Ancient Egyptians had many gods that played important roles in their daily lives and religion. Seshat was the god of writing and measurement. Nut was the sky god believed to form a canopy over the earth. Ra, the sun god, was the most important deity to the Egyptians. Bastet, the cat goddess, was worshipped for protecting grain from mice. Egyptians also revered their pharaohs as both political and religious leaders who performed rituals and built temples. Upon death, Egyptians had elaborate funerary practices centered around mummification to prepare the body for rebirth in the afterlife.