Although religion pervaded all aspects of ancient Egyptian culture, the Pharaoh, whose name literally means "great house" (Pharaoh, 2011, para. 1), was seen as a royal intermediary of divine force, standing between Egypt's people and the gods. Indeed, the Pharaoh acted as the chief priest for the nation, and in each temple, local priests stood in his stead. He was the key to upholding "Ma'at", or order, by maintaining justice and harmony in society and sustaining the gods with offerings and maintenance of the gods' temples. This maintenance of order most probably mimicked the yearly cycle of the Nile, upon which Egypt depended.
Originally, the Pharaoh was identified with Horus, who represented kingship, and as the son of the Sun god, Ra, was charged with ruling Egypt, just as Ra ruled and regulated Nature. In reality, the Pharaoh owed a large portion of Egypt's land and directed its use. By the time of the New Kingdom, the Pharaoh was also associated with Amun, the supreme force of the Cosmos. Upon death, the Pharaoh became fully deified. Early in the Old Kingdom, the Pharaoh was believed to ascend to the sky upon death and dwell among the stars; however, he gradually came to be associated with the daily rebirth of Ra, the Sun God. Upon death, the Pharaoh was also associated with Osiris, the god of death and rebirth, acting again as an intercessory for the Egyptian people.
To preserve "ka", or life force, and "ba", or spiritual character, the Egyptians believed it necessary to preserve the physical body. Because Egyptians believed the physical body had to be preserved in order for the Pharaoh's spirit to have a place to dwell in the after life, this necessitated the elaborate mummification rituals and burial rites that resulted in the pyramids of the Old Kingdom.
