Difference between revisions of "Akhenaten"
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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> | 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> | ||
| − | + | A bust of Akhenaten beautiful primary wife, [[Nefertiti]] has made her one of the best-known Egyptian queens. The mummy of the "Younger Lady," mother of [[Tutankhamun]] is apparently a secondary wife (and sister) of Akhenaten. She is unmentioned in the historical record. The mummy shows signs of a violent death.<ref name="Hawass" /> | |
| − | Akhenaten died young and was succeeded by a pair of | + | 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 unambiguously portrayed as 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 disappear 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 rulers. An inscription from the reign of Ramses II denounces Akhenaten as, "that criminal from Akhetaten."<ref name="Reeves" /> 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 Semenkhkare.<ref>[http://www.kv64.info/2010/03/dna-shows-that-kv55-mummy-probably-not.html DNA Shows that KV55 Mummy Probably Not Akhenaten]</ref> | Akhenaten, Smenkhkare, and Tut are omitted from the Abydos king list. This suggests that they were viewed as illegitimate rulers. An inscription from the reign of Ramses II denounces Akhenaten as, "that criminal from Akhetaten."<ref name="Reeves" /> 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 Semenkhkare.<ref>[http://www.kv64.info/2010/03/dna-shows-that-kv55-mummy-probably-not.html DNA Shows that KV55 Mummy Probably Not Akhenaten]</ref> | ||
Revision as of 12:50, December 29, 2015
Akhenaten (known variously as Akhenaton or Ikhnaton; previously as Amenhotep IV) was pharaoh of Egypt from 1352 - 1336 B.C. as part of the 18th dynasty. He rejected the traditional gods of Egypt in favor of the sun, which he called Aton. He moved the capital from Thebes to Akhenaten (modern Amarna) to escape the influence of the priests of Amun.
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.[1] 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.[2]
A bust of Akhenaten beautiful primary wife, Nefertiti has made her one of the best-known Egyptian queens. The mummy of the "Younger Lady," mother of Tutankhamun is apparently a secondary wife (and sister) of Akhenaten. She is unmentioned in the historical record. The mummy shows signs of a violent death.[2]
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 unambiguously portrayed as male. So "he" was either a brother of Akhenaten or Nefertiti again, this time posing as male pharaoh.[3]Within a year, both names disappear 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 rulers. An inscription from the reign of Ramses II denounces Akhenaten as, "that criminal from Akhetaten."[3] 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[4] or Semenkhkare.[5]
Akhenaten and Moses
The similarities between Akhenaten's monotheism and the monotheism described in the Pentateuch has led some historians to speculate about correlations between Akhenaten and Moses. Akhenaten's religion is the earliest historical example of a monotheistic religion.
Sigmund Freud proposed that Moses was Akhenaten's priest, and that the Exodus happened soon after the pharaoh's death[6].
References
- ↑ John Ashton & David Down. Unwrapping the Pharaohs, chapter 21'
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Zahi Hawass, PhD, et al., "Ancestry and Pathology in King Tutankhamun's Family", JAMA
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Reeves, Nicholas, Akhenaten: Egypt's False Prophet
- ↑ Lost Pharaoh Akhenaten Found After Further DNA Testing Of Tutankhamun
- ↑ DNA Shows that KV55 Mummy Probably Not Akhenaten
- ↑ Moses And Monotheism, by Freud; see chapter "If Moses was an egyptian" at www.archive.org
