Ancient Egyptian religions emphasized the king and the afterlife. They also associated Osiris with Horus and Osiris. Osiris the first king of Egypt was killed by Seth. His evil brother was then killed and his son Horus was forced to take revenge. Plutarch, in the second century AD, has the most elaborate version of this myth. Its purpose was to associate a living king with the god Horus.
Afterlife beliefs of the Egyptians
Ancient Egyptians believed in a spiritual afterlife for the dead. They would be confronted by demons, as well as other evil creatures, during this journey. For them to overcome these obstacles, they needed Horus, the falconheaded god. Incantations and spells from the Book of the Dead were found in the Egyptian graves. Additionally, the dead had guardian deities to aid them.
The crook and flail
The crooks and flails were symbols of authority and power in Ancient Egyptian religion. It is often depicted as a god’s weapon and held by the viceroy of Nubia and ruling pharaoh. Although often depicted together the crooks, flails weren't always used in tandem.
The solar vision of the afterlife
The ancient Egyptians had a very complex understanding of reality. Many of their religious beliefs overlapped with actual science. They viewed the sky and built monuments that aligned with the cosmos. For example, the Sphinx was set up to catch sunlight rising over its shoulder.
The role played by the king in egypt’s afterlife beliefs
The Egyptians believed that after death, the soul would go to a different realm. This realm was called Duat. The Duat was a realm where the dead could live out their remaining lives free from any disease or nastiness that plagued them. A powerful figure in the afterlife who played an important role in preparing his subjects for this realm, was the king.
The crook
The ancient Egyptian symbols for fertility and kingship were the flail (crook) and the flail (flare). These were attributes of Osiris. The Gerzeh cultures are the earliest to have a crook. The first flail was found at Abydos in tomb U547. Although originally two separate objects, the crook and flail became more common in later centuries.
The crook or flail is a sign that you are filial.
In ancient Egypt, the flail and crook were symbols for pharaonic authority. The Osiris god was represented by the crook, which resembled a snake. The flail was made of wood, which was scarce in ancient Egypt. Howard Carter discovered the flail and crook inside King Tut's grave.