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From Invisibility to the Sun: How did Amon become Egypt's creator god?
Amon was a major god in ancient Egypt and one of the eight gods of Hermopolis. In terms of historical sources, the worship of Amun can be traced back to the Old Kingdom, where he was worshiped together with his wife Amont. Amun's oracle is in the Siava Oasis, which has always been his only holy place. With the rise of the Eleventh Dynasty, Amun became the patron god of Thebes, replacing Montu, thus beginning his important role in Egyptian mythology.
Amon's original name meant "the hidden one" or "the unseen", which is also reflected in some of the titles found in the Pyramid Texts, such as "O you great god, you whose name is unknown."
As Thebes rebelled against the Hyksos, especially under the rule of Ahamos I, Amun's national character gradually strengthened. He merged with the sun god Ra and became Amun-Ra. Amun-Ra played an important role during the New Kingdom and was one of the most important gods in Egyptian mythology, along with Osiris.
Early History
In 1910, scholar Rene Basset proposed that the worship of Amun first originated in ancient Libya, but this hypothesis has not yet been confirmed. In fact, Amun's name first appeared in the tomb of Pharaoh Unas in 2350 BC, and was recorded in landmark texts in ancient Egyptian pyramid texts. Amon's status reached its peak during the Eleventh Dynasty, and he became the patron saint of Thebes. Together with the goddess Mut and the moon god Kongsu, he formed the "Theban Trinity".
Karnak Temple
The history of Amun as a patron god in Thebes began in the 20th century BC, when the area surrounding the temple of Amun-Ra was built under the reign of Senust I. Thebes was not particularly important before the Eleventh Dynasty. With the rise of the Eighteenth Dynasty, it evolved into the capital of unified Egypt. Many important constructions such as the Hall of False Hypostyles were mainly carried out under the reigns of Seti I and Ramses II.
"When he crossed the sky, all the faces looked up at you, but when you left, they could not see you again..."
This worship verse demonstrates the believers' deep affection for Amon and emphasizes his protective power as a god. Amon's power is increasingly recognized by people, and he is regarded as the protector of the poor and distressed, upholding justice and truth.
Identification and Transformation of the New Kingdom
When the armies of the Eighteenth Dynasty expelled the foreign Hyksos rulers, Amun, the patron god of Thebes, gradually became a national god. The pharaohs attributed their successful victories to him and invested a lot of money in it. Invested in the construction of temples. As Amun's worship became more and more widespread, he gradually merged with the sun god Ra and became Amun-Ra, symbolizing the power of creation and reproduction.
Amarna period
In the late eighteenth dynasty, Pharaoh Akhenaten promoted the Aten-centered religion and changed the religious pattern of Egypt. However, this fluctuation was opposed by the clergy of Ammon because they lost their original power. With Akhenaten's death, his successor Tutankhamun restored the old polytheistic religion, and the worship of Amun was revived.
"Amon, accept the prayer, the cry from the poor and distressed..."
This period is not only an era of revival of gods, but also a witness to the changes in the identities of gods. Amun was not only a god but also a symbol of national authority.
Decline and rebirth in the middle of the third level
Although the power of the god Amun slowly declined in the tenth century, the worship of Amun continued in Thebes, especially under the Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Nubia. He is regarded as the national god of Nubia in fountain catalogs and retains an important place in temples in the region.
Influence from the classical era and beyond
In the civilization that laid the foundations of ancient Egypt, the worship of Amun gradually blended into other cultures, including ancient Greece and Rome. In Greece, Amun was identified with Zeus, while in Rome, he was known as Jupiter-Ammon. Even after ancient times, Amon was mentioned in many documents, one after another in the Bible.
Amon’s name and worship methods continue to influence the evolution of history. Can his influence still be touched today?
