\paperw4200 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 The Egyptian temple, like the Greek one, was considered the house of the god. The faithful were not permitted to go into it, and only
the priests could come into contact with the deity.\par
However, they had to keep themselves pure, through a series of hygienic precautions: they had to shave their hair and eyebrows, abstain from impure foods and sexual relations, perform ablutions bef
ore entering the sanctuary and be circumcised.\par
It was believed that the god was incarnated in the effigy that represented him.\par
For this reason the priests lavished on the statues of the deity all the care that they would have taken over living
beings: from waking them up in the morning to offering them food and drink and dressing them.\par
In fact the people were only able to see the god on religious festivals, when the statue was brought out in procession, riding in a boat carried on the sho
ulders of attendants. Sometimes the idol was taken along the Nile on a sacred vessel.\par
These ceremonies were often accompanied by performances of music and dance or by mimes evoking the exploits of the god.
