| Aten is a creator of the universe
in ancient Egyptian
mythology, usually regarded as
a sun god represented by the sun's
disk. His worship (Atenism) was instituted
as the basis for the mostly monotheistic
religion of Amenhotep IV, who took
the name Akhenaten. The worship of
Aten ceased shortly after Akhenaten's
death.
Overview
Viewing the Aten as Akhenaten's
god is actually a simplification.
Aten was the focus of Akhenaten's
religion. Aten is the name given
to represent the solar disc. The
term Aten was used to designate
a disc, and since the sun was a
disc, gradually became associated
with solar deities. Consequently,
Aten expresses indirectly the life-giving
force of light.
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The full title of Akhenaten's god was
Ra-Horus, who rejoices in the horizon
in his name of the light which is in the
sun disc. (This is the title of the god
as it appears on the numerous stelae which
were placed to mark the boundaries of
Akhenaten's new capital at Amarna.) This
lengthy name was often shortened to Ra-Horus-Aten
or just Aten in many texts, but the god
Akhenaten had raised to supremacy was
in fact a synthesis of very ancient ones
viewed in a new and different way. In
particular, it was not depicted in anthropomorphic
(human) form, but as rays of light extending
from the sun's disk. Furthermore, the
god's name came to be written within a
cartouche, along with the titles normally
given to a Pharaoh, another break with
ancient tradition.
The Aten first appears in texts dating to the 12th dynasty,
in The Story of Sinuhe. Ra-Horus, more usually referred to
as Ra-Herakhty (Ra, who is Horus
of the two horizons), is a synthesis of two other gods, both
of which are attested from very early on. During the Amarna
period, this synthesis was seen as the invisible source of
energy of the sun god, of which the visible manifestation
was the Aten, the solar disk. Thus Ra-Horus-Aten was a development
of old ideas which came gradually. The real change is the
apparent abandonment of all other gods following the advent
of Akhenaten, i.e. the introduction, apparently by Akhenaten,
of monotheism. This is readily apparent in the Great Hymn
to the Aten.
The timing of Akhenaten's existence, together with his apparent,
and significant, break from henotheism, has lead some to think
he has some connection to the biblical character of Moses,
although quite what the connection is is a matter of some
considerable dispute.
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Royal Titulary
During the Amarna Period, the Aten
was given a Royal Titulary (as he
was considered to be king of all),
with his names drawn in a cartouche.
There were 2 forms of this title,
the first had the names of other
gods, and the second later one which
was more 'singular' and refered
only to the Aten himself.
Early Form
Live Re-Horakhti who rejoices in
the Horizon
In his name Shu
which is the Aten
Later form
Live Re, ruler
of the 2 horizons who rejoices in
the Horizon
In his name of light which is the
Aten
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