Sun Worship

The veneration of the Sun or Sun God or Goddess can be found throughout history. Many of these beliefs have been recorded in various forms and can be found in numerous ancient cultures. Solar Gads and the different aspects of the sun's power and strength has passed down through the ages. The Solar boat or chariot is found in ancient Egypt with the Gods Ra and Horus.

Archaeologists are studying the ancient structures that align the Sun and other celestial bodies such as Stonehenge with the appearance of the Sun at the Summer and Winter Solstices. This knowledge of the solar cycles when used as a calendar could have dictated the social leaders of these ancient cultures as o when the agricultural cycles off the year were best for the people. The influence of the Sun on agriculture built them into strong urban civilizations.

The Sun as the giver of light and life to the world is associated with justice and the light of right. The Sun was considered to be the source of wisdom/ The qualities of the Sun reflected the idea if sovereignty and was often a symbol of divine power. The concept of Kingship as understood by ancient civilizations, the King is sacred, who brings order and fertility to the society, and as he prospers and is blessed by the Gods so are the people of the land. The Sun is an All Seeing God who observes good and evil behavior dispelling darkness.,

In ancient Egypt the Sun was significant in the religion and there are hieroglyphics with symbols of the Sun accompanying the Pharaoh. The God Horus was the Sun at sunrise Ra the Sun at noonday and Osiris the sunset.

Thee Aztecs and the Mayas also worshiped the Sun and their complex calenders developed from their belief in Solar deities. The myths of other civilizations , such as, Baal, Apollo, Marduk were also associated with the Sun.

Th Sun occupied an important place in myth and ritual/ In Peru the ruler was an incarnation of the Sun God Inti. The theme of the mourning of an heir and the withholding or overabundance of rain or sun; the resurrection and the return of fertility may be accounted for the Summer droughts and its eventual breaking.

Ancient cultures marveled at the celestial bodies, the Sun, the Moon and the Stars and Constellations because of their power and strength which gave rise to the practice of Sun worship. People looked for the Creators or their Supreme Gods from Nature and the Sun with it's regular cycles and its impact of the lives of the people gave a culture a place in the Universe. Sun worship was a driving force in the religion of many ancient cultures.