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The cult of Aten did develop before his rule, perhaps as early as 1411 B. C. It paid homage to the sun, its central idea was 'living on ma " at, ' that is, variously translated as 'righteousness', 'justice', and 'truth. ' The doctrine of this religion failed to win the approval or support of any but Akhenaten's followers. It is said that cult of Aten did not have an ethical code. It centered around gratitude towards life the sun for life and warmth. Ankh was life the force that the sun-disk (Aten's) rays bestowed on man in most of the art.
The people could not pray directly to Aten. They directed their prayers instead to the king, who was the only person who could directly pray to Aten. The religion was such an intellectual and introspective nature that the people couldn't understand it. Therefore, it was inevitable that it would not gain popularity. 2 Akhenaten's father was Amenhotep III, who reigned from 1358 - 1340. He made a break from tradition when he married a commoner, The, who became Akhenaten's mother. 3 He was raised in a traditional manner, but he eventually showed a preference to worship the god Aten, rather than the traditional Amun.
For some time he ruled as co- regent with his father. He changed his name early in his reign from Amenhotep IV to Akhenaten, meaning 'One who pleases Aten. ' His wife, commonly known as Nefertiti, became Neter-Near-Aten, meaning, 'Beautiful is the beauty of Aten. ' 4 When he changed his name, it was like a formal declaration of his new religion. He moved the capital of Egypt to a place now called Tell el - Amarna Akhenaton and in year 6 of his reign began to build a new city which he called Akhenetaton 'The Place of Aten's Effective Power. ' He swore an oath never to go beyond the bounds of the city. This is today taken not to mean that he would never leave it, but that he wouldn't push the bounds of the city beyond designated boundary stones. 5 In the first few years Akhenaten instituted some changes. He began to build a place to worship a new form of the sun-god, Aten, the disk of the sun. The god had been little known for two generations before him.
Aten was shown always as the sun disk, never in animal or human form, with the rays extending towards man with the blessing of life. He was worshipped in new open temples instead of in dark temples. 6 Akhenaten was a strange figure, spiritually and physically. Some scholars have questioned his ability to father children, but he did have six daughters. Some believe they were fathered by Akhenaten's father, Amenhotep III. It was even proposed that Akhenaten was a woman masquerading as a man with a wife and children. The notion was formed because Akhenaten really did have a feminine-like, plump figure.
Possibly an eunuch. Although the many representations of Akhenaten give him a very plump appearance, his anatomy in them still presents a clear contrast to that of his wife. But most people answer with the same shared belief as Flinders Petrie, 'Is it credible that the most uxorious king of Egypt, who appears with his wife on every monument, who rides side by side with her in a chariot, and kisses her in public, who dances her on his knee, who has a steadily increasing family, - that this king either a women in masquerade or an eunuch?' And in the supposed death mask that was found at Amarna, this contention is supported. It does not show the face of a woman. It show the face of a man. A strange man, but albeit, a man. 7 Akhenaten physically was weak.
He may have been a victim of the disease called Frolic's syndrome, which might have made him physically deformed. As a result, his activities were intellectual. Perhaps this is why the intellectual basis of the cult of Aten appealed to him. 8 When Egypt combined gods, Amun and Re, became Amun-Re, the sun-god, the culture was ripe for monotheism. 9 As far as his unusual appearance goes, he was also said to have had fatty degeneration. He grew up normal looking, but after his seventeenth year fatty degeneration led to the muscles in his arms, legs, chest, hips, swelled to unusual dimensions. (How the realism in the art came about His main reaction was to accept the infirmity as sent by god. He was an absolute champion of Ma' at, truth, and ordered his sculptor to represent him as he appeared. This was a revolution as important as the proclamation of the new Aten religion or the appearance of hieroglyphics by an everyday script.
Never before had Egyptian artists depicted men or gods with other than static attitudes, legs in profile, shoulders and arms to the front. There was no concealment through perspective because any part of the body that could not be seen in a representation was believed in danger of being lost. The original notion of realism very soon developed into a kind of expressionism. 10 He was a revolutionary as far as his artistic tastes went as well, consciously fostering a new style and a new ideal of beauty in his choice of masters. He encouraged a greater realism and a new sense of form that seeks to unfreeze the immobility of Egyptian art.
One mural of Akhenaten's daughters shows them in playful poses, studied defiance of all rules of Pharoanic dignity. 11 Unlike the religion, the influence Akhenaten had on art could be seen for some time after his reign and death. In the middle of the (almost 2 centuries later) fourteenth century BC art still retained the freedom and expressiveness that would have been unthinkable in earlier times. Even on Tutenhkamen's sarcophagus was done in a style reminiscent of the style Akhenaten encouraged. During Tutenkhamen's reign there was tolerance of the cult of Aten.
The Chair of State bore the name Aten, as well as the fan he took to his grave. 12 The new art form began to develop in the new worship temples. It was inventive. Excited. The forms were exaggerated to the point of caricature.
The young king Akhenaten was drawn in a grotesque way, with a drooping jaw, elongated head, rounded hips and thighs and a scrawny neck. This became a flattering thing for his followers, so they too were drawn with a thin neck and round belly. 13 Nefertiti, known for her beauty because of the sculptures done of her, was portrayed as misshapen and unattractive. Art took on a liveliness unbeknownst to Egyptian culture. It also began to portray different types of scenes.
It showed more domestic pictures. Akhenaten kissing his wife, in ceremony, or at the dinner table. Scenes of busy markets and soldier's guardrooms were depicted. All in the palace, and indeed the city of Amarna was lively. An example of a new style of art was the portrait of Nefertiti.
It must have offended the traditionalists. ' It gave a delicate and fleeting 'impression' instead of presenting the appearance of solidity and endurance. 14 He pursued with absolute consistency the course he had taken. His ideas were dogma. The artists worked very clearly d...
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Research essay sample on Amenhotep Iii Sun Disk
