Aten

Egyptian Religion Gods Home

Aten
TitleThe Sun Disk
Cult CenterAkhetaten
GenderNo Gender
Patron - DominionThe only god and creator of the universe - Under Akhenaten rule Only
Dedicated templesTemples in Akhetaten
Appearancethe physically visible sun
A sun disk with rays which end in hands

  • The Aten-disk was venerated as a form of god from the late Middle Kingdom
  • During the reign of Akhenaten, the Aten was made the king god. Akhenaten considered Aten as the only god, and creator of the universe, Beginning with Akhenaten father, Amenhotep III, Aten enjoyed a higher level of worship, and during Akhenaten reign, for reasons not entirely clear in the ancient historic record, Akhenaten declared all other Names invalid and Their priests useless, and ordered Egypt to worship him as the "Sole One of Aten," who would then take the people's prayers to His Father (he did not order them to worship Aten; the texts state that only Akhenaten is qualified to do this as the Disk's intermediary).
  • A backlash against the Atenist movement by the priesthood of Amun after Akhenaten death resulted in the loss of much of this Name's information in ancient Egypt.
  • Akhenaten religious reforms, later regarded heretical and reverted by his successor Tutankhamen is the earliest known form of monotheism in Egypt.

  • Page last updated: 15 Feb 2008
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