The Temples of Aten

Akhenaten changed many features of ancient Egyptian religion. But although his god was distant and universal, the Aten still needed a home. Today, we explore how Akhenaten made special provision for his god’s house. Two great temples, dedicated to the solar disc, rose on the east bank of the Nile River. Searching the archaeological remains, and scouring the artistic record of these temples, we can get a sense of how Akhenaten worshiped his god; and some of the symbols and meanings he used to express it…

118. Central City — The Central City, with Great and Small Temples highlighted.

118.-gta-1-1.jpg — Akhenaten and Nefertiti before the Great Temple (Pendlebury 1951).

118. GTA 1 — Detail of above (Pendlebury 1951).

118. GTA 2 — Akhenaten in the Great Temple, atop his podium (Pendlebury 1951).

118. GTA 3 (CoA III) — Reconstruction of the Great Temple, front section 1 (Pendlebury 1951).

118. GTA 4 (CoA III) — Reconstruction of the Great Temple, front section 2 (Pendlebury 1951).

118. Meryra Temple 1 (front) — A representation of the Aten Temples from the front, from the tomb of Meryra (Davies 1903).

118. Small Temple 1 — The Small Aten Temple, viewed from the south east corner (Chris Ward 2019).

118. Small Temple 2 — The Small Aten Temple, viewed along the central axis, facing east (Chris Ward 2019).

118. Small Temple 3 — The Small Aten Temple, front section viewed from the south east (Chris Ward 2019).

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Bibliography

Aidan Dodson, Amarna Sunrise, 2012.

Barry Kemp, City of Akhenaten and Nefertiti: Amarna and Its People, 2012.

J.D.S. Pendlebury, The City of Akhenaten, Part III, Vol II, 1951.

Donald B. Redford, Akhenaten: The Heretic King, 1984.

Eric Uphill, “The Per Aten at Amarna,” Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 1970.

Norman de Garis Davies, The Rock Tombs of el-Amarna, Vol. I: The Tomb of Meryre, 1903. Archive.org.

Norman de Garis Davies, The Rock Tombs of el-Amarna, Vol. II: The Tombs of Panehsy and Meryre II, 1905. Archive.org.

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