AMUN

Amun (also known as Amon or Amen) is the most significant deity of the Egyptian New Kingdom. His name is synonymous with the unseen forces of the cosmos.

Ancient Egyptian Name	𓇋𓏠𓈖 (Imn)
Phonetic Pronunciation	Ah-mun
Literal Meaning	“The Hidden One”
Theological Concept	Invisibility, Breath, and Omnipresence

The name reflects his nature as a god who is everywhere but can be seen nowhere—the "breath of life" that sustains all creatures.

Amun began as a local deity in Thebes (Waset) during the Old Kingdom. Originally, he was a god of the air and wind, part of the elemental forces of nature.

• Middle Kingdom Rise: He gained prominence when Theban princes unified Egypt, becoming the patron of the ruling family.
• Air & Breath: His original element allowed him to be perceived as the invisible force that allows for life and movement.

In the Hermopolitan system, Amun and his female counterpart Amaunet represented the concept of "Hiddenness."

Concept	Male Deity	Female Deity
Primeval Waters	Nun	Naunet
Infinity	Heh	Hauhet
Darkness	Kek	Kauket
Hiddenness	Amun	Amaunet

During the New Kingdom, the "Hidden" power of Amun was merged with the "Visible" authority of the sun god Ra. This created Amun-Ra, the supreme state deity.

The Universal Sovereign

• Fusion of Opposites: Amun (Invisible) + Ra (Visible) = The Totality of Existence.
• Political Power: As Amun-Ra, he was the divine protector of the Empire and the guarantor of Ma'at.
• Lord of Kings: Pharaohs claimed their right to rule through his divine lineage.

Later theology elevated Amun to a transcendent level. He was viewed as a self-created being who existed before any other god or matter. He "manifested" himself as Ptah or Atum to create the world, but remained "hidden" behind their forms.

In Thebes, Amun was part of a divine family that governed the spiritual life of the capital:

• Amun: The Father and King.
• Mut: The Mother Goddess (The Great Queen).
• Khonsu: The Son and Moon God (The Navigator).

Amun's visual identity emphasized his royal status and creative power:

• The Plumed Crown: A man wearing a crown with two tall ostrich feathers (symbolizing the duality of air/sky).
• The Ram: His primary sacred animal, symbolizing creative strength and virility.
• The Goose: A symbol of the first sound made at creation (the "Great Honker").

The power of the Priesthood of Amun became so great it threatened the Pharaoh. Akhenaten attempted to abolish Amun's cult in favor of the Aten (the solar disk). After his death, the cult of Amun was restored with even greater ferocity by Tutankhamun (originally Tutankhaten).

Amun was the center of Egypt's most spectacular celebrations:

• The Opet Festival: Amun's statue traveled from Karnak to Luxor Temple to renew the King's Ka.
• Beautiful Feast of the Valley: Amun visited the necropolis on the West Bank to bless the ancestors and the dead.

Core Role	King of the Gods, Creator, Protector of Kings
Primary Symbol	Tall Double Plumes, Ram, Ankh
Main Temple	Karnak (Thebes)
Theological Legacy	The concept of a transcendent, unseen supreme deity