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<youtube>https[[File://wwwAkhenaten, Nefertiti and their children.youtubejpg|thumbnail|250px|left|Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their children]]__NOTOC__In 1353 or possibly 1351 BCE, Amenhotep IV ascended to the throne of Egypt.com/watch In the fourth year of his reign, he changed his name to Akhenaten. He created a new [[How did Monotheism Develop?| monotheistic religion]] devoted to a single god named the Aten. However, the pharaoh’s loyalty was not enough, and soon Akhenaten required that all of Egypt adopt his new god and abandon their old pantheon in favor of sun worship. This religion consumed his reign, and the changes he made were remarkable. The most notable effects of his conversion included an entirely new religious philosophy and style of artistic expression, the establishment of a new capital city, and a ruinous disregard for foreign policy. His efforts would ultimately prove to be futile, as Akhenaten and his sun cult were all but forgotten in the years following his death.  ==What was Akhenaten’s New Religion?v=h2JbcMoVv24</youtube>=Akhenaten’s program was not launched immediately upon his accession, but there were early signs that Amenhotep IV intended to institute major religious changes in Egypt. An upright commemorative slab from his early reign, known as a stela, describes Akhenaten's plan to erect a building that would be dedicated to the deity he called “Ra-Horakhty in his name of Shu, who is the Aten.” This early version of Akhenaten’s god was a composite of the Aten and the Egyptian gods Ra and Horus, the sun god and sky god. It was common in ancient Egypt for gods to merge identities, and Akhenaten may have been attempting to ease Egyptians into the idea of sun worship by associating the Aten with gods that were already familiar.

[[File:AkhenatenIn year four of his reign, Nefertiti Amenhotep IV and his queen changed their names to reflect their childrendevotion to the Aten.jpg|thumbnail|left| Amenhotep became Akhenatenor “One Who Is Effective For the Aten, ” and his queen became Neferneferuaten Nefertiti, and their children]]__NOTOC__In 1353 or possibly 1351 BCE Amenhotep IV ascended to which means “Beautiful Are The Beauties of the throne Aten, The Beautiful One Has Come.” <ref>Williamson, Jacquelyn. “Amarna Period.” <i>UCLA Encyclopedia of EgyptEgyptology</i>. 24 June 2015. Web. In the fourth 04 Nov. 2015, pg. 7</ref> One year of his reignlater, he changed his name to Akhenaten the king abandoned all pretense and created a new [[How officially did Monotheism Develop?|monotheistic religion]] that was devoted to a single god he named away with the Atenold gods. The pharaoh’s loyalty was not enoughAnother stela from this time at Karnak Temple, howeverlocated in modern-day Luxor, and soon Akhenaten required contains an announcement that all of Egypt adopt his new god and deities save the Aten had “ceased to abandon their old pantheon in favor of sun worshipexist. His reign was consumed by this religion” <ref>Redford, Donald B. “Akhenaten: New Theories and the changes he made were remarkableOld Facts. The most notable effects ” <i>Bulletin of his conversion included an entirely new religious philosophy and style of artistic expression, the establishment American Schools of a new capital city, and a ruinous disregard for foreign policy. His efforts would ultimately prove to be futile, as Akhenaten and his sun cult were all but forgotten in the years following his death. Oriental Research</i> 269: 4-15</ref>

====Akhenaten’s New Religion==Why did Akhenaten try to erase the Old Egyptian Gods?==Akhenaten’s program was not launched immediately upon his accession, but there were early signs that Amenhotep IV intended to institute major religious changes in Egypt[[File:Amun-Ra. An upright commemorative slab jpg|thumbnail|275px|left|Amun-Ra from his early reignKarnak Temple complex]]In the same year, known as a stela, describes Akhenaten's plan to erect began a building that would be dedicated widespread attempt to the deity he called “Ra-Horakhty in his name remove any signs of Shu, who is the Aten”traditional Egyptian deities systematically. This early version of Akhenaten’s god It appears that Amen was a composite the main focus of the Aten and the Egyptian gods Ra and Horusking’s disapproval, the sun god and sky god respectively. It was common in ancient Egypt for gods a fleet of semi-literate workers wer=e dispatched to merge identities chisel away symbols and Akhenaten may have been attempting words that bore any passing resemblance to ease Egyptians into his name. <ref>Williamson, <i>UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology</i>: 8</ref> Even private tombs were defaced, including the idea tomb of Khereuf, where many of sun worship by associating the Aten with gods that images of Amen were already familiarchiseled off the walls. <ref><i>The Tomb of Kheruef</i>, 17</ref>

An early representation of Amenhotep IV This may have been a political move as much as a religious one. In the king can be found on decades leading up to his father’s reign, the walls priests in Amen's cult had attained a level of political clout that rivaled even that of the tomb of a royal scribe named Kheruef (TT 192)pharaoh. The walls of the tomb contain inscriptions Akhenaten inoculated himself against this threat by declaring that feature there was only one god, the sun disk Aten and other references to Amenhotep IV that he was its son and the worship of the sunonly prophet.<ref>”The Tomb of Kheruef: Theban Tomb 192” Williamson, <i>The Epigraph SurveyUCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology</i>. The Oriental Institute of Chicago, 1980. Web. Nov. 5, 2015, p.12.: 7</ref> It was not uncommon for Whereas the pharaohs old deities were accessible to choose a particular god as a patronall Egyptians through worship, the only intercessor between the Aten and its people was Akhenaten himself (Ikram 101, Redford, “Akhenaten: New Theories and Old Facts, ” 26). Soon he began taxing the temples of the old gods and it stands to presume that Egyptians such as Kheruef could not have guessed redirecting the lengths to which his king would go revenue to honor his chosen godown projects.<ref>Williamson, <i>UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology</i>: 6</ref>

In year four of Throughout his reign, Amenhotep IV and his queen changed their names to reflect their devotion Akhenaten’s cult continued to depart from traditional religious philosophy. One such change was the Aten. Amenhotep became Akhenaten, or “One Who Is Effective For Atenist focus on the Aten” visible and his queen became Neferneferuaten Nefertiti, which means “Beautiful Are The Beauties tangible instead of the traditional Egyptian worship of the Aten, abstract and the unknown. The Beautiful One Has Come.” <ref>Williamson, Jacquelyn. “Amarna Period.” <i>UCLA Encyclopedia old gods were conceived of Egyptology</i>. 24 June 2015. Web. 04 Nov. 2015in abstract ways with many roles and representations, pg. 7</ref> One year later the king abandoned all pretense and officially did away a god could take on many forms, merge identities with the old other gods, and represent abstract notions such as victory in battle. Another stela from this time at Karnak TempleIn contrast, located the Aten was the visible sun in modern-day Luxorthe sky, contains and his works were the physical objects and people on Earth. Akhenaten and his followers worshiped the visible sun alone and eschewed the idols and emblems that were such an announcement that all deities save integral part of the Aten had “ceased to exist.” old religion <ref>RedfordWilliamson, Donald B. “Akhenaten: New Theories and Old Facts.” <i>Bulletin UCLA Encyclopedia of the American Schools of Oriental ResearchEgyptology</i> 269: 4-159</ref>

====The Systematic Erasure of How did art in the Old Gods==Amarna Period change?==[[File:Amun<dh-Ra.jpg|thumbnail|275px|Amun-Ra from Karnak Temple complex]]ad/>In It isn't easy to discern the same year, Akhenaten began a widespread attempt details of Akhenaten’s philosophy as there are very few official texts from his reign that pertain to systematically remove any signs of the traditional Egyptian deitiesreligion. It appears that Amen was the main focus There is no “word of the king’s disapproval god,” no holy scripture, and only a fleet of semi-literate workmen wer=e dispatched short few “Hymn to chisel away symbols and words the Aten” prayers that bore any passing resemblance to his name. appear on tomb walls <ref>WilliamsonHornung, E. (1992). The Rediscovery of Akhenaten and His Place in Religion. <i>UCLA Encyclopedia Journal of Egyptologythe American Research Center in Egypt</i>: 848. Web. 05 November 2015.</ref> Even private tombs were defaced, including Due to the tomb lack of Khereufwritten sources on Atenism, where many of the images of Amen were chiseled off the Egyptologists rely heavily on tombs' decorations and temple walls. <ref><i> The Tomb of Kheruef</i>, 17</ref>style in which these decorations are rendered has come to be called the Amarna style. It is unique in Egyptian history due to its dramatic departure from traditional artistic conventions.

This may have been a political move as much as a religious one. In The most obvious and notable divergence from typical Egyptian art is the Amarna portrayal of the decades leading up to his father’s reignhuman body, particularly the priests in king himself. Traditionally the cult of Amen pharaoh had attained been presented as a level of political clout that rivaled even that of the pharaohyoung man with a muscular physique and proportionate features. Akhenaten inoculated himself against this threat by declaring that there was only one godis portrayed in a far less orthodox manner. His arms and shoulders are thin, the Aten and that he was its son his face is taut. He has a prominent belly, thick hips, and only prophetfat thighs. <ref>Williamson, <i>UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology</i>: 7</ref> Whereas the old deities were accessible This striking physique led early scholars to all Egyptians through worship, the only intercessor between the Aten and its people believe that Akhenaten was Akhenaten himself (Ikram 101a woman. Artists from this period also included details that had previously been left out, Redfordsuch as distinguishable toes, “Akhenaten: New Theories well-defined ears and Old Facts”lobes, 26). Soon he began taxing the temples of the old gods and redirecting even wrinkles in the revenue to his own projectsneck. <ref>WilliamsonHornung, <i>UCLA Encyclopedia Journal of Egyptologythe American Research Center in Egypt</i>: 643</ref>

Throughout his reign, Akhenaten’s cult continued to depart from traditional religious philosophy. One such change Especially unusual was the Atenist focus on the visible and tangible as opposed to the traditional Egyptian worship nature of the abstract and the unknownscenes depicted in Amarna art. The old gods Earlier pharaohs were conceived of typically portrayed in an austere manner, engaging in abstract ways with many roles and representations and a god could take on many formsofficial religious duties, merge identities with other godshunting, or fighting in battle. The Amarna period is known for depicting Akhenaten and represent abstract notions such as victory his family in battlea markedly intimate and informal manner by comparison. A famous example is a royal family portrait dated to approximately Year 8 of Akhenaten’s reign. In contrast, the Aten was the visible sun in the sky The king and his works were the physical objects queen are seated facing each other and people on Earthnearly equal in height. Akhenaten raises his daughter Meritaten to his lips, kissing her, and Maketaten and his followers worshiped the visible sun alone Ankhesenpaaten interact playfully with their mother, one seated in her lap and eschewed the idols and emblems that other leaning up against her in a relaxed posture. Intimate scenes such as this were such an integral part of the old religion virtually unknown in Egyptian art up until this time.<ref>WilliamsonDavis, Whitney. “Two Compositional Tendencies in Amarna Relief”. <i>UCLA Encyclopedia American Journal of EgyptologyArchaeology</i>82.3 (1978): 9388 Web. 05 November 2015</ref>. It is unknown why Akhenaten required that he and his family be portrayed in this way, but the result would have been surprising to his contemporaries.

==Why did Akhenaten relocate the Egyptian Capital?==Art Akhenaten’s artistic and religious reforms were radical indeed, but they were not the most consequential aspect of his plan. In the fifth year of this reign, the pharaoh announced his intention to move the entire Egyptian court to a city he called “Akhetaten,” or “The Horizon of the Aten,” located at Tell el-Amarna in Middle Egypt. Thebes was well established as Amen's city, and Akhenaten claimed that his god required a capital built on virgin land. The foundation of the site was marked by sixteen ornate stelae, now known as the Boundary Stelae, whose inscriptions justify the move, establish strict geographical boundaries and proclaim that Akhenaten is the Amarna Period==== Aten’s only representative on Earth.<ref>Williamson, <i>UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology</i>: 8<dh-ad/ref> It is difficult hard to discern imagine how such a plan would have been received, yet it appears that most of the details of Akhenaten’s philosophy as Theban elite did relocate to Tell el-Amarna. However, there are very few official texts from his reign is evidence that pertain they did not go quietly. Speeches recorded on the boundary stelae serve as responses to what appears to be derision from the elite toward Akhenaten’s religionand kingship. <ref>Williamson, UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology: 8</ref> There is no “word However resistant they may have been, most of god”the court did relocate, no holy scriptureand some, such as the king’s advisor Parennefer even invested in new tombs at the city’s necropolis. <ref>Williamson, and only a short few “Hymn <i>UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology</i>: 8</ref> Ultimately their commitment to his cause was fleeting. The site was abandoned shortly after his death c. 1332 BCE. <ref>Parcak, Sarah. "The Panehsy Church Project, 2006". <i>Amarna Project.</i> Web. 5 November, 2015</ref>. After the Aten” prayers that appear move to Tell el-Amarna, Akhenaten’s focus on tomb walls religion intensified, and his attention to other matters waned. Amenhotep III, was a skilled diplomat who maintained peaceful borders and upheld good correspondence with foreign empires.<ref>HornungHall, EH. R. (1992). The Rediscovery of Akhenaten “Egypt and His Place the External World in Religion. the Time of Akhenaten” <i>The Journal of the American Research Center in EgyptEgyptian Archaeology 7.½</i>(1921): 4842-44. Web. 05 November 2015.</ref> Due to Akhenaten, on the lack of written sources on Atenismother hand, Egyptologists rely heavily on decorations was apathetic toward correspondence and seemed to have generally been uninterested in tombs and on temple wallsforeign diplomatic relations. The style in which these decorations are rendered has come Amarna Letters, a collection of cuneiform tablets discovered at Tell el-Amarna, attest to this. Akhenaten repeatedly ignored pleas for help from foreign vassals, many of whom switched allegiances during his reign. <ref>Williamson, UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology: 9</ref> One such vassal, the prince Rib-adda of Byblos, repeatedly wrote to be called Akhenaten for assistance against the Amarna styleHittite king. Akhenaten ignored his pleas, and it is unique the Hittites gained much ground in Syria and Palestine. <ref>Hall, <i>The Journal of Egyptian history due Archaeology 7.½</i>: 44-45)</ref> Content to remain in Egypt and impose his new religion on his subjects, Akhenaten lost territory in the Middle East and Nubia and allowed foreign relations to its dramatic departure from traditional artistic conventionsdeteriorate measurably.

The most obvious ==Conclusion==For these reforms, Akhenaten has been called “the world’s first idealist and notable divergence from typical Egyptian art is the Amarna portrayal world’s first individual” <ref>Breasted, A History of the human bodyEgypt, particularly the king himself. Traditionally the pharaoh had 392</ref> but he has also been presented as called a young man with a muscular physique and proportionate featuresheretic. Akhenaten is portrayed in a far less orthodox manner. His arms and shoulders are thin<ref>Redford, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 269: 1</ref> Whatever his face is taut, he has a prominent belly, thick hipsintentions were, it can be said that Akhenaten’s reforms were severe and fat thighsextreme but ultimately brief. This striking physique led early scholars to believe that The religion of Akhenaten was a woman. Artists forgotten almost immediately after his death, his city abandoned, his name chiseled from this period also included details that had previously been left out such as distinguishable toestemple walls, well-defined ears and lobes, and even wrinkles in the neck. Aten virtually erased from living memory <ref>Hornung, <i>Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt</i>: 4344.</ref> It would be three thousand years before Akhenaten’s story would spark public interest once again.

Especially unusual was the nature of the scenes depicted in Amarna art. Earlier pharaohs were typically portrayed in an austere manner, engaging in activities such as official religious duties, hunting, or fighting in battle. The Amarna period is known for depicting Akhenaten and his family in a manner that is markedly intimate and informal by comparison. A famous example is a portrait of the royal family dated to approximately Year 8 of Akhenaten’s reign. The king and queen are seated facing each other and nearly equal in height. Akhenaten raises his daughter Meritaten to his lips, kissing her, and Maketaten and Ankhesenpaaten interact playfully with their mother, one seated in her lap and the other leaning up against her in a relaxed posture. Intimate scenes such as this were virtually unknown in Egyptian art up until this time.<ref>Davis, Whitney. “Two Compositional Tendencies in Amarna Relief”. <i>American Journal of Archaeology</i> 82.3 (1978): 388 Web. 05 November 2015====References====<references/ref>. It is not known why Akhenaten required that he and his family be portrayed in this way, but the result would have been surprising to his contemporaries.<div class="portal" style='float:rightcenter; width:3555%'>

It is hard to imagine how such a plan would have been receivedUpdated March 23, yet it appears that most of the Theban elite did relocate to Tell el-Amarna. However, there is evidence that they did not go quietly. Speeches recorded on the boundary stelae serve as responses to what appears to be derision from the elite toward Akhenaten’s religion and kingship.<ref>Williamson, UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology: 8</ref> However resistant they may have been, most of the court did relocate and some such as the king’s advisor Parennefer even invested in new tombs at the city’s necropolis. <ref>Williamson, <i>UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology</i>: 8</ref> Ultimately their commitment to his cause was fleeting. The site was abandoned shortly after his death c. 1332 BCE. <ref>Parcak, Sarah. "The Panehsy Church Project, 2006". <i>Amarna Project.</i> Web. 5 November, 2015</ref>. After the move to Tell el-Amarna Akhenaten’s focus on religion intensified and his attention to other matters waned. His father, Amenhotep III, was a skilled diplomat who maintained peaceful borders and upheld good correspondence with foreign empires.<ref> Hall, H. R.. “Egypt and the External World in the Time of Akhenaten” <i>The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 7.½</i> (1921): 42-44. Web. 05 November 2015</ref> Akhenaten, on the other hand, was apathetic toward correspondence and seems to have been generally uninterested in foreign diplomatic relations. The Amarna Letters, a collection of cuneiform tablets discovered at Tell el-Amarna, attest to this. Akhenaten repeatedly ignored pleas for help from foreign vassals, many of whom switched allegiances during his reign. <ref>Williamson, UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology: 9</ref> One such vassal, the prince Rib-adda of Byblos, repeatedly wrote to Akhenaten for assistance against the Hittite king. Akhenaten ignored his pleas and the Hittites gained much ground in Syria and Palestine. <ref>Hall, <i>The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 7.½</i>: 44-45)</ref> Content to remain in Egypt and impose his new religion on his subjects, Akhenaten lost territory in the Middle East and Nubia and allowed foreign relations to measurably deteriorate.====Conclusion====For these reforms Akhenaten has been called “the world’s first idealist and the world’s first individual” <ref>Breasted, A History of Egypt, 392</ref> but he has also been called a heretic. <ref>Redford, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 269: 1</ref> Whatever his intentions were it can be said that Akhenaten’s reforms were severe and extreme, but ultimately brief. The religion of Akhenaten was forgotten almost immediately after his death, his city abandoned, his name chiseled from temple walls and the Aten virtually erased from living memory <ref>Hornung, 44.</ref> It would be three thousand years before Akhenaten’s story would spark public interest once again.====References====<references/>2021