Amun

**Amun**, also known as **Amon** or **Ammon**, is the enigmatic Egyptian god of creation, who was later fused with the solar deity Re to form the high-god **Amun-Re**.

## Overview

### Family & rank

Amun was originally one of the Ogdoad, the eight primordial (four frog-headed males and their snake-headed female consorts) deities of creation worshiped in the city Hermopolis. Amun and his female counterpart Amaunet represented hiddenness and/or the wind. The other pairs of the Ogdoad were Nu and Naunet (water), Heh and Hehet (infinity) and Kek and Kauket (darkness).

Different variant of Amun would Mut, a great mother goddess, as his consort, with whom he would conceive Khonsu, the god of the Moon. This family triad of mother, father and son was common among Ancient Egyptian deities, and could be also seen with Osiris, Isis and Horus or Ptah, Sekhmet and Nefertem.

### Amun the creator

Amun, being originally associated with eight primordial Ogdoad-deities of Hermopolis, was always connected to the act of creating the world. Here he was often known as *Amun kematef* (Amun who has completed his moment), who appeared as a serpentine being.

Other theology (notably in Thebes) around Amun as the creator include the title of Kneph, the eternal of self-engendering god who created the world through his thoughts.

### Amun the solar god, king and creator

Amun became the king of the gods when he was fused with Re, the god of the sun and another creator deity, becoming Amun-Re, who serves as the ontological source of everything. He would also be associated later on with Ptah, the creator god and patron of craftsmen and architects.

### Amun and other cultures

In the times of Alexander the Great (about 300 BCE), Amun became associated with Zeus, the Greek god of the sky and thunder as well as head of the pantheon, often called **Zeus Ammon**.

The god is also mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament:

> The LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will punish Amon, the god of Thebes, and all the other gods of Egypt. I will punish its rulers and Pharaoh, too, and all who trust in him.
>
> Jeremiah 46:25

### Demonisation

In Christian and Occult demonology Amun is reclassified as Amon, also known Aamon or Nahum, who is a Marquis of Hell and appears as a hybrid between a wolf, serpent and a raven. The demon is associated with the occult arts of divination, forced love and reconciliation of enemies.

## Pop Culture

* Within Mike Mignola's Hellboy-comics, one of the Ogdru Jahad, the main antagonists of the whole story, is named after Amon. The other Ogdru Jahad are also named after other Mesopotamian and Egyptian gods, which are named Adad, Belili, Irra, Numrat, Nun, and Nergal.

## References

1. ↑ Wilkinson, Richard. *The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt*
2. ↑ Assman, Jan, *Amun* (p.29), in Toorn, Karel van der; Bob Becking; Pieter W. van der Horst. *Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible*
3. ↑ Wilkinson, Richard. *The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt*
4. ↑ Wilkinson, Richard. *The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt*
5. ↑ Wilkinson, Richard. *The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt*
6. ↑ Wilkinson, Richard. *The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt*
7. ↑ Wilkinson, Richard. *The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt*
8. ↑ Wilkinson, Richard. *The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt*
9. ↑ Bane, Theresa. *Encyclopedia Of Demons In World Religions And Cultures*