov). This idea has been further embedded within their religion as they realized that even the river's east-west orientation reflects the sun's and stars' movement and symbolizes the sun's journey across the sky, imbuing the river with solar significance. In other words, the Egyptians have established the belief that the Nile is a conduit between our world and the cosmos, where the gods live. Economic Prosperity and Religious Patronage However, despite the sheer significance of the river in the society's sustenance and life, what embedded this idea and formed it into a solid religious dogma was the religious patronage of those in power. In this case, I am referring to priests and ministers who have managed religious temples of the gods and even pharaohs and other people in power who have created statues, temples, and other symbols of adorations to their god. This is exemplified by grandiose temples dedicated to various deities, which are also located along the Nile River (Ebied). Interestingly, these temples have been sites for prayer and hubs of economic activity, education, and political administration. In other words, the opulence of these religious edifices and the strong patronage towards these dogma reflected the central role of the Nile River and its followers, as well as the symbiotic relationship between religious and secular power structures. Cosmological Worldview Finally, as we have discussed earlier, the natural flow of the Nile has become embedded, not only with cycles in the 'Earthly realm' but ...