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Why was the sun often associated with growth, knowledge, light, and warmth?
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Nature worship
Detail of Religion, mural in lunette from the Family and Education series by Charles Sprague Pearce, 1897; in the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.
In the context of nature worship, the sunās association with growth, knowledge, light, and warmth stems from its observable role as the primary sustainer of life and its dominance over the cosmos.12
- Growth and Warmth: The sun is recognized as the ultimate source of energy for biological processes. Its cyclical nature, which causes plants to grow and wither, led early agricultural and pastoral societies to connect the sunās vitality directly to fertility and the provision of food. By providing essential light and warmth, the sun acts as a counterforce to the chaotic, destructive effects of darkness.32
- Knowledge and Light: The connection between light and enlightenment is nearly universal in human thought. Because the sun dominates the world and its all-seeing eye observes everything, it is frequently viewed as a source of wisdom and a guarantor of justice. This perception of the sun as an all-knowing, sovereign power made it a central figure in the ideology of many urban civilizations, where rulers often claimed descent from the sun to legitimize their authority.12