Atum: The Creator God and the Setting Sun of Ancient Egypt

Atum: The Creator God and the Setting Sun of Ancient Egypt

As many of you know I have been learning a little bit about some of the many ancient Egyptian gods. So today I want to tell you a little bit about Atum.

Atum was seen as a creator who emerged from the chaotic waters before anything else existed. There was nothing no land, no sky, no people. From that stillness, Atum was believed to have brought into existence the first gods, beginning the process of creation.

As Egyptian belief developed, Atum became connected with the setting sun. While other forms of the sun represented different times of day, Atum was linked to its setting.

Atum was part of a cycle, connected with other aspects of the sun’s journey. There were several ancient gods connected to the sun. Ra was the midday sun, Khepri the rising sun, and Atum the setting sun.

The idea that the sun could be different at dawn, midday, and dusk.

Image info;

Atum wearing a simple kilt with the Double Crown, Osiris is shown with the more elaborate Atef crown

Date: 1400- 1353BC

Collection: Museo Egizio