ATON

Aton. — From the Egyptian *jtu* “the disk,” it was the proper name of the sun’s disk, which Amenhotep IV (q.V. AMENOPHIS IV) took as the sole divinity of Egypt, thereby bringing on a severe religious persecution in the land. It was represented as a disk with rays ending in hands. In its honor Amenhotep IV founded a new capital which he called Ahetaton “the horizon of A.,” in which there stood a splendid temple dedicated to the god.