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Difference between revisions of "Amun-Ra"
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Subsequently, when Egypt conquered Kush, they identified the chief deity of the Kushites as Amun. This Kush deity was depicted as ram-headed, more specifically a woolly ram with curved horns. Amun thus became associated with the ram arising from the aged appearance of the Kush ram deity, and depictions related to Amun sometimes had small ram's horns, known as the Horns of Ammon. A solar deity in the form of a ram can be traced to the pre-literate Kerma culture in Nubia, contemporary to the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Since rams were considered a symbol of virility, Amun also became thought of as a fertility deity, and so started to absorb the identity of Min, becoming Amun-Min. This association with virility led to Amun-Min gaining the epithet Kamutef, meaning "Bull of his mother," in which form he was found depicted on the walls of Karnak, with an erect penis, carrying a scourge, as Min was. | Subsequently, when Egypt conquered Kush, they identified the chief deity of the Kushites as Amun. This Kush deity was depicted as ram-headed, more specifically a woolly ram with curved horns. Amun thus became associated with the ram arising from the aged appearance of the Kush ram deity, and depictions related to Amun sometimes had small ram's horns, known as the Horns of Ammon. A solar deity in the form of a ram can be traced to the pre-literate Kerma culture in Nubia, contemporary to the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Since rams were considered a symbol of virility, Amun also became thought of as a fertility deity, and so started to absorb the identity of Min, becoming Amun-Min. This association with virility led to Amun-Min gaining the epithet Kamutef, meaning "Bull of his mother," in which form he was found depicted on the walls of Karnak, with an erect penis, carrying a scourge, as Min was. | ||
As the cult of Amun grew in importance, Amun became identified with the chief deity who was worshipped in other areas during that period, namely the [[sun]] god [[Ra]]. This identification led to another merger of identities, with Amun becoming Amun-Ra. In the ''Hymn to Amun-Ra'' he is described as: "Lord of truth, father of the gods, maker of men, creator of all animals, Lord of things that are, creator of the staff of life." | As the [[cult]] of Amun grew in importance, Amun became identified with the chief deity who was worshipped in other areas during that period, namely the [[sun]] god [[Ra]]. This identification led to another merger of identities, with Amun becoming Amun-Ra. In the ''Hymn to Amun-Ra'' he is described as: "Lord of truth, father of the gods, maker of men, creator of all animals, Lord of things that are, creator of the staff of life." | ||
==Decline== | ==Decline== | ||
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==Worship outside Egypt== | ==Worship outside Egypt== | ||
In areas outside Egypt where the Egyptians had previously brought the cult of Amun his worship continued into classical antiquity, even after the god was no longer revered inside Egypt. | In areas outside Egypt where the Egyptians had previously brought the [[cult]] of Amun his worship continued into classical antiquity, even after the god was no longer revered inside Egypt. | ||
===Nubia and Sudan=== | ===Nubia and Sudan=== | ||