The Great Hymn to the Aten was found in the tomb of Ay, in the rock tombs at Akhetaten. It is attributed to Pharaoh Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) himself, and gives us a glimpse of the artistic outpouring of the Amarna period (14th century BC). Kheperkheperure–Irimaat Everlasting are the Manifestations of Re, who does what is right Nomen Itinetjer Ay Gods father, Ay Horus name Kanakht Tekhenkhau The strong bull, the one of glittering crowns Nebty name Sekhempehti dersetet Who is mighty of strength, who subdues the Asiatics Golden Horus Heqamaat sekhepertawy The... Amarna The site of Amarna (commonly known as el-Amarna or incorrectly as Tel el-Amarna; see below) (Arabic: العمارنة al-‘amārnä) is located on the east bank of the Nile River in the modern Egyptian province of al-Minya, some 58 km (38 miles) south of the city of... Pharaoh was the ancient Egyptian name for the office of kingship. ... Neferkheperre-waenre Beautiful are the Manifestations of Re[2] the one of Re Nomen Akhenaten Servant of the Aten[1] (after Year 4 of his reign) Amenhotep Horus name Kanakht-Meryaten The strong bull, beloved of the Aten Nebty name Wernesytemakhetaten Great of kingship in Akhetaten Golden Horus Wetjesrenenaten Who... Atenism (or the Amarna heresy) is one of the earliest monotheistic religions, associated above all with the eighteenth dynasty Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, better known under the name he later adopted, Akhenaten. ...

The hymn suggests that Akhenaten considered Aten (the disk of the sun) as the only god, and creator of the universe, particularly in the verses translated as: A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a god or other religiously significant figure. ... [1] Aten (or Aton) was the disk of the sun in ancient Egyptian mythology, and originally an aspect of Ra. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

How manifold it is, what thou hast made!

They are hidden from the face (of man).

O sole god, like whom there is no other!

Thou didst create the world according to thy desire,

Whilst thou wert alone: All men, cattle, and wild beasts,

Whatever is on earth, going upon (its) feet,

And what is on high, flying with its wings.

The countries of Syria and Nubia, the land of Egypt,

Thou settest every man in his place,

Thou suppliest their necessities:

Everyone has his food, and his time of life is reckoned.

Their tongues are separate in speech,

And their natures as well;

Their skins are distinguished,

As thou distinguishest the foreign peoples.

Thou makest a Nile in the underworld,

Thou bringest forth as thou desirest

To maintain the people (of Egypt)

According as thou madest them for thyself,

The lord of all of them, wearying (himself) with them,

The lord of every land, rising for them,

The Aton of the day, great of majesty.^[1]

Analysis

The hymn notes the depth of human sleep, awakening to daylight. Of lands, pastures, animals expressing the joy of warmth of sunlight, and of the growth of plants, and creatures in the daily sustenance of the sun.

The hymn portrays the sun as the giver of all life, plunging the land into darkness and danger during the night, to reawaken to life, daily work and praise with the dawn. There is great emphasis on the diversity and holiness of all living things, who praise the Aten with their every action.

Akhenaten's religious reforms (later regarded heretical and reverted by his successor Tutankhamun) have been described as the earliest known example of monotheistic thought and heralded as a possible indication that the Egyptians were the source of Judeo-Christian thought. Indeed, in the Amarna period, Akhenaten elevated his god, the Aten, to a supreme place in the pantheon, and he did conscript his followers to physically erase and expunge the names and images of other gods from monuments. The interpretation of the religion of the Amarna age as true monotheism, however, cannot be sustained in the light of simultaneous worship of other gods. Ma'at (Goddess- embodiment of truth and universal balance),both as a concept and as in her personification as a goddess, continued to be venerated, and indeed the presentation of her image reached new prominence in the Amarna age. The king and queen also, in some circumstances, were associated with the gods Shu (masculine- god of the area between Earth and Sky and of dry and arrid regions) and Tefnut (feminine- goddess of Earth and Sky and moisture, capable of manifesting herself in various forms, i.e. rain, hail, floods) respectively. Statuettes of Bes and other members of the original pantheon have been discovered in the houses at Amarna. The greatest objection to the religion of the Amarna age being true monotheism is the elevation of the king and his queen Nefertiti ( and perhaps, posthumously, Akhenaten's father, Amenhotep III) to divine status. The remaining vestiges of the old gods, as well as the "holy trinity" formed by Akhenaten, Nefertiti and the incarnation of the solar light as the Aten, consisted of yet another conventional grouping of gods, not the formation of a trascendant monotheistic godhead. Nebkheperure Lord of the forms of Re Nomen Tutankhaten Living Image of the Aten Tutankhamun Hekaiunushema Living Image of Amun, ruler of Upper Heliopolis Horus name Kanakht Tutmesut The strong bull, pleasing of birth Nebty name Neferhepusegerehtawy One of perfect laws, who pacifies the two lands[1] Wer-Ah-Amun... For the Celtic Frost album, see Monotheist (album) In theology, monotheism (from Greek one and god) is the belief in the existence of one deity or God, or in the oneness of God. ... [1] Maat, reconstructed to have been pronounced as * (Muh-aht)[2], was the Ancient Egyptian concept of law, morality, and justice[3] which was deified as a goddess. ... Shu may refer to: Scoville Heat Unit is a measurement of how hot a chile pepper is. ... In Egyptian mythology, Tefnut is a goddess of water and fertility, indeed her name means moist waters (i. ... The god Bes. ... Bust of Nefertiti from Berlins Altes Museum. ... Nebmaatre The Lord of Truth is Re[2] Nomen Amenhotep Hekawaset Amun is Satisfied, Ruler of Thebes[1] Horus name Kanakht Emkhaimaat The strong bull, appearing in truth Nebty name Semenhepusegerehtawy One establishing laws, pacifying the two lands Golden Horus Aakhepesh-husetiu Great of valour, smiting the Asiatics Consort(s...

Source

Religion in the lives of the ancients by Emily Teeter & Douglas J. Brewer

The Hymn has a remarkable similarity to Psalm 104, with which it is frequently compared. Wikisource has original text related to this article: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Psalm 103 in Septuagint based translations) is a poem in the Bible. ...

The "Hymn to the Aten" was set to music by Philip Glass in his opera Akhnaten. This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Akhnaten is an opera based on the life and religious convictions of the pharaoh Akhenaten (a. ...

References

External links

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Great Hymn to Aten

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Psalm 104