The movements of the sun, moon and the stars were important in Egyptian religion, and the Egyptian calendar was based on these movements. Each week was marked by a new group of stars rising in the sky at dawn. The groups of stars were divided into constellations but they were different to what we have today. The sun- god ?Ra? is shown with the stars in the map of the heavens crossing the sky.

A VIEW OF THE WORLD
The sun was believed to be the right eye of the god Horus.

MAPPING THE STARS
The constellation named Orion was called Sahu by the Egyptians. They believed that the soul of Osiris went there after he was murdered by his jealous brother Seth. Near Sahu is the star we call Sirius, known to the Egyptians as Sopdet. Sopdet was seen as Isis, the wife of Osiris. Sopdet spends 70 days a year below horizon, invisible from Egypt. It?s return to view marks the Egyptian New Year. The Nile flood comes at this time, and was thought to be Isis weeping for Osiris.

MYSTERIES OF THE HEAVENS
It was discovered recently that one of the two shafts in the King?s chamber in Khufu?s pyramid points to the northern stars. These never sink below the horizon. The other points to Orion. Was this a passage for the dead king?s soul to reach Osiris quickly? It is also suggested that the queen?s chamber?s shafts point to the stars. One faces Sirius- could this be another passageway to the heavens.

The Giza pyramids are not quite in a straight line. It is claimed that they are laid out like the three main stars of Orion/Sahu/Osiris and that they were built for astronomical as well as religious reasons.

THE EGYPTIAN CALENDAR
The Egyptian week had 10 days. 3 weeks made a month and 12 months a year. There were 5 holy days at the end of the year, making 365 days.