Amarna Arts & Architecture

Another revolutionary initiative by Akhenaten

Akhenaten is one of history’s most controversial leaders. While some historians regard him as a prophet of monotheism advocating the worship of one god long before Biblical prophets, others believe that he was a despotic autocrat who forced his personal beliefs on the rest of his nation. His architectural revolution was in no way less influential than his religious transformation.

New Capital: During the fifth year of his reign, Akhenaten moved the worship of his god, his patronage and even the royal tombs to a new city, Akhetaten or ”the horizon of Aten” in the middle of Egypt. It was a virgin site, never dedicated to earlier gods, and was far enough from Thebes, the forceful Egyptian capital of his predecessors. It lay 270 miles to the north and represented a perfect retreat from powerful opposition to his new cult. It is now known as Tell el-Amarna, referring to a Bedouin tribe that lived near Minya.

Extraordinary construction plans transformed the site into an impressive city that stretched eight miles along the Nile and three miles inland. Dedicated to his one and only god, Egyptologists called it a ‘garden city’ with a magnificent palace and a great temple at its focal point. Both were located on a royal avenue that ran parallel to the Nile. Dazzling as the rays of his god, every day the King would ride his electrum-plated chariot from his residence to the stately temple to supervise the prayers to the Aten with the devotion of a medieval monk.

The royal family occupied limited space of the palace, which was basically used as a centre for cult rituals and festivals. The palace was decorated with colourful distinctive reliefs and designs showing water birds and marsh scenes. The floor of one of the rooms can be seen on the main corridor of the first floor of the Egyptian Museum near the hall dedicated to the Amarna Period.

The homes and studios of some of the city’s artisans were excavated in the south eastern part of the city. The world famous bust of Nefertiti was found among other plaster casts and half-finished artefacts in the studio of Bak, the chief sculptor of the King. Although it does not conform to the artistic characteristics of the period, it is a masterpiece of classic simplicity. With her graceful neck, well-proportioned face and majestic dignity, she is considered the most beautiful image of a woman to have survived from ancient times.

Although the city was abandoned and later destroyed by Akhenaten’s successors, some beautiful scenes still survive. The foundations are still intact as new buildings were never erected over its ruins. Michael Mallinson, an architect from the Egyptian Exploration Society, designates it as “the only place you can go and walk the streets of an ancient Egyptian city."

New Artistic Style: Just as revolutionary as his ideas was the “Amarna style” of representation. Bak, the master sculptor claimed he was instructed by Akhenaten himself. The King is often depicted with exaggerated features having an elongated face, almond-shaped eyes and extra full lips with disproportionate limbs, swelling belly and broad female hips. The rest of the royal family sometimes appeared as clones of his self image.

Some Egyptologists used to think that the style was naturalistic and that the royal family suffered from an inherited disease that made them look this way. However, recently CT scanned mummies refute this theory and it is now argued that this was a revolutionary style directly related to his new religion that emphasized a single god with both male and female characteristics.

Perhaps to accentuate his break with the past and emphasize the uniqueness of his god as well as his own, Akhenaten chose this distinct style of portrayal.

The Amarna Style is also known for the exceptional intimacy with which the royal family is depicted. Nefertiti is illustrated looking fondly at her husband while sitting on his lap to fasten a beaded collar around his neck. In another snapshot of their life, the couple cuddle their daughters who are shown climbing all over them. Their transparent pleated garments cling to their half-naked female-formed bodies in a more relaxed style that makes it distinctive in comparison to other classical Egyptian reliefs.

The radiant rays of the sun have long arms ending with supporting hands and ankh signs, which symbolize life. These are close to their lips and nostrils to suggest both breath and warmth provided by the sun god. (This intimacy lived on with Tutankhamen’s artefacts –he sits comfortably on his famous throne while his queen is anointing him with perfume).

Architecturally, Akhenaten initiated another breach with the former design of temples. His temple complex did not have the inner roofed dark sanctuary where the statue of the worshipped god was kept inside from commoners. Akhenaten’s deity sent its light to the universe and darkness was its absolute enemy. Rituals glorifying the sun as the single god were performed in the open courtyard and were visible to the public.

In short, Akhenaten’s innovations were revolutionary in every aspect but they were short-lived and were abandoned within a few years after his death.