Ancient Egyptian deities are the
gods and
goddesses worshipped in
ancient Egypt. The beliefs and rituals surrounding these gods formed the core of
ancient Egyptian religion, which emerged sometime in
prehistory. Deities represented
natural forces and phenomena, and the Egyptians supported and appeased them through
offerings and rituals so that these forces would continue to function according to
maat, or divine order. After the founding of the Egyptian state around 3100 BC, the authority to perform these tasks was controlled by the
pharaoh, who claimed to be the gods' representative and managed the
temples where the rituals were carried out.