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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Global Freemasonry Masons and Ancient Egypt The Ancient Egyptian materialist philosophy continued to exist after this civilization disappeared. It was adopted by certain Jews and kept alive within Kabbalist doctrine.

On the other hand, a number of Greek thinkers adopted the same philosophy, and reinterpreted it and perpetuated it as the school of thought known as "Hermeticism." The word Hermeticism comes from the name of Hermes, the Greek counterpart for the Ancient Egyptian god "Thoth." In other words, Hermeticism is the Ancient Greek version of Ancient Egyptian philosophy.

Master Mason Selami Isindag explains the origins of this philosophy and its place in modern Masonry: In Ancient Egypt there was a religious society that bequeathed a system of thought and belief to Hermeticism. Masonry held something similar to this. For example, those who had come to a certain level attended ceremonies of the society, revealed their spiritual thoughts and feelings and trained those who were at a lower level. Pythagoras was a Hermeticist trained among them.

Again, the organization and the philosophical systems of the Alexandrian school and of Neoplatonism had their origins in Ancient Egypt and there are some significant similarities between them and Masonic rites.60 Isindag is much more overt about the influence of Ancient Egypt on the origins of Masonry when he declares, "Freemasonry is a social and ritual organization whose beginnings go back to Ancient Egypt."61 Many other Masonic authorities maintain that the origins of Masonry go back to secret societies of ancient pagan cultures, such as those of Ancient Egypt and Greece.

A senior Turkish Mason, Celil Layiktez, stated in an article in Mimar Sinan magazine entitled, "The Masonic Secret: What is Secrecy and What is Not?": In Ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman civilizations there were mystery schools (écoles de mystères) which met in the context of a particular science, gnosis or secret knowledge. Members of these mystery schools were accepted only after a long period of study and initiation ceremonies.

Among these schools, the first is thought to have been the school of "Osiris" based on the events of this god's birth, youth, struggle against darkness, death and resurrection.