Atum

“self-begotten,” “Atum: “who created the Nine Gods (1).” *

Atum is an aspect of the sun god Re (Fletcher, 2009) and He was the head of the Ennead (nine gods) (Oakes & Gahlin, 2006). Atum was often depicted with the double crown of upper and lower Egypt (Oakes & Gahlin, 2006). A number of animals are sacred to the Atum, the lion, bull, ichenumon, and lizard (Hart, 2005). Atum was often connected with Khepri, they were considered to one and the same. Khepri was the sun god in the morning and Atum was the sun god in the evening (Assmann, 2001).

Atum is on the right.

His name has the idea of totality in the form of the ultimate state of perfection. (Hart, 2005)He also held the tile “lord to the limits of the sky” (Oakes & Gahlin, 2006). His name and titles demonstrate how important and central Atum was in the Egyptian pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. 

He was called the Lord of Heliopolis (Hart, 2005)where his cult was located (Oakes & Gahlin, 2006). Atum appears in the Heliopolis creation myth (Watson, 2010). 

He emerged from the silent waters of “nun” (Fletcher, 2009). Atum is also considered to be the god who “in the beginning was everything, existence is impossible before his creation (Hornung, 1996). Atum is the father of Shu and Tefnut (Hart, 2005), He is said to have masturbated his children in to existence. (Fletcher, 2009)

Every living creature was believed to be a part of Atum’s ‘flesh,’ and every particular thing was claimed to be one of the millions of the deity’s kas. This viewpoint not only underlined the god’s supremacy in arriving before, but also his importance as a ubiquitous divinity. Atum is regarded as the one who accomplishes and completes everything. Atum claims that at the end of time, he will destroy all he has created and revert to his primordial snake form (Wilkinson, 2003). Atum was recognized not just as the creator, but also as the first creation.

Atum played an essential role in the coronation of the king of Eypt. This showed that he was the ultimate source of divine power. (Hart, 2005). In the Kuban Stela: Eulogy to Ramesses II, Pharaoh was described as the living image of Atum on earth (Ockinga). He is believed to the lift the dead pharaoh from the pyramid to the stars (Oakes & Gahlin, 2006). Atum and his association with the Pharaoh was essential to legitimise the political and religious power of the monarchy. 

He originally he was associated with the dead king, as time went on he become the protector of the dead on their way to the afterlife. (Oakes & Gahlin, 2006)

*The Shabaka Stone, The Shabaka Stone was dedicated by the Kushite pharaoh Neferkare, i.e. Shabaka (711-697). The stela is 92 x 138 cm in size. The text is arranged in 62 vertical columns and 2 horizontal rows across the top. Twenty-three of the columns have been worn away. 

(1) ” the nine gods” In  Egyptian mythology is the Ennead (“the Nine”) is the name given to the pantheon of the great theological center Heliopolis.(Leeming, 2005) It was made up of nine God’s, Atum, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys.

Bibliography

Assmann, J. (2001). The Search for God in Ancient Egypt.New York: Cornell University Press.

Fletcher, J. (2009). The Egyptian Book of Living and Dying.London: Duncan Baird Publishers.

Hart, G. (2005). The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses.New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.

Hornung, E. (1996). Conceptions of Godin Ancient Egypt.New York: Cornell University Press.

Oakes, L., & Gahlin, L. (2006). Ancient Egypt.London: Hermes House.

Ockinga, y. B. (n.d.). Ancient Egyptian Religion: An anthology of Primary Sources.Macquarie University.

Watson, A. (2010).Ancient Egypt.Brisbane: Lulu.

Wilkinson, R. (2003). The complete gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt. London: Thames & Hudson.