The Aten disk

[Rainbow Mage]

I always find it interesting how many claim the Aten disk was some type of Monotheistic god in ancient Egypt. The Aten disk is actually a form of Ra, and also associated with Ra-Heruakhety. This is the traditional Aten disk, depicting shining on the names of the kings of Egypt.

 

[emptybe]

I always find it interesting how many claim the Aten disk was some type of Monotheistic god in ancient Egypt. The Aten disk is actually a form of Ra, and also associated with Ra-Heruakhety. This is the traditional Aten disk, depicting shining on the names of the kings of Egypt.

I always thought it was the sun!

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I always thought it was the sun!

In a way that's not incorrect. The sun was believed to be a physical image of Ra, but not necessarily a literal one, like a symbol or an icon. After all, the Egyptians saw icons in nature. Ra-Heruakhety, Ra of the horizon, would literally be the sun as a symbol or icon of Ra.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

The view of Aten from Akhenaten's perspective is a fairly late innovation, and was ultimately rejected as heretical. While I respect Akhenaten because he was a Pharaoh, I uphold this ruling that it was a heretical view, because it was a cult of personality. He wanted people to go through him to Aten. He wanted to totally cut the people off from their god.

Btw, this is iconography of Ra-Heruakhety, notice the similarities. This is from Ramses III's tomb by the way, may his soul be in peace...

 

[Songbird]

The view of Aten from Akhenaten's perspective is a fairly late innovation, and was ultimately rejected as heretical. While I respect Akhenaten because he was a Pharaoh, I uphold this ruling that it was a heretical view, because it was a cult of personality. He wanted people to go through him to Aten. He wanted to totally cut the people off from their god.

Btw, this is iconography of Ra-Heruakhety, notice the similarities. This is from Ramses III's tomb by the way, may his soul be in peace...

Fascinating. Would you mind elaborating more on this? Was Akhenaten the first Pharaoh to introduce monotheism in ancient Egypt?

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Fascinating. Would you mind elaborating more on this? Was Akhenaten the first Pharaoh to introduce monotheism in ancient Egypt?

Atenism was not really Monotheism persay. It was more a cult of personality then anything in which Akhenaten (Amunhotep IV) introduced the idea that the Aten disk was more important then the other gods, a type of Henotheism, and that everyone should pray to him and his family, so they could mediate to Aten. They themselves still kept icons of Ma'at and Amun, the patron of the 18th dynasty, in the family shrine. Tutenkamen later rejected his father's heresy, as did his court official and later Pharaoh, Horemheb, may their souls be at peace.

 

[Songbird]

Atenism was not really Monotheism persay. It was more a cult of personality then anything in which Akhenaten (Amunhotep IV) introduced the idea that the Aten disk was more important then the other gods, a type of Henotheism, and that everyone should pray to him and his family, so they could mediate to Aten. They themselves still kept icons of Ma'at and Amun, the patron of the 18th dynasty, in the family shrine. Tutenkamen later rejected his father's heresy, as did his court official and later Pharaoh, Horemheb, may their souls be at peace.

From what I've read, Akh very successfully changed the official religion during his reign, and people make connections between him and other contemporary mono- or henotheistic religions. I know so little about this, so I can't say with authority, but I had heard a theory of Judaism possibly being connected.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

From what I've read, Akh very successfully changed the official religion during his reign, and people make connections between him and other contemporary mono- or henotheistic religions. I know so little about this, so I can't say with authority, but I had heard a theory of Judaism possibly being connected.

It wasn't a successful change at all. It plunged Egypt into an economic and social crisis it never recovered from, even under the great kings of the 19th dynasty. It also wasn't successful in purging other gods from the scene. Most still kept their family shrines with their deities. I do not know if Judaism is connected or not, and I hold no opinion.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Some Egyptologists have put forth that the Jewish god might have been influenced by Amun-Ra, but again, I hold no opinion.

 

[Songbird]

It wasn't a successful change at all. It plunged Egypt into an economic and social crisis it never recovered from, even under the great kings of the 19th dynasty. It also wasn't successful in purging other gods from the scene. Most still kept their family shrines with their deities. I do not know if Judaism is connected or not, and I hold no opinion.

Oh....why is he so frequently mentioned? Actually, that might be only my perception. I've seen documentaries on him more than other Pharaohs - apart from Tut.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I think Akhenaten is such a fascination for the non-Kemetic, because he's really the only king we could ever call a heretic king. Even the Macedonian kings were never declared heretics, but Akhenaten certainly was, and his name was not maintained in the king's list for a long time, but was kept blank.

Kemetic Orthodox put his name on our king's list, so we consider him a valid king, despite his human failings.

 

[Songbird]

I think Akhenaten is such a fascination for the non-Kemetic, because he's really the only king we could ever call a heretic king. Even the Macedonian kings were never declared heretics, but Akhenaten certainly was, and his name was not maintained in the king's list for a long time, but was kept blank.

Kemetic Orthodox put his name on our king's list, so we consider him a valid king, despite his human failings.

Very interesting, and you have an interesting religious combination. Thank you for the answers.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Certainly

 

[Rainbow Mage]

For anyone's interest, the king's list is here of the kings we Kemetic Orthodox accept:

Kemet.org Kinglist : Entire List

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Atenism was not really Monotheism persay. It was more a cult of personality then anything in which Akhenaten (Amunhotep IV) introduced the idea that the Aten disk was more important then the other gods, a type of Henotheism, and that everyone should pray to him and his family, so they could mediate to Aten. They themselves still kept icons of Ma'at and Amun, the patron of the 18th dynasty, in the family shrine. Tutenkamen later rejected his father's heresy, as did his court official and later Pharaoh, Horemheb, may their souls be at peace.

I have only shorthand knowledge on Atenism, but I thought it started off as Henotheism but eventually went full monotheistic?

All in all, I'm sure most could agree it was a cult of personality. But I think there is much wisdom to come from ancient Atenism when that fact is dismissed.