Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Winter 12-5-2018

Abstract

Amun-Ra, a God known to the Egyptians as titles such as the “Supreme God” was truly someone who Egyptians dare not offend. Symbolized by the ram expressing fertility and war, two powerful forces that both create and end humans. Though this may be true, he was not always known that way. Originally, Amun-Ra was known as Ra who was recognized as the “Sun God.” He not only created himself, but he was the creator of the entire universe. He was known to have so much power, that some historians believe that the ancient Egyptians had a monotheistic belief. Ra also possessed many stories known to the Egyptians such as bringing light to the sky for the people on Earth and the Underworld demonstrating his power. Amun on the other hand was a patron of pharaohs and combined with Ra and was later known as Amun-Ra. Though to the Egyptian people he was an important God, they could never imagine the influence that Amun-Ra would have for the future. Amun-Ra for one influenced the Greeks and the idea that Zeus according to them was the king of gods. Amun-Ra had an influence on Christianity and Judaism, two major Abrahamic religions that are still massively practiced today. As shown through this, it is clear to say that Amun-Ra had a strong influence on the different religions Abrahamic or not that occurred in the future after the downfall of the ancient Egyptians. In general, the fusion of the sun god Ra with the patron of pharaohs began a pattern of imagining a god with two sides, one that explained the nature and cosmos, and the other implied a concern for the individual people. Though Egyptians focused more on pharaohs, its evolution to concerning for the individual demonstrates the start of a shift from tyrannical rule.

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Presented at the Fall 2018 Student Scholar Symposium at Chapman University.

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