Ancient Egyptians viewed their gods and goddesses as close friends who lived with them in the temple-homes built for them, lakes and beyond the Nile River Valley. With over thousand gods and goddesses, there was room for one to worship one or multiple deities. The gods ranged from goddess Neith, one of the oldest of all Egyptian deities claimed to have birthed Atum (Ra), the sun god and all the other gods.
There is also Heka who pre-dates Neith. As was the Abydos Triad of Osiris, Isis, and Horus later to became the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in the new religion which had to destroy the old belief in order to achieve supremacy. Amun, Set and Nephthys also had their worshippers.
There had been co-existence of the gods for more than 3,000 years except when Akhenaten emerged (1353-1336 BCE) who revolutionized the spiritual path of ancient Egypt banning the worship of other gods for the sole worship of Aten, a personal deity he elevated.
Historians reckon Pharaoh Akhenaten insisted on a monotheistic reverence for the supreme god Aten as a way of containing the power of the priests of Amun who had become popular, wealthy and politically powerful.
Upon his death in 1336 BCE, his son Tutankhaten (1336-1327 BCE), took the throne, aged nine and ruled for only 10 years before dying at 19. Here are five other curious happenings associated with Tutankhamun’s time.
