There are also many good pictures and cyril aldred was one of the foremost voices in egyptology and wrote many books on ancient egypt. The final mystery of akhenaten was what became of his mummy. This book is the best booklength treatment of the heretic king since aldreds famous akhenaten. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Akhenaten s chief wife was nefertiti, made worldfamous by the discovery of her exquisitely moulded and painted bust, now displayed in the altes museum of berlin, and among the most recognised works of art surviving from the ancient world. Akhenatens chief wife was nefertiti, made worldfamous by the discovery of her exquisitely moulded and painted bust, now displayed in the altes museum of berlin, and among the most recognised works of art surviving from the ancient world. The gempaaten consisted of a series of buildings, including a palace and a. The authors grasp of most of the complex and controversial issues surrounding the. Though there is some evidence in the relics of amarna and other places. Sep 22, 2017 following akhenatens death, the egyptian people were quick to voice their opposition to the heretic kings radical religious reforms. Akhenaten took on the might of the priesthood of amunra. He went to the extent of defacing old temples, and scratching relics depicting him as amenhotep and likewise persecuted the priests of amun. Akhenaten king of egypt by aldred, cyril and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
In this immensely readable reevaluation, nicholas reeves takes issue with the existing view of akhenaten, presenting a new perspective on the turbulent events of his. The aton temples at karnak therefore consisted of a series of vast openair. Meet king tuts father, egypts first revolutionary akhenaten upended the religion, art, and politics of ancient egypt, and then his legacy was buried. Dec 26, 2002 the pharaoh akhenaten, who ruled egypt in the midfourteenth century bce, has been the subject of more speculation than any other character in egyptian history. One of the most compelling and controversial figures in history, akhenaten has captured the imagination like no other egyptian pharaoh. There are also many good pictures and cyril aldred was one of the foremost voices in. Even though it is slightly dated, it is still eminently readable.
Akhenaten sought to impose upon egypt and its people the worship of a single godthe sun godand in so doing changed the country in every way. Akhenaten aka akhenaton is one of ancient egypt s most controversial and notable pharaohs. Kenneth kitchen, times literary supplement redford has produced a remarkable book, one that engages both scholar and general reader. Akhenaten, considered by many as a heretic pharaoh, was the ruler responsible for taking ancient egypt towards an entirely different religious lifestyle, trying to reconstruct religion departing from traditional ancient egyptian polytheism. Ahmed osmans recent archaeological discoveries and historical documents contend that akhenaten and moses were one and the same man. On hearing about horemhebs death, akhenaten decided to leave his exile in sinai and come back to egypt, in order to reclaim his throne. It is possible that both successors were akhenatens sons by another wife, possibly kiya who was much loved of the pharaoh. King of egypt by aldred, cyril and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. In the 5th year of his reign, amenhotep iv outlawed the old egyptian religion. The art of the amarna period ancient history encyclopedia.
Describes the world of akhenaten, a ruler of ancient egypt who attempted to introduce monotheism through worship of the sun. This is the reign of akhenaten, the socalled heretic king, who was tutankhamuns father. Pharaoh akhenaten, cairo museum by john bodsworth, cc by. The rise and fall of ancient egypt by toby wilkinson.
If you read his great poem, and you study his writing you will soon learn that is not the truth whatsoever. By the time the next series of pharaohs held the thronehoremheb 231295. The future akhenaten was born amenhotep, a younger son of pharaoh. Since his abdication, he had been living in exile in southern sinai, with few of his followers, for about twenty five years, during the reigns of tutankhamun, aye, and horemheb. King of egypt 1988, and of course, it is more uptodate. Most people believe that akhenaten worshiped the sun. First the amount of information contained within and second the shear ignorance of the author. Akhenaten was married to nefertiti, his great royal wife. He introduces the reader to the heretic king, to 18th dynasty egypt, and to history at its best. Over 100 photographs and sketches bring the latest finds to light.
Jun 09, 2017 inevitably, when akhenaten died in 32 bc, egypts ancient religion was restored under his successor tutankhamun and the heretical city of amarna was abandoned and forgotten. Nicholas reeves founded the amarna royal tombs project, valley of the kings. Apr 15, 2020 your hypothesis might have some merit, had both akhenaten and moses lived during the same period. Fragments of sculpture and carving from the royal tomb at akhetaten shows that his body was originally put there, but no sign of the mummy remains. Akhenaten is the earliest known individual in recorded history to profess a monotheistic belief system.
Hatshepsut and akhenaten are two of the more diverse rulers ancient egypt experienced. A new study new aspects of antiquity by cyril aldred and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Kemp has been working at amarna for 35 years and takes a very objective, fair and balanced look at any issue that may be controversial. Akhenaten also spelled echnaton, akhenaton, ikhnaton, and khuenaten was an ancient.
Akhenaten is noted for abandoning egypts traditional polytheistic religion and. Akhenaten was born as amenhotep iv in egypt around the. Apr 26, 2019 dominic montserrat, the author of akhenaten. The revolutionary cult of sunworship that akhenaten introduced, and such contentious issues as the role of nefertiti as a goddess, the dominant part played by plague during akhenaten s reign, and likely events of the king s twilight years are treated with new insight and set within the framework of an authoritative overview of the entire period. The revolutionary cult of sunworship that akhenaten introduced, and such contentious issues as the role of nefertiti as a goddess, the dominant part played by plague during akhenatens reign, and likely events of the kings twilight years are treated with new insight and set within the framework of an authoritative overview of the entire period. It is filled with an abundance of data about archaeological discoveries related to akhenaten and his religious beliefs. Often called the originator of monotheism and the worlds first recorded individual, he has fascinated and inspired both scholars of egyptology and creative talents as diverse as sigmund freud and philip glass. This is one of the primary books on akhenaten, written by a man who clearly loved the amarna period. Hatshepsut was the first female king in recorded history. Inevitably, when akhenaten died in 32 bc, egypts ancient religion was restored under his successor tutankhamun and the heretical city of amarna was abandoned and forgotten.
Akhenaten, also spelled akhenaton, akhnaton, or ikhnaton, also called amenhotep iv, greek amenophis, king 5336 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. In a stunning retelling of the exodus story, osman details the events of mosesakhenatens life. Ive also compiled a reading list of my favourite history books via the amazon influencer program. Although aten was the long established name for the disc of the sun, it is during the reign of amenhotep iii that it took. In the bar article the monotheism of the heretic pharaoh, donald b. Nefertiti by michelle moran, pillar of fire by judith tarr, the egyptian by mika waltari, i, the sun by janet e.
A religious reformer he made the aten, the sun disc, the center of egypt. The first book written about amenophis iv aka akhenaten which. Ra as horus of the two horizons became the god of the rising and the setting sun and the patron of the king. He ruled for 17 years during the 18th dynasty and came to be known by some fascinating names, including great heretic, the heretic pharaoh, and rebel pharaoh. Articles arh2050 egyptian art in the new kingdom amarna.
History, fantasy and ancient egypt, noted that the king has become a sign rather than a person. It brings akhenaten and his life and times into stark relief. King of egypt by aldred, cyril abebooks passion for books. Cyril aldred was a british egyptologist, art historian and author. Akhenaten pharaoh of egypt by aldred cyril abebooks. Dec 30, 20 hatshepsut and akhenaten are two of the more diverse rulers ancient egypt experienced. Akhenaten, king of ancient egypt of the 18th dynasty, who established a new cult. Born amunhotep iv, akhenaten ruled egypt for a mere fourteen years ca. Unfortunately, moses lived around threehundred years earlier the story of the exodus covers a period between 1657 and 1512 bce. Even though akhenaten was written in 1968 and more information has been discovered since then, it is a solid book of information and a fine addition to my library of books on ancient egypt.
As such, she had to work hard in order to legitimize her rule. Drawing on recent discoveries and the reexamination of previous finds, to shed more light on this most controversial period of egyptian history. His books include the complete tutankhamun and, with. Moses and akhenaten one and the same person graham hancock. In this article, you point out that akhenaten reined between 52 and 36 bce. Favoring the stability of the old order, tutankhaten moved the capital back to memphis and reinstated the worship of egypts polytheistic pantheon.
In akhenaten, nicholas reeves presents an entirely new perspective on the turbulent events of akhenatens seventeenyear reign. Redford, who excavated akhenatens earliest temple at karnak in modern thebes, describes how akhenaten instituted worship of aten the cult of the sundisk emerged from an iconoclastic war between the good god akhenaten, and all the rest of the gods. Both of their reigns produced different and interesting uses of art for their own political and religious purposes. Known today as a heretic, akhenaten sought to impose upon egypt and its people the worship of a single god the sun and in so doing changed the country in every way. The pharaoh akhenaten, who ruled egypt in the midfourteenth century bce, has been the subject of more speculation than any other character in egyptian history. Beautifully illustrated, scholarly but eminently readable. In a stunning retelling of the exodus story, osman details the events of moses akhenaten s life. He is also known as akhenaton or ikhnaton and also khuenaten, all of which are translated to mean successful for or of great use to the god aten. Its a fitting scene for this ancient pharaoh, who ruled the kingdom between 52 and 36 b.
Aug 30, 20 akhenaten was a pharaoh of egypt who reigned over the country for about 17 years between roughly 53 b. In the fifth year of his reign, the king changed his name from amenhotep amun is pleased to akhenaten, or servant of the aten thus formally declaring his new religion. The best books on ancient egypt recommended by toby wilkinson. A secondary wife of akhenaten named kiya is known from inscriptions.
Was pharaoh akhenaten so cruel that he forced children to. Amenhotep iv, also known as the pharaoh akhenaten, was destined to be remembered for his attempt at a religious conversion of ancient egypt. May 03, 2019 the king, as the son of ra, assumed the power of the throne, as the aging ra handed down his power to horus. While akhenaten is wellknown because of the mysterious shape of his head, the list of characteristics is lengthy. He also served as the keeper of art and archaeology for the royal scottish museum. He abjured the polytheism of egyptian mythology and initiated a new state cult. The entire cemetery, which is located near an ancient stone quarry, could contain thousands of burials. Among the ancient ruins in amarna, egypt, lies a giant statue of akhenaten. Reeves argues that, far from being the idealistic founder of a new. Nicholas reeves latest book, akhenaten is a convincing reassessment of the 17 year reign of egypt s heretic king.
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