As we have discussed in the previous lessons, Ancient Egypt was, by far, a polytheistic society. They had a vast pantheon of deities for every conceivable occasion, a system that had worked out rather well for all concerned. The gods were happy with it, the people were happy with it---well, not exactly. Along comes someone who is bound and determined to upset the proverbial apple cart (or pomegranate cart, given the region), and thousands of years of tradition are thrown out of the window. Though the exact date of his reign remains a subject of controversy (either 1367 BC-1350 BC or 1350 BC-1334 BC), one thing is for certain--King Amenhotep IV (later known as King Akhenaten), would send a ripple through the religious community of Ancient Egypt with repercussions felt even today.
The "Father" of Monotheism
He was born the son of Amenhotep III and his Chief Queen Tiy in the 26th year of his father's reign (circa 1379 BC), and was raised in the polytheistic religion of the day. He was not actually next in line to rule, but the Crown Prince, Thutmose, died at a relatively early age, and younger brother, Amenhotep IV was the natural choice to take his place. He would rule as Pharaoh for 17 years, though, in the end, he was regarded as an 'enemy' of the very country he ruled. He had a number of consorts, his most famous, perhaps, being the beautiful Nefertiti. He also had a number of children with said consorts, the most renowned, of course, being Tutankhamun, whom it is believed he fathered with one of his sisters.
It was during the 5th year of his reign that Amenhotep IV would 'officially' change his name to Akhenaten in honor of the god, Aten. (Aten was the sun-disk, the personification of the great Sun God). It is unknown exactly why he chose to flaunt tradition in favor of this 'new' monotheistic (one god) religion, but several theories have been speculated on throughout time. There is, of course, the almost fanatical opinion of himself as the son of Aten and his earthly representative that would prompt Akhenaten to elevate worship of his 'father' above all other gods in the known pantheon, eventually replacing them as the 'only' god worthy of worship. This could be a result of his own earlier religious training, though it is hard to say. Some saw it more as a political move, a means of restricting the considerable power of the priests of Amun-Ra. (Priests, as you recall, held positions of great influence during this time period). Akhenaten saw, what he perceived, as abuses of rank among them to gain wealth and privilege, and he wanted it stopped at all cost. Personally, I believe that it is a combination of the two, but that is mere conjecture on my part, of course.
Whatever his reason, coinciding with his name change, King Akhenaten moved his capitol to a new city called Akhetaten (or Tell al Amarna), and his followers, the Cult of the Sun, followed suit. Taking his personal beliefs a step further, and ironically doing exactly what he accused the priests of Amun-Ra of doing, Akhenaten would use his position as King to force his religion on the masses, making Aten the supreme state god. Temples to other gods were forcibly abandoned, their images smashed, and their revenues impounded, all on his order. The plural word for 'god' was removed from the common vocabulary by law. He was a man with a mission, though not all were on board with his new vision. Change was slow in coming, and it goes without saying that there was continued resistance to this new way of doing things. Not everyone 'saw the light' (yes, bad pun intended).
As glorious as Tell al Amarna may have been, it did not survive his death, nor did his 'new religion'. The beautiful city was reduced to rubble in the sand, his son and successor, Tutankhamun, would go to great lengths to appease the offended gods, and this time, it was Akhenaten's name that was stricken from the records by virtue of royal decree. His very presence was obliterated wherever possible; it was as if he never existed. I could not help but be reminded of another when I read those words. Sirius Black, anyone?
He was born the son of Amenhotep III and his Chief Queen Tiy in the 26th year of his father's reign (circa 1379 BC), and was raised in the polytheistic religion of the day. He was not actually next in line to rule, but the Crown Prince, Thutmose, died at a relatively early age, and younger brother, Amenhotep IV was the natural choice to take his place. He would rule as Pharaoh for 17 years, though, in the end, he was regarded as an 'enemy' of the very country he ruled. He had a number of consorts, his most famous, perhaps, being the beautiful Nefertiti. He also had a number of children with said consorts, the most renowned, of course, being Tutankhamun, whom it is believed he fathered with one of his sisters.
It was during the 5th year of his reign that Amenhotep IV would 'officially' change his name to Akhenaten in honor of the god, Aten. (Aten was the sun-disk, the personification of the great Sun God). It is unknown exactly why he chose to flaunt tradition in favor of this 'new' monotheistic (one god) religion, but several theories have been speculated on throughout time. There is, of course, the almost fanatical opinion of himself as the son of Aten and his earthly representative that would prompt Akhenaten to elevate worship of his 'father' above all other gods in the known pantheon, eventually replacing them as the 'only' god worthy of worship. This could be a result of his own earlier religious training, though it is hard to say. Some saw it more as a political move, a means of restricting the considerable power of the priests of Amun-Ra. (Priests, as you recall, held positions of great influence during this time period). Akhenaten saw, what he perceived, as abuses of rank among them to gain wealth and privilege, and he wanted it stopped at all cost. Personally, I believe that it is a combination of the two, but that is mere conjecture on my part, of course.
Whatever his reason, coinciding with his name change, King Akhenaten moved his capitol to a new city called Akhetaten (or Tell al Amarna), and his followers, the Cult of the Sun, followed suit. Taking his personal beliefs a step further, and ironically doing exactly what he accused the priests of Amun-Ra of doing, Akhenaten would use his position as King to force his religion on the masses, making Aten the supreme state god. Temples to other gods were forcibly abandoned, their images smashed, and their revenues impounded, all on his order. The plural word for 'god' was removed from the common vocabulary by law. He was a man with a mission, though not all were on board with his new vision. Change was slow in coming, and it goes without saying that there was continued resistance to this new way of doing things. Not everyone 'saw the light' (yes, bad pun intended).
As glorious as Tell al Amarna may have been, it did not survive his death, nor did his 'new religion'. The beautiful city was reduced to rubble in the sand, his son and successor, Tutankhamun, would go to great lengths to appease the offended gods, and this time, it was Akhenaten's name that was stricken from the records by virtue of royal decree. His very presence was obliterated wherever possible; it was as if he never existed. I could not help but be reminded of another when I read those words. Sirius Black, anyone?
Tutankhamun-The Boy King
Just as John F. Kennedy and his 'Camelot' are synonymous with the all-American personification of the American presidency, so is King Tutankhamun synonymous with 'pharaoh' and 'Egypt'. If you think about it, though thousands of years separate them; they are remarkably similar on several accounts. They were both quite young when they came into power, they both inherited a country that was embroiled in turmoil not of their making, their untimely deaths were both shrouded in mystery and speculation, and perhaps most poignant of all is the fact that it is their deaths, rather than anything actually done during their time in office that ensured their lasting fame. Food for thought.
Just as John F. Kennedy and his 'Camelot' are synonymous with the all-American personification of the American presidency, so is King Tutankhamun synonymous with 'pharaoh' and 'Egypt'. If you think about it, though thousands of years separate them; they are remarkably similar on several accounts. They were both quite young when they came into power, they both inherited a country that was embroiled in turmoil not of their making, their untimely deaths were both shrouded in mystery and speculation, and perhaps most poignant of all is the fact that it is their deaths, rather than anything actually done during their time in office that ensured their lasting fame. Food for thought.
Tutankhamun, as we have mentioned, was the son of King Akhenaten. His mother is a bit harder to identify. Scientists have uncovered a skeleton referred to as the "The Younger Lady" for lack of concrete identity, whose DNA does, in fact, make her the mother of the young king. We do know that she is a full-blood sister to Akhenaten, though which one is up for speculation. There is an unproven theory that it is Nefertiti, but there is little basis for this based on evidence.
At the tender age of approximately 9 years of age, he ascended to the throne, renouncing his birth name of Tutankhaten (translated as "living image of the Aten"), as a way of distancing himself from the disgraceful stain left by his father. Because of his age, it is highly unlikely that the young boy actually ruled at all in the beginning of his reign, relying instead on a host of powerful advisers, including his stepmother, Nefertiti. Others included General Horemheb (Commander-In-Chief of the Army), the Vizier Ay (Nefertiti's father, believed to be the true power behind the throne), and Maya (Overseer of the Treasury). Upon becoming king, Tutankhaten was married to his half-sister, Ankhesenpaaten (whose name was later changed to Ankhesenamun). The pair had no living children; one daughter was stillborn, the other pregnancy resulting in a miscarriage.
Under the influence of his advisors, the young king set about 'righting the wrongs' done by his father. The court was moved back to Thebes, Amun's temples were reopened, and traditional privileges were restored to the priesthood. Under his reign, restoration projects such as a new temple dedicated to Amun in Thebes was started, and festivals banned under the rule of his father were once more made lawful. He struggled, as well, to 'mend fences' with various other kingdoms that his father had managed to alienate, some successful, others not so much. All in all, the poor boy was left with a royal mess.
The young king was not in the best of health, and by all accounts, had to walk with the assistance of a cane. A product of incest (as was not uncommon in those days), Tutankhamun also suffered from several genetic defects, that researchers now believe contributed to his early death at the age of 19. Combined with a severe bout of malaria, the cocktail proved fatal to an already weakened immune system. While it is still unknown exactly what led to his death, it can be said with almost 100% certainty that the causes were natural and not murder, as was suspected for many years, due to the political circumstances of the time and a fracture found on the mummy's skull. Modern testing has cleared the prime suspect, Vizier Ay, of any hand in foul play.
At the tender age of approximately 9 years of age, he ascended to the throne, renouncing his birth name of Tutankhaten (translated as "living image of the Aten"), as a way of distancing himself from the disgraceful stain left by his father. Because of his age, it is highly unlikely that the young boy actually ruled at all in the beginning of his reign, relying instead on a host of powerful advisers, including his stepmother, Nefertiti. Others included General Horemheb (Commander-In-Chief of the Army), the Vizier Ay (Nefertiti's father, believed to be the true power behind the throne), and Maya (Overseer of the Treasury). Upon becoming king, Tutankhaten was married to his half-sister, Ankhesenpaaten (whose name was later changed to Ankhesenamun). The pair had no living children; one daughter was stillborn, the other pregnancy resulting in a miscarriage.
Under the influence of his advisors, the young king set about 'righting the wrongs' done by his father. The court was moved back to Thebes, Amun's temples were reopened, and traditional privileges were restored to the priesthood. Under his reign, restoration projects such as a new temple dedicated to Amun in Thebes was started, and festivals banned under the rule of his father were once more made lawful. He struggled, as well, to 'mend fences' with various other kingdoms that his father had managed to alienate, some successful, others not so much. All in all, the poor boy was left with a royal mess.
The young king was not in the best of health, and by all accounts, had to walk with the assistance of a cane. A product of incest (as was not uncommon in those days), Tutankhamun also suffered from several genetic defects, that researchers now believe contributed to his early death at the age of 19. Combined with a severe bout of malaria, the cocktail proved fatal to an already weakened immune system. While it is still unknown exactly what led to his death, it can be said with almost 100% certainty that the causes were natural and not murder, as was suspected for many years, due to the political circumstances of the time and a fracture found on the mummy's skull. Modern testing has cleared the prime suspect, Vizier Ay, of any hand in foul play.
The Mummy's Curse
You knew it was coming. What, in Merlin's name, is the fun of having a mummy, if you don't have a curse to go with it?!! Technically, it's called the "Curse of the Pharaohs", but I don't think they'll mind, do you?
It all began with the bad behavior of two Englishmen, the man responsible for heading the excavation, Howard Carter, and his benefactor, Lord George Herbert Carnarvon. Between the two of them, the Egyptian people and government officials were treated rather shabbily, and some would say that King Tutankhamun took umbrage with that. Within the year, Lord Carnarvon was dead, and Carter found himself in exile, his progress temporarily halted. Other known victims of this curse include Carter's first assistant, Arthur Mace, who died a few years later, and an x-ray expert who died en route to examine the mummy's remains. Both were in seemingly good health at the time.
So strong was the belief in the curse, a belief fueled by public sentiment and newspaper sensationalism, that even those incidents not directly related to the tomb itself were attributed to 'the curse', so long as the person had some ties to Egypt. For example, when an Egyptian prince residing in London murdered his wife, the 'curse' was blamed. The death of Jean-Francois Champollion (the man responsible for cracking the hieroglyphic code) in 1832, long before the tomb was discovered in 1922, was even said to be the result of the curse. These are just several examples; Merlin knows there are many more!
Fact or fiction? That is up to the individual to decide. Some would say it was mere coincidence or that the deaths during the excavation were no higher than any other excavation, and that may well be true. Or perhaps King Tutankhamun took a Pharaoh's responsibility to guard the Egyptian people as seriously in death as he ever had in life, and woe to those who dared unleash his wrath. Myself, I prefer to err on the side of caution. Because you just never know......
You knew it was coming. What, in Merlin's name, is the fun of having a mummy, if you don't have a curse to go with it?!! Technically, it's called the "Curse of the Pharaohs", but I don't think they'll mind, do you?
It all began with the bad behavior of two Englishmen, the man responsible for heading the excavation, Howard Carter, and his benefactor, Lord George Herbert Carnarvon. Between the two of them, the Egyptian people and government officials were treated rather shabbily, and some would say that King Tutankhamun took umbrage with that. Within the year, Lord Carnarvon was dead, and Carter found himself in exile, his progress temporarily halted. Other known victims of this curse include Carter's first assistant, Arthur Mace, who died a few years later, and an x-ray expert who died en route to examine the mummy's remains. Both were in seemingly good health at the time.
So strong was the belief in the curse, a belief fueled by public sentiment and newspaper sensationalism, that even those incidents not directly related to the tomb itself were attributed to 'the curse', so long as the person had some ties to Egypt. For example, when an Egyptian prince residing in London murdered his wife, the 'curse' was blamed. The death of Jean-Francois Champollion (the man responsible for cracking the hieroglyphic code) in 1832, long before the tomb was discovered in 1922, was even said to be the result of the curse. These are just several examples; Merlin knows there are many more!
Fact or fiction? That is up to the individual to decide. Some would say it was mere coincidence or that the deaths during the excavation were no higher than any other excavation, and that may well be true. Or perhaps King Tutankhamun took a Pharaoh's responsibility to guard the Egyptian people as seriously in death as he ever had in life, and woe to those who dared unleash his wrath. Myself, I prefer to err on the side of caution. Because you just never know......
This concludes our lesson. Please go to Assignment 5 for your homework.