Who is Akhenaten?

Akhenaten was a pharaoh in ancient Egypt. His real name was Amenhotep IV. He changed his name after occupying his noble duty of a pharaoh. He seemed to belong to the 18th Dynasty. Because the time period of his reign was approximately 1353 – 1336 BCE.

Akhenaten was best known for what?

Changing thoughts were the key points which made Akhenaten popular. As he applied these thoughts on socio-cultural-religious-political spheres of ancient Egypt. Egyptologists called it ‘reforms of Akhenaten’. Because these reforms impacted deeply on every aspect of ancient Egypt. His main focus was on religion. Because he established a new cult.

Religious reforms: Cult of Aten

Akhenaten’s reforms mainly stressed on the religious realm. He introduced a new cult during his reign. Archaeologists address it ‘Cult of Aten’. The word ‘Aten’ refers to a single god. He is the creator of the universe. Thus, he holds supreme power.

Main ideology behind the cult of Aten

This newly emerged ideology holds the idea that pharaoh merged with the sun. Because he had to reappear each morning in his image. Thus, the pharaoh is the incarnation of the sun. Open courtyards with alters represented the place of worship of Aten.

Representation of Aten

In art & iconography, a solar disk symbolizes Aten. Its rays end in he the shape of the human hand.

How people reacted to the cult of Aten?

In ancient Egypt, people believed & worshipped a number of deities. Thus, this single god concept fully changed the religious scenario. But, this new faith did not satisfy the religious needs of everyone. Specifically powerful families of Upper Egypt reacted negatively to Akhenaten’s reforms. So, a number of conflicts occurred in Egypt during this period.

Tell-el-Amarna: The capital of Akhenaten

Akhenaten was very desperate to implement his ideologies. So, he established a new grand capital. It was ‘Akhetaten’. Its modern name is Tell-el-Amarna. It is located in the present Minya province of Egypt. The excavation at this site revealed the trace of a place along with grand solar temple.

Reforms in the field of art

Besides religious reforms, Akhenaten also initiated some reforms in the field of art. As a result, the field of architecture witnessed a new technique. It was ‘talatat’ technique. It holds that a single man should carry a smaller stone block. As it would make the temple construction faster.

A new form of relief

This period of reforms witnessed a new form of relief. It was ‘sunk relief’. It replaced bas-reliefs. The specialty of sunk relief is that artisans modelled the figures inside the relief. Sunk reliefs became very common during this period. As these became more dynamic.

Scenes of nature & the daily life of the court became key elements in the paintings of this period.

Non-acceptance of Akhenaten’s reforms

Majority of ancient Egyptians did not support the massive reforms of Akhenaten. Because these reforms tried to change the long-term happening traditions of ancient Egypt. Thus, his reforms passed away with his death. After his death, the cult of Amun was restored.