Khepri – A Sun God

The sun and worship of the sun was a central part of Ancient Egyptian religion. The sun was manifested in many different forms. One of the most recognised forms was that of Khepri.

Khepri was the Sun god creator in the form of a dung beetle (Hart, 2005). He Represented the sun god at dawn in the east (Hart, 2005).

He was depicted at times riding/sitting in the morning, barque (Assmann, 2001). Or as he pushed the sun disk up in the morning from the underworld (Hart, 2005). Just like the dung beetle pushing a ball of dung across the ground.

He was considered to be self-creating. This because the dung beetle gives the appearance of being “born” from the dung ball. The ancient Egyptians didn’t quite understand that the dung beetle laid its larvae in the dung ball.

Khepri was also closely connected to the god Atum. At time Atum and Khepri were considered to be’ one and the same’ (Assmann, 2001)

He was also associated with the concept of change in time. This concept is also related to the stream of time like days, months, seasons and years. (Assmann, 2001)

A lot of Tutankhamun’s jewellery included a depiction of Khepri. (Fletcher, 2002)

Jewellery was made in his shape to correct the wearer to him and for good luck. (Hart, 2005)

Bibliography

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

Fletcher, J. (2002). The Egyptian Book of Living and Dying.London: Duncan Baird Publishers.

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