Akhenaten-s Amarna in New Kingdom Egypt: Relations of Landscape and Ideology

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Jessica Joyce Christie (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: a few years after Pharaoh amenophis iV (ruled ca.1353-- 1337 in the Eighteenth dynasty during new Kingdom Egypt) had assumed the highest office in Thebes, he decided to radically reorganize and redirect the Egyptian political and religious system: he left the new Kingdom capital of Thebes and demoted the traditional Theban triad of gods-”amun, Mut, and Khonsu-”and their powerful attending priestly classes. Out of this tabula rasa1 he created amarna as the new capital of his reign, dedicated to the sun disk-”the aten-”which he raised to the lone supreme god of Egypt, and to him- self as this god"s only messenger and earthly incarna- tion. The new era was initiated by an important act of name changing: amenophis iV meaning "amun is content" officially changed his name to Akhenaten, or "beneficial to aten"; the new capital, the remains of which are known today as amarna (or el-amarna or tell el-amarna) became Akhetaten, or "Horizon of the aten."

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Other

Language: English

Date: 2016

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