AMARNA

(ph) A tile from the palace of Akhenaton at Amarna. Much original color still remains. 1339-1322BCE (J3374-J3391)

(ph) Another magnificent piece from Amarna. 1339-1322BCE (J3374-J3391)

(ph) On the left, the god Aten's name in the cartouch m rn.f m Sw nti m itn In his name which is in the Sun disk and below is the word nHHForever.In the right-hand cartouche is Aten's name anx ra-Hrw-Axti Hai m Axt The living Ra-Horakhty who rejoices in the Horizon.In the middle is anx itThe living father

(oi) Nefertiti was the wife of King Amenhotep IV, a.k.a. Akhenaton. Please don't think that Akhenaton was a monotheist. Nothing could be further from the truth. This will date from around 1350BCE (J3363) or so.

(ph) The daughters of Akhenaton and Nefertiti figure prominently in Amarna portraiture. Here is Ankhesenaton (her name in the right hand column, the first half restored above the block, the second half on the block. As Ankhesenamun she married Tutankhamun and probably is the author of two letters offering the throne of Egypt to a Hittite prince. She later married Aye and thereafter disappeared from history.

(ph) The large, flat areas are really deeply incised regions. The stela shows the beneficent rays of the Sun disk, the Aten, extending downward and touching, with open hands, the recipients of the goodness.

(ph) In the middle is item #26. #27 and #28 form the back row, from left to right. #29 and #30 form the front row, from left to right.

(ph) Top fragment, left-hand cartouche: Ahkenaton's throne name. Right-cartouche: Akhenaton.
Bottom fragment, left-hand cartouche: The Aten's name. Middle two cartouches: again Akhenaton, Lord of Appearances. Right-hand cartouche: The Mistress of the Two Lands, Nefertiti.

(ph) The ceremony was ideally performed by the deceased's eldest son. The dead king had no sons, so Aye's participation, although he was older than Tutankhamun, asserted his position as the eldest son and heir and therefore rightful king.