Atenism

Atenism was not a physical artifact but rather the first known monotheistic religious system in ancient Egypt, established by Pharaoh Akhenaten around 1353-1336 BCE. It centered on the worship of the Aten, represented as the sun disk with rays ending in hands, replacing the traditional Egyptian pantheon. This religious revolution involved the closure of temples to other deities, the erasure of other gods' names, and the establishment of a new capital city at Amarna. The artistic style during this period was distinctively different, showing more naturalistic and intimate scenes of the royal family, with the Aten's rays blessing them from above.