Aten

Glossaries

Term	Definition
Aten	Aten, in Egyptian mythology, is the sun disk god who became the focus of a monotheistic cult under Pharaoh Akhenaten. Aten, depicted as the sun disk, is a deity from ancient Egypt whose worship was particularly promoted by Pharaoh Akhenaten during the 14th century BCE. Unlike other Egyptian gods, Aten was not depicted with a human or animal form but solely as a radiant disk. In his religious reform, Akhenaten elevated Aten above all other deities, declaring him the sole god and creator of the universe. This period of exclusive worship of Aten is known as the Amarna Period. As a solar deity, Aten was considered the father of the pharaoh, thus enhancing the divine status of the king himself. After Akhenaten’s death, the cult of Aten was largely abandoned in favor of a return to traditional polytheism.

Term

Definition

Aten, in Egyptian mythology, is the sun disk god who became the focus of a monotheistic cult under Pharaoh Akhenaten.

Aten, depicted as the sun disk, is a deity from ancient Egypt whose worship was particularly promoted by Pharaoh Akhenaten during the 14th century BCE. Unlike other Egyptian gods, Aten was not depicted with a human or animal form but solely as a radiant disk. In his religious reform, Akhenaten elevated Aten above all other deities, declaring him the sole god and creator of the universe. This period of exclusive worship of Aten is known as the Amarna Period. As a solar deity, Aten was considered the father of the pharaoh, thus enhancing the divine status of the king himself. After Akhenaten’s death, the cult of Aten was largely abandoned in favor of a return to traditional polytheism.