In Egyptian mythology, Amun was worshipped as a very powerful god, often being combined with Ra to form the god Amun-Ra. At one point in Egyptianhistory, he was known as, "King of the Gods."
Amun (also spelled Ammon) became one of the most important deities in Ancient Egypt, and in later years, combined with Ra into one god.
He began as a Theban wind and fertility god, before being recognized as the supreme deity, with most of Egypt's vast wealth dedicated to his temple.
Around the second millennium B.C.E., Thebes' worship of Amun grew so powerful that it threatened worship of then-primary sun god, Ra, which eventually resulted in these two deities also being recognized as one god.
Amun-Ra was hailed as a national god, the creator of the universe, the pharaoh's personal protector, and the god of war.
Origin of name
Amun's name is first recorded as Imn, meaning "the hidden one." Vowels were not written in Egyptian hieroglyphics, but Egyptologists believe the name survives into the Coptic language as Amoun.
Inception and historical influence
Worshippers of Amun recorded in their texts that he had created himself, then created everything else, while remaining distant from the rest of the world. Amun may be one of the original creator gods in human religion.
Amun was depicted in human form, seated on a throne, wearing a plain, deep circlet with two straight parallel plumes above it, which may serve as symbolism of being without a father, and were almost certainly representative of his former status as a wind god.
When Amun had become more culturally significant than Menthu, the latter became known as the son of Amun. However, as Mut was infertile, it was believed that she and Amun had adopted Menthu rather than conceiving him.
Worship of Amun spread to Greece early on, probably through the Greek colony of Cyrene. Cyrene likely had contact with the great oracle of Ammon at the Siwa Oasis soon after the colony was founded.
When Alexander the Great invaded Egypt in 332 B.C.E., he was pronounced the metaphorical son of Amun, and he conquered Egypt without a fight. Currency then began to show Alexander wearing the horns of Ammon.
This tradition continued for centuries. Alexander was referred to in the Qur'an as "Dhu al-Qarnayn" (The Two-Horned One), a reference to his depiction on Middle Eastern coins.
Photos
Relief from the Karnak temple complex.
Temple and Chapel at Abydos.
Khnum, Setos I. and Amun
Third Intermediate Period amulet from the Walters Art Museum
Zeus-Ammon. Roman copy of a Greek original from the late 5th century BC
Relief from the Karnak temple complex.
Temple and Chapel at Abydos.
Khnum, Setos I. and Amun
Third Intermediate Period amulet from the Walters Art Museum
Zeus-Ammon. Roman copy of a Greek original from the late 5th century BC.svg)
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