"The oldest roots of Freemasonry stretch back to the Nile, where priest-architects combined ritual, astronomy, and mysticism into an initiatic science. Egyptian Masonry preserved in its symbols the journey of the soul through death and resurrection—secrets later veiled in the legends of Hiram and the Temple." — Albert Churchward – The Arcana of Freemasonry
Hiram Abiff as Egyptian Archetype - some claim the Hiram legend (death, burial, and resurrection in Masonic third-degree ritual) mirrors Osiris's dismemberment and revival by Isis. Egyptian initiations involved symbolic death (e.g., candidate "dying" in a sarcophagus to rebirth as enlightened), akin to Masonic trials of moral fortitude. The Regius Poem (1390s, earliest Masonic document) hints at Egyptian origins, suggesting geometry and craft secrets from Euclid (via Egypt).
Initiatory Structure: Egyptian guild initiations (e.g., for scribes or priests) featured progression through stages: symbolic journeys, oaths of secrecy, and tests of character—mirroring Masonic degrees (Entered Apprentice to Master Mason). Characteristics include relocation to a "new state" (e.g., from profane to sacred), purification rites, and revelation of hidden knowledge. Masonic tools (compass, square) are seen as evoking Egyptian sacred geometry used in pyramid building.
Rites Inspired by Egypt: The Rite of Memphis (19th century, 99 degrees) explicitly draws from Egyptian lore, with rituals invoking pharaonic mysteries. Alessandro Cagliostro's Egyptian Rite (1780s) blended Hermeticism and alchemy, teaching soul ascension. Books like C.W. Leadbeater's The Hidden Life in Freemasonry (1926) argue for Egyptian roots in Masonic esotericism.