Tell el Amarna
Middle Egypt Cult Center of the Egyptian Gods
Aten

The sun disc Aten was deified by Akhenaten and became the sole god of his reign. Aten was the giver of all life. Aten only spoke through the Pharaoh. The principle cult site of Aten was at Akhetaten (Tell el Amarna), although there was a temple built at Karnak and in some other cities. Akhetaten was purpose-built on a new site for the capital of Akhenaten.

It is unknown whether Akhenaten was trying to revive the cult of Re or he was using the change of religion to counter the influence of the cults of Amun. However, he seemed to personally devote himself to the religion, writing several hymns to the Aten that are still beautiful when read today.

As the temples of Amun and the other gods of Egypt were economic centers of exchange and tax collection, the change to a single god with only one head priest, Akhenaten, who sequestered himself at a new and distant city, was destined to fail for economic reasons alone.

The naturalistic art of the Aten reinvigorated Egyptian Art and the portrayal of the "truth" of daily life in the tomb scenes have left a legacy of knowledge, even though the cult was rigorously suppressed after the death of Akhenaten, and much was destroyed.

Middle Egypt Cult Centers of Egyptian Gods

Gods of Egypt Seth Triad - Wadjet - Nefertem - Neith - Banebdjed - Osiris - The Ennead - Memphis Triad - Apis Bull - Mnevis Bull - Seth - Ptah - Ra - Sekhmet - Bastet - Atum - Thoth - The Ogdoad - Maat - Sobek - Pakhet - Aten - Abydos Triad - Theban Triad - Buchis Bull - Amun-Min-Re - Montu - Khnum - Horus - Hapy - Isis - Horus the Elder - Hathor - Deir el Bahri - Meretseger - Hathor - Dendera - Min - Nebket - Osiris - Anubis - Seth - Sobek

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