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Statues of him show an artistic form new in Egypt, including various deformities which have led some scholars to conclude he had [[Marfan's syndrome]] or [[Frolich’s syndrome]]. However, various courtiers were also depicted similarly.<ref name="AIG">John Ashton & David Down. ''[http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/utp/akhenaten-and-nefertiti-the-beautiful Unwrapping the Pharaohs, chapter 21]'''</ref> A thorough examination of the royal mummies did not uncover evidence of unusual diseases or deformities, so the depictions are most likely an artistic style.<ref name=Hawass>Zahi Hawass, PhD, et al., "[http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=185393 Ancestry and Pathology in King Tutankhamun's Family]", ''JAMA''</ref> In addition, various courtiers were depicted in a similar style.<ref name="AIG">John Ashton & David Down. ''[http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/utp/akhenaten-and-nefertiti-the-beautiful Unwrapping the Pharaohs, chapter 21]'''</ref>

A bust of Akhenaten's beautiful primary wife, [[Nefertiti]], has made her one of the best-known Egyptian queens. The mother In Akhenaten declining years, she served as a regent with the reign name Nerferneferuatan. She continued to rule under this name "Akhenaten-less" for a short time after Akhenaten's death. This is followed by the reign of Pharaoh Smenkhkare, a brother of Akhenaten. Within a year of Akhenaten's death, both Nerferneferuatan and Smenkhkare disappeared from the records and [[Tutankhamun]] was , still a secondary wife (and sister) of Akhenaten. She is unmentioned in boy at this time, ascended to the historical recordthrone. Her mummyReal power in this period may have been held by Ay, called "a vizier appointed by Akhenaten. Tut reversed many of Akenaten's policies. Egypt reverted to [[polytheism]] and the Younger Lady," shows signs priests of a violent deathAmun regained power.<ref name="Hawass" />

Akhenaten died young and was succeeded by a ruler, or pair of rulers, who used the reign names Nerferneferuatan and Smenkhkare. There has been much speculation concerning their identity. Nerferneferuatan may have been a name Nefertiti used as a regent during Akhenaten's final years. Smenkhkare is portrayed as unambiguously male. So "he" was either a brother of Akhenaten, or Nefertiti again, this time posing as male pharaoh.<ref name=Reeves>Reeves, Nicholas, ''Akhenaten: Egypt's False Prophet''</ref> Within a year, both names disappeared from the records and Tutankhamun, still a boy at this time, ascended to the throne. Real power in this period was probably held by Ay, a vizier appointed by Akhenaten. Tut reversed many of Akenaten's policies. Egypt reverted to [[polytheism]] and the priests of Amun regained power. Akhenaten, Smenkhkare, and Tut are omitted from the Abydos king list. This suggests that they were viewed as illegitimate rulersby rulers of the following 19th dynasty. An inscription from the reign of Ramses II denounces Akhenaten as, "that criminal from Akhetaten."<ref name="Reeves" >Reeves, Nicholas, ''Akhenaten: Egypt's False Prophet''</ref> Genetic testing in 2010 established that mummy KV55 is both a son of Amenhotep III and Tut's father. An inscription in Tut's tomb identifies him as the son of a pharaoh, so the mummy could be either Akhenaten<ref>[https://oblogmasense.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/lost-pharhoh-akhenaton-found-after-further-dna-testing-of-tutankhamun/ Lost Pharaoh Akhenaten Found After Further DNA Testing Of Tutankhamun]</ref> or Smenkhkare.<ref>[http://www.kv64.info/2010/03/dna-shows-that-kv55-mummy-probably-not.html DNA Shows that KV55 Mummy Probably Not Akhenaten]</ref>