Akhenaton

Our favorite pharaoh is probably the 18th dynasty Akhenaton, who ruled 1364-1347 BC. Maybe it is because we already knew him before we came to Egypt from Philip Glass’ best opera with the same name. Maybe it is because he was the pharaoh that started a new monotheistic religion worshipping only the sun god Aten. Maybe it is because the Egyptian art from the period he lived became very distinct with humans figures with exaggerated features, often very feminine. Or maybe it is because of the mystery surrounding him, his wife Nefertiti and his son Tutankhamen, the young pharaoh.

Colosal head of Akhenaten in a double crown (Luxor Museum)

Akhenaton started as Amenhotep IV and changed his name to Akhenaton when he started the religion of the Aten. He also transferred the capital of Egypt from Thebes to Amarna. This is how he tried to stop the influence of the powerful priests of Thebes. He only ruled for 16 years followed but only 2 years (?) of his wife Nefertiti and his son Tutankhamen, by a minor wife, ruled for 9 years as the 11th king of the 18th dynasty. Under Tutankhamen the religious transition was reversed, the old temples were reopened and Egypt’s fortunes were restored after the disaster of his father's reign.


Much of Akhenaton’s legacy was destroyed and erased. Many ancient pharaoh lists and historic accounts omit Akhenaton and the Amarna period completely. His name is often erased from buildings or overwritten with the name of a later pharaoh. This is why Akhenaton is surrounded with mystery and much of the art from this period is lost.

The interesting aspect of the art in the Amarna period is that it is radically different from the “classic” Egyptian style of art of the periods before and after the Amarna period. Statues and murals exaggerate human features and feminine forms. Typical are the big skulls, fat lips, wide hips and often a belly. The exaggerated feminine forms, displayed on both male and female figures, and equally on figures of Akhenaton himself inspired some controversial speculation that Akhenaton could be gay.

Amarna style statues with feminine forms

Before we visited Tell al Amarna we had already seen some of this Amarna style art at the tombs of the Nobles on the west bank of Luxor a few days before on December 29th. The tomb of Ramose, who was a governor under Amenhotep III and Akhenaton, showed some of the typical Amarna style sun god murals. Where the sun (god) is displayed with sunrays with little hands at the end of the ray. Ramose's tomb at Thebes was never finished as he decided to follow Akhenaton to Tell al Amarna.








Entrance to Tomb of Ramose

The Luxor museum also boasts impressive Amarna art. There is an enormous wall made of sandstone blocks, named talatat or threes (probably because their height and length was abound 3 hand lengths), with scenes from the Amarna period. About 40,000 of these blocks where only found in the sixties as a filler inside the 9th Pylon of Karnak. It shows how everything was done in the periods after Akhenaton to erase his legacy. The partially reassembled wall shows Akhenaton and his wife Nefertiti and scenes of temple life in the typical Amarna style.

Part of a wall from the Temple of Akhenaten at Karnak
Removed from the interior of the Ninth Pylon where the blocks or 'talatat' had been used as rubble core
(Luxor Museum)

Tell al Amarna site on Google Earth

Tell al Amarna is the area where Akhenaton started the new city of Akhetaten (Horizon of the Aten), which served as Egypt's capital for 14 years. It is situated in a wadi plain on the east bank of the Nile. The once glorious city of palaces, temples and residences was completely surrounded by a high cliff in the east and the Nile in the west. The buildings are now largely destroyed, but the necropolis of 25 tombs hewn in the Cliffside is still there.

The wadi plain where the now largely destroyed city of Akhetaten was situated

We reached Tell Al Amarna, following our police escort, via small agricultural roads and a ferry crossing. A small ferry sailed us and our car Ramses, together with donkey carts and other cars, across the Nile.

The Nile ferry crossing

Not all tombs are open to the public. We visited 8 tombs, and we where not allowed to take pictures inside. We started with the royal tomb of Akhenaton himself 13 km into the Wadi Darb al Malek (Arabic for valley of the king’s road) that cuts into the cliff. This was the most remote tomb.

The road to the Royal tomb, in the most remote part of the wadi

Many of the murals show the sun (Aten) with sunrays with little hands on the end that hold the Ankh, sign of life, or the sign of power.

We went to see the 6 northern tombs; the tombs of Huya, Meryre II, Ahmose, Meryre I, Panahesy and Mahu. Near the northern tombs we also saw one of the 14 large stone stelae that marked the boundary of the royal city.

One of the 14 stelae that mark the boundary of the royal city

In the southern necropolis we saw the tomb of Ay. Ay’s title was fan-bearer on the king’s right hand and he was never buried here. He became a pharaoh after Tutankhamen and was buried in the west valley beside the Valley of the Kings at Thebes.