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There were many types of animals in ancient Egypt and majority of these animals played a big part in the lives of the ancient Egyptians. Ancient Egyptian art depicts how animals influenced the ancient Egyptians in both their religious and political practices and in their daily lives. Many of these animals included baboons, cats, cattle, cobras, crocodiles, falcons, hawks and even lions and rams, just to name a few. Many animals that had influenced the ancient Egyptians can be seen in several different art forms, including inside tomb walls, temples, pottery, and jewelry, and in many other art forms.

In the political aspect during ancient Egyptian times we can see that animals played a large part in symbolizing power of the Pharaoh and the power from the gods themselves. One of the earliest forms of art which gives us detail on how the ancient Egyptians were influenced by animals is the Famous Narmer Palette from the Early Dynastic Period, roughly around 3000 B.C.E. The Narmer Palette not only depicts the first unification by showing two long necked animals intertwined together, but also the power of the Pharaoh from the two cow-horned heads that are shown on both the upper right and left sides of the palette. It is believed that the cow heads represent the cow goddess Hathor, depicting power and strength to the Pharaoh and the destruction of his enemy which is depicted on the lower part of the palette showing a bull stomping on a man. The falcon is also shown facing Narmer as he is about to strike the king of Lower Egypt. The falcon is associated with the ancient Egyptian god Horus who also resembles power. Not only was the Narmer palette documentation showing the unification of both Upper and Lower Egypt, but it could have also represented honor to the gods Hathor and Horus for giving the Pharaoh his strength and his new power over all Egypt.

The after life was one of the most important beliefs of the ancient Egyptians and this is shown in great detail with all the elaborate art work throughout burial tombs. The ancient Egyptians believed that the heart recorded all good and bad deeds of a person's life and that the heart was needed for each person's judgment for the afterlife. One of the most famous depictions showing a persons judgment is the Weighing of the Heart, where the jackal headed god Anubis is seen holding the hand of the deceased person, leading him to the scales in the Hall of Maat. It is also Anubis who weighs the deceased person's heart

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