Priest guarding the entrance to a mummy room

Unlike modern priests, Egyptian priests didn’t mix with the people or interfere with their lives – temples weren’t even open to the public. Their role was to serve the gods, performing the daily temple rituals of waking them and sending them to their rest.

They wore white, had shaven heads and had to remain clean at all times. They also performed the role of state administrators – the source of much of their power. In return, they were paid a daily ration of food (the gods ate ‘offerings’ only metaphorically).

The priesthood was only a part-time job and they typically served one month in three. Priests were well-educated and the rest of the time they pursued other professions, such as medicine or law.