The historian Lewis Spence writes: Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! It was envisioned as a sun disk whose rays ended in hands touching and caressing those on earth. Stela of AkhenatenOsama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright). ruled an Egyptian empire, extending into Syria, Palestine and the Sudan . When Amenhotep IV took the throne in 1352 or 1353 B.C.E., Egypt was arguably the most prosperous and dominant state in the ancient world. It is more plausible that these formal exaggerations represent the metamorphic nature of the god Atons light. Darkness falls city by city, nation by nation. His father had built his authority on the basis of being a divine representative of Re, the Egyptian sun god. Create an account to start this course today. Abstract. More simply, the remarkable innovations of Amenhotep IV in several cultural spheres at once may be reasonably viewed as a manifestation of the intimate connection in Egyptian culture between art and religion. Only a few years after he took the throne, he changed his name to Akhenaten, meaning 'Living Spirit of Aten,' and proclaimed himself to be the only conduit through which the living world could speak to Aten. He was the son of Pharaoh Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye . Further, Re's representationa falcon-headed goddisappeared to be replaced by a new form called Aten, a solar disc extending rays of light ending in curved hands bearing gifts to the king and queen. Step Two was enacted when he sent his workers to remove all . Discover the true identity of Avenger Prime, check out the finale of 'Strange,' get tangled in a 'Dark Web,' and more in this week's comics! The only preserved architecture from Karnak indicates that these courts were flanked by roofed porticos with colossal statues of the king placed against the pillars. in history and taught university and high school history. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt. Scholars have argued in favor of monotheism, henotheism, agnosticism and almost everything in between. Elongated, spindly limbs and narrow eyes figure prominently in depictions of the royal family during this period, causing some scholars to wonder whether Akhenaten had a medical condition such as Marfan syndrome. The king himself took responsibility for its cosmologically significant master plan. The funerary religion of Osiris was dropped, and Akhenaten became the source of blessings for people after death. There is some evidence that he took the legendary beauty Nefertiti as a consort while he was co-king, although she is not acknowledged as queen until after Amenhotep IV began his transformation. 721 Words. Akhenaten's revolution became ugly as time progressed. By the time of Amenhotep IV, the cult of Amun owned more land than the king. Akhenaten remains an interesting figure, as does his Queen, Nefertiti. Learn for free about math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more. The city of Akhenaten was abandoned and the court returned to Thebes. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. The mad Titan Thanos, seeking the Heart of the Infinite's power for his own ends, teamed with the Defenders (Doctor Strange, Hulk, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and Silver Surfer) and Captain Marvel (Genis-Vell) to infiltrate the Cosmic Order's space station. Brahman. However, one pharaoh tried to overthrow these gods and replace them with his own system. All Text & artwork is Mark Millmore. (2014, April 17). Not only was it rich, but it was at peace with its neighbors and well-positioned for long-term stability. By the time Amenhotep IV came to power, the priests of Amun were on almost equal standing with the royal house in wealth and influence. It is believed that it was her influence and power that made Akhenaten king. Amarna, Northern PalaceChanel Wheeler (CC BY-SA). When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. World History Encyclopedia, 17 Apr 2014. In Akhenaten's new religion, this figure generally came to be represented . Son of Amenhotep III and the chief queen, Tiya, Akhenaton succeeded to the throne as Amenhotep IV and took a throne name meaning "the sun's ultimate perfection, unique one of the sun," reflecting the . The pharaoh later erased the names of other gods from temples; the reason is unclear. How did Egyptian art change under Akhenaten? Although Akhenatens reign saw sweeping religious reforms and particular artistic developments, his legacy crumbled under later pharaohs. Without Egyptian influence in the region, traditional Egyptian enemies, such as the Hittites, grew in stature and expanded their territory at the expense of Egypt's allies. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. A kind of "Gladiator" set in the desert, it tells the story of Moses (played by Christian Bale), the Hebrew orphan raised in blissful ignorance and wealth in Pharaoh's palace. Later, the faces of both he and Nefertiti are drawn down, their limbs thin and elongated and their bodies bloated. - Act of Religion to promote his god of choice. His reign is known as the Amarna Period because he moved the capital of Egypt from the traditional site at Thebes to the city he founded, Akhetaten, which came to be known as Amarna (also Tell el-Amarna). Facial features were characterized by angular, slitted eyes, fleshy lips, nasolabial wrinkles, and holes for ear plugs, while the princesses are often each depicted with an inflated, egg-shaped cranium. The Wilbour Plaque, limestone plaque, c. 1352-1336 BCE, Brooklyn Museum . Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Akhenaten. $6.13 11 Used from $4.99 1 New from $19.95 1 Collectible from $14.94. Akhenaten (ca. The ancient Egyptian dynasties ruled the Nile Valley for thousands of years, worshipping a diverse pantheon of gods during most of that time. Few personalities of the ancient world excite as much interest for scholars, artists, religious believers and general public as Akhenaten, the Egyptian ruler who carried out a fundamental reform of religion and political ideology in the mid-14th century BCE. What religious reforms did Akhenaten make? The king most likely died during his 17th regnal year, as this is the highest date attested for him. At the same time, he abolished the old . His son succeeded him as Pharaoh, only to be murdered by General Horemheb, who eradicated all traces of Akhenaten and restored worship of the gods of old. The period surrounding this Egyptian kings reign was characterized by social, political and religious upheaval - the likes of which few cultures ever experience. Amenhotep IV continued that practice, but his attention was focused primarily on his connection to Re-Horakhty (Horus of the two horizons or God of the East), an aspect of Re. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. The Amarna Period is the most controversial era in Egyptian history and has been studied, debated, and written about more than any other. - Mythology & Facts, Who was Telemachus? When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Much has been written about this compelling, controversial pharaoh whose appearanceelongated and effeteis totally at odds with that of the traditional Egyptian ruler. Amenhotep IV may have been co-regent with his father, Amenhotep III, and it has been noted that the sun-disk known as the 'Aten' is displayed on a number of inscriptions from this period of the earlier king's reign. That same year Akhenaten moved his capital to a new site some 200 miles (300 km) north of Thebes. https://www.worldhistory.org/Akhenaten/. Akhenaten is a name that doesn't come up in casual conversation unless one happens to be an admirer of ancient Egyptian culture. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/akhenaten-4769554. Freud recognizes that the cult of Aten existed long before Akhenaten raised it to prominence but points out that Akhenaten added a component unknown previously in religious belief: "He added the something new that turned into monotheism, the doctrine of a universal god: the quality of exclusiveness" (24). Akhenaten's dedication to Aten died with him. (137), Nefertiti Offering to the AtenElsie McLaughlin (CC BY-NC-SA). Within the first few years of his rule, Amenhotep IV introduced sweeping changes in the spheres of religion, architecture, and art (see Amarna style). Akhenaten: Heretic and Pharaoh of New Kingdom Egypt. Their modern interest comes partly from his connection with Tutankhamun, partly from the unique style and high quality of the . Jade artifacts, especially in the form of circular discs, are primarily associated with ancient. View the full answer. The preponderance of the evidence, both from the Amarna letters and from Tutankhamun's later decree, as well as archaeological indications, strongly suggests that Akhenaten was a very poor ruler as far as his subjects and vassal states were concerned and his reign, in the words of Hawass, was an inward-focused regime that had lost interest in its foreign policy (45). - Stories, Character Traits & Analysis, Xenophanes of Colophon: Philosophy, Quotes & Biography, Empress Theodora: Biography, Facts & Quotes, Execution by Guillotine: Definition & Invention, Charles Martel: Biography & Battle of Tours, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. flashcard sets. His odd appearance in representations that he commissioned and his preoccupation with worshiping the sun-disc, or Aten, have stimulated a vast amount of academic discussion and controversy for more than . The pharaoh as a servant of the gods, & identified with a certain god was common practice, but no one before Akhenaten had proclaimed himself an actual god. However, the pharaoh's loyalty was not enough, and soon Akhenaten required that all of Egypt adopt his new god and abandon . Akhenaten's attempt to suppress one god and advance another in a culture that reveled in a complex pantheon of ever-changing deities did not endure. Akhenaten's mother, Queen Tiye, and one of his daughters died shortly after. Accessing and becoming one with the Heart of the Infinite, Thanos easily overpowered Akhenaten, leaving him to a vengeful Doom. Scribes jot down the words of the . Akhenaten and the Royal Family Blessed by AtenTroels Myrup (CC BY-NC-ND). The time for the Midnight Suns is NOW! The historian Barbara Watterson writes: By the ninth year of his reign, Akhenaten had proscribed the old gods of Egypt, and ordered their temples to be closed, a very serious matter, for these institutions played an important part in the economic and social life of the country. Each ray ended in a tiny hand with which the Aton might offer the sign of life to the king and queen or even embrace their limbs and crowns. Pharaoh Akhenaten. The young prince and future king grew up in this new and changing Egypt. Heads became larger than in the traditional style and were supported by elongated and slender necks. But this religious and artistic renaissance was short lived; Akhenaten made himself unpopular by closing the old temples, and his lack of enthusiasm for the practical duties of kingship was detrimental to Egypts Imperial interests. Akhenaten's religious reforms resulted in his being despised as 'the heretic king' by some while admired as a champion of monotheism by others. The end of Akhenatens reign is murky. He abandoned work on a temple dedicated to Re-Harakhte and began to build a new temple to worship the sun god Aten. To those who came after him in Egypt, however, he was the 'heretic king' and 'the enemy' whose memory needed to be eradicated. Scholars have speculated that he was perhaps a eunuch or a sufferer from a genetic disorder or . The Greek philosopher Xenophanes (c. 570 - c. 478 BCE) would later experience a similar vision that the many gods of the Greek city-states were vain imaginings and there was only one true god and, though he shared this vision through his poetry, he never established the belief as a revolutionary new way of understanding oneself and the universe. The Karnak colossi in particular show these new characteristics in notably exaggerated form, including one that apparently depicts the king without male genitalia. There is evidence that, as Amenhotep IV, he carried out building projects in Nubia, and there were temples to the Aten in Memphis and Heliopolis, and possibly elsewhere as well. What was unique about her was the she was not a Royal, as it was rare for kings . Akhenaten was an intellectual and philosophical revolutionary who had the power and wealth to indulge his ideas. Sigmund Freud, in his 1939 CE work Moses and Monotheism, argues that Moses was an Egyptian who had been an adherent of the cult of Aten and was driven from Egypt following Akhenaten's death and the return to the old religious paradigm. Scholars have theorized that perhaps the king suffered from a genetic disorder called Marfan's syndrome (Hawass, 36) which would account for these depictions of him and his family as so lean and seemingly oddly-proportioned. A hallmark of any monotheistic belief system, however, is that it encourages the belief that, in order for it to be right, other systems must necessarily be wrong. They had six daughters but no sons; the oldest, Meritaten and Ankhesenpaaten, were to become wives of their father. In this lesson we explore the reign of Akhenaten, the religiously zealous son of Amenhotep III who tried to initiate a profound shift in Egyptian religion, culture, and governance. Dr. Doom learned Akhenaten's origins, and traveled back in time to slay him before he gained power, but Akhenaten anticipated this and foiled him. This is categorically stated by English Egyptologist, Reeves (2001) who argues that El-Amarna was well structured and as mysterious as Akhenaten and . (42-43). Travel Grant for Underrepresented Students, Antiquities Endowment Fund (AEF) Projects, Research Supporting Members (RSM) Projects. Akhenaten believed that Aten, the sun disk, was the one true god. The first changes in the artistic representation of the king and Nefertiti began early in his reign. His priests secretly continued their polytheistic worship. His son, Tutankhamun (c. 1336-1327 BCE) was given the name Tutankhaten at birth but changed his name upon ascending the throne to reflect his rejection of Atenism and his return of the country to the ways of Amun and the old gods. A much more likely reason for this style of art, however, is the king's religious beliefs. in Aktuality. Akhenaten, also spelled Akhenaton, Akhnaton, or Ikhnaton, also called Amenhotep IV, Greek Amenophis, king (135336 bce) of ancient Egypt of the 18th dynasty, who established a new cult dedicated to the Aton, the suns disk (hence his assumed name, Akhenaten, meaning beneficial to Aton). Beginning with the first dynasty of the Old Kingdom, pharaohs held "sed festivals," over-the-top parties of eating, drinking, and dancing that were jubilees of kingly renewal. What is certain, though, is this new religion elevated the Aten to the position of state deity and centered largely on its worship. But uncertainties surround his demise. Books A religious reformer he made the Aten, the sun disc, the center of Egypt . The introduction of a new cult was accompanied by innovations in the portrayal of the human form in both relief and sculpture. At or shortly after the time of his accession, Amenhotep IV seems to have married the chief queen of his reign, Nefertiti. Such was the case for Egypt with Pharaoh Akhenaten. From documents and letters of the time, it is known that other nations, formerly allies, wrote numerous times asking Egypt for help in various affairs and that most of these requests were ignored by the deified king. But Amenhotep IV took his father's interest in Aten even further. During the reign of Akhenaten we find the first examples of the royal family being depicted in scenes from everyday life rather than in traditional, more formal settings. Akhenaten married the noblewoman Nefertiti about the time he became pharaoh, in 1353 BCE. This is unsurprising given the fact that the shift throughout Egypt in culture and religion was so immense. It had several royal greater-than-lifesized statues made in a new art style, located north of the temple of Amun, and near a mudbrick palace for the king. Later Horemheb razed the city to the ground and Rameses II reused the stone blocks of its temples for his work at nearby Hermopolis. Akhenaten's tomb was uncovered by the great archaeologist Flinders Petrie in 1907 CE and Tutankhamun's tomb, more famously, by Howard Carter in 1922 CE. Little is known about his life as a crown prince. A sculptor's model of Akhenaten, in Amarna style, c. 1353-1337 BCE, via The Louvre, Paris. Since October 1966, an expedition of the University Museum has been engaged in a study of polychrome relief-cut blocks from the Aten Temple built by Akhenaten at Thebes (modern Karnak) in the early years of his reign. In the long course of Egyptian history, few figures have been as polarizing as Akhenaten. In Hinduism, the Absolute Spirit is known as. To get right away from the influences . 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