Ashmolean Museum UK
Amun, the Hidden One and Ra, light of the sun, join forces to make Amun-Ra, the hidden divinity of the sun’s power. The powers of darkness and light is the representation of duality. The universal Law of Polarity teaches us the nature of opposing forces in our lives. We possess a shadow side, indicative of the energies we came to this incarnation to balance, so we can walk in the glory of our personal sun. This is the light we present to the world, potentially as powerful and bright as the noon day sun; our highest self.
Aries the Ram was Khepra in the days of ancient Kemet (Egypt). The morning sun begins to rise in the sign of Aries, between the hours of 6-8am. In gestation, we are protected by the amniotic fluid of our mother’s womb. After 36 weeks, the waters of Nun breaks, and we dive headfirst through the darkness of the birth canal into the light of the world. The Ram is also the Lamb of God, who represents the children. Above, Taharqa (Tirhakah), the Kushite king of the 25th dynasty (690-664 BCE) stands under the ram, whose horns represent fertility. Amun is the king of kings, and creator neter/god who is said to have created himself and the universe. He also destroys, and is considered the god of war as well.
Amun is spelled several ways to include Ammon, Amon, and Amen. This archetype is the inspiration for the pantheon of neteru (gods/spirits of nature), and the conclusion of our prayers. The name Amun inspired, and is represented in the three most popular religions, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, in addition to others. The etymology of the word Ammon is considered Hebrew for teacher or builder, associated with Jupiter in Rome, and Zeus in Greece. It is the prefix of several words, such as ammonia, a plant that grows in Libya in particular, yet found throughout North Africa, and Asia.
In biology, Ammon is associated with the spiral, which builds upon itself and is most recognizable in the nautilus shell. Since it is impossible to examine the milky way spiral as close, we study the spiral of the nautilus shell as one of the best examples of sacred geometry. We add the number or unit presenting itself to the former number to achieve the next, i.e., 1+1=2, 2+1=3, 3+2=5, 5+3=8, 8+5=13 and so on. This spiral progression is also known as the Fibonacci sequence. From the builder’s perspective, even today, it is called an amenity.
The nautiloid is a sub-classification of ammonoids from the Carboniferous period, which stemmed from around 416 million years ago to around 250 million years ago. This period is the fifth subset of the Paleozoic era, which is Greek for ancient life. The Permian era, which follows, is divided into four epochs lasting from 541 million years to 252 mya, and right before the greatest earth extinction event of all time. We lost approximately 90% of marine life and 70% of terrestrial vertebrae animals. Dinosaurs came 50 million years later.
This carboniferous period produced carbon (motion) based plants and cephalopods, which are part of the mollusc family of octopus, squid, and cuttlefish; while the trilobite is an arthropod; an invertebrate with multiple appendages.The trilobite was also part of the Paleozoic epoch, produced in the Cambrian era, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. This is important because marine arthropods, like the trilobite, was the first known to have eyes. I’m going somewhere with this, so roll with me.
According to Baba Kaba Hiawatha Kamene, eyes are made of pure melanin. Ammonoids, as seen above,and nautiloids produced shells instead of exoskeleton. These shells generated septum. Septa are walls dividing each gas and/or fluid chamber of these creatures. Could the gas be related to ammonia? Yes, it is related, while the ink is a form of melanin, used as a defense against predators, as well as to capture prey. We now know these marine creatures to be highly intelligent, with an IQ around 40 according to experts. Melanin, produced by the pineal gland in humans, is carbon based, and a source of intelligence. Because cephalopods, meaning head-feet, are so clever, shells have become obsolete in many species.
The ink from cephalopods is currently used in medicine for high blood pressure, considered for anti-cancer drugs, and several other breakthrough applications. Yet, this ink has been used for thousands of years for a host of chemical compounds (Natl Library of Medicine, 2014). Ammonoid fossils, often called snake stones, eventually become crystalized in the earth to produce the rainbow effect similar to opal and moonstone. They are used as gemstones called ammonite, related to the signs Aquarius and Cancer. Ammonites are associated with the third eye chakra according to Fire Mountain Gems and Beads in Grants Pass, OR.
The metaphysical significance of the spiral feature of ammonoids relate to the rising of kundalini energy, the life force. Could this be the reason Alexander of Greece blew off the noses of Kemetian (Egyptian) monoliths? The septum contains the breath of life. If the life force is no longer present, nor is the spirit or energy. Before the energy rises through the chakra system of the living, it lies dormant at the base of the root chakra in a snake-like spiral.
Amniote eggs are important to reptiles, birds and tertiary mammals like us. The protective shell over the fluid membrane, paved the way for the evolution of land births. “Which came first, chicken or the egg”? Well, now we can answer that question. As for “why the chicken crossed the road” well, perhaps people were bulldozing its habitat.
The stratigraphy of the carboniferous period consisted of a two-layer system of soil and rock. The Mississippian subsystem, which is the limestone layer of the southern hemisphere, and Pennsylvanian layer which is the coal bearing system of the northern hemisphere. Most of this subsystem was made from fossilized ammonoids. Both subsystems were part of supercontinents Gondwana and Laurasia, separated by the Tethys ocean.
The supercontinent, Gondwana, which is modern day Africa, South America, India, Australia, Antartica, and Madagascar crashed into Laurasia which contained present day Europe, North America, and Asia. In time, continental drift eventually produced the single land mass, Pangea. This supercontinent ultimately separated only to collide again to make the mountains of Appalachia, the Hercynian of the Uk, as well as those of Ural in Siberia in combination with the Eastern shores of Europe. Although Mother Gaia/Earth has been repopulated with new life, our climate is going through another transformation.
In summary, while we are still identifying new creatures of the deep, over 60% of marine life have become extinct in the past 50 years. Many of our favorite land animals have faced extinction as well. As the most intelligent among them, being humans, we are less fertile, and at war in places we once considered Eden.
Are we balancing the forces of Amun-Ra? As the youth continues to search for Eden, wise elders can tell you, “…they’ve paved paradise and put up a parking lot” long time ago. Now, there are very few places for wildlife to even lay eggs. However, we should extend gratitude to those dedicated to the cause. As for the rest of us, we’re dedicated to our screens, our money, relationships, and for a few… just sitting around counting crows, and yellow taxis.
Sheila T. Zimmerman ’22
References
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Counting Crows & Carlton, Vanessa. “Big Yellow Taxi”. Geffen Records. 2002 version.
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Fire Mountain Gems and Beads
https://www.firemountaingems.com/resources/encyclobeadia/gem-notes/j144. Accessed July 24, 2022.
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Speer, Brian. (Aug. 1995). (Reformatted Jun. 2009; Smith, Dave) “Introduction to the Amniota”.https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/taxa/verts/amniota.php. Accessed July 19, 2022.
https://www.ashmolean.org/ram-of-amun-re
Trilobites for sale. Fossil Era.
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A Small Corner of the Universe 