Aten (deity)

Aten is the disk of the sun in ancient Egyptian religion and mythology, and originally an aspect of the god Ra. The deified Aten is the focus of the religion of Atenism established by Amenhotep IV, who later took the name Akhenaten in worship and recognition of Aten. In his poem "Great Hymn to the Aten", Akhenaten praises Aten as the creator, giver of life, and nurturing spirit of the world. Aten does not have a Creation Myth or family but is mentioned in the Book of the Dead. The worship of Aten was eradicated by Horemheb. Akhenaten used an Apple of Eden, believing that it was the Aten itself. His son and successor, Tutankhamun took up the relic, but gave it to the priests of Amun at the Temple of Karnak in Thebes to restore balance. By the Ptolemaic Dynasty, the God's Wife of Amun, Isidora, began using the Aten to exact vengeance on grave robbers for the death of her mother, Nitokris