Akhenaten: Dweller in Truth A Novel

Book Description

From the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature and author of the Cairo trilogy, comes Akhenaten, a fascinating work of fiction about the most infamous pharaoh of ancient Egypt.

In this beguiling new novel, originally published in 1985 and now appearing for the first time in the United States, Mahfouz tells with extraordinary insight the story of the "heretic pharaoh," or "sun king,"--and the first known monotheistic ruler--whose iconoclastic and controversial reign during the 18th Dynasty (1540-1307 B.C.) has uncanny resonance with modern sensibilities. Narrating the novel is a young man with a passion for the truth, who questions the pharaoh's contemporaries after his horrible death--including Akhenaten's closest friends, his most bitter enemies, and finally his enigmatic wife, Nefertiti--in an effort to discover what really happened in those strange, dark days at Akhenaten's court. As our narrator and each of the subjects he interviews contribute their version of Akhenaten, "the truth" becomes increasingly evanescent. Akhenaten encompasses all of the contradictions his subjects see in him: at once cruel and empathic, feminine and barbaric, mad and divinely inspired, his character, as Mahfouz imagines him, is eerily modern, and fascinatingly ethereal. An ambitious and exceptionally lucid and accessible book, Akhenaten is a work only Mahfouz could render so elegantly, so irresistibly.

Customer Reviews:

DECEPTIVELY SIMPLE.......2007-09-30

AKHETATEN: DWELLER IN TRUTH is a deceptively simple novel that bears more than one reading. Its ancient Egyptian narrator, Meriamun, sets out to discover the truth of Akhenaten's rule soon after the heretical pharoah has died, but while many of his contemporaries are still alive. With a letter of introduction from his influential father, he interviews the High Priest of Amun, the god abolished by Akhenaten, and Haremhab, the chief of state security, both of whom had reason to oppose the new pharoah; also Meri-Ra, the high priest of the new religion; Ay the Sage, Akhenaten's councelor and father of Nefertiti; and several others, including a woman from the harem. Each interview forms a chapter, and each contemporary tells a different version of the same events. As we read from chapter to chapter, we see these events shifting and revolving around the enigmatic role of Nefertiti, Akhenaten's beautiful wife, whom the narrator saves for the last and longest interview.

The whole thing might be merely a clever literary play, a variation on the device of Akutagawa's story "In a Grove" (a device made famous by the movie "Roshomon"), in which different eyewitness accounts of a murder are mutually contradictory and impossible to reconcile, leaving one to wonder about the truth of any event; save that in this story one event is historically certain. It is that Akhenaten promulgated a revolutionary doctrine of monotheism, abolished the other gods and caused the ruin of the state. Therefore the different viewpoints of his contemporaries reflect not just the difficulty of establishing fact from personal testimony, but the psychological reactions of individuals to a religious upheaval, reactions that in themselves undermine the project's chances for success. Akhenaten proclaimed the One and Only God, the Sole Creator, a god of love, non-violence and non-resistance, and these friends and foes, voicing attitudes that range from acceptance and adoration to outrage and murderous resentment, demonstrate that the policy of "all you need is love" is foredoomed.

Mahfouz's writing is spare and elegant, and the translation is neat and clean, though littered with modern terms and concepts that are clearly anachronistic. Yet it appears that the author does not seek so much to recreate the particularity of ancient times as to engage in an Egyptian daydream as plain and unadorned as the pyramids and desert sands. However, those pyramids and sands are deceptive, and much can be found underneath. It would be interesting, for example, to explore how much Mahfouz drew from historical sources and how much he invented whole cloth. Also I wonder about the original Arabic, whether it has the word "Allah" standing in the places where we read "God." If so, it may be that this story of a prophet and his universal god makes a comment on Islam as well as on revelation, religious worship and brotherly love in general.

Good, but still a bit flat.......2007-07-08

I liked and didn't like this book. Maybe something got lost in translation, but I don't think that's the only reason I found it a bit flat.

I like the format: interview all the main players, and some minor ones, who surrounded the "heretic" Pharaoh Akhenaten during his rule and downfall. Each tells the story from his or her viewpoint, and soon the reader realizes that almost every narrator is colouring the story to make him or herself look good. You begin to read subsequent narrations sceptically, and start trying to piece together the "real" story. This is Mahfouz's intention: to let the reader decide whose version is "right."

This "tailoring" of the story is most clear in the stories of the political players -- characters like the High Priest of Amun, or Horemhab, or Ay. If the reader knows that both Ay and Horemhab (or Horemheb) became Pharaohs in their turn after Tutankhamun died, the eyebrows are raised pretty high at these men's protestation of devotion to Akhenaten, and their claims that they only abandoned him to save his life and save the kingdom.

Meanwhile, the ones who don't seem to tailor their story are the fervent believers. Toto, a priest of Amun who infiltrated Akhenaten's court, couldn't care less how he comes across; he's just so sure of his own righteousness that he barrels along, spewing hatred with every breath. Meri-Ra, who had been high priest of Akhenaten's god, still believes in that god. This is potentially dangerous, so one suspects that he, too, is being honest. The reader feels that these two, at least, might give some clue to the "real" story, if only their accounts can be reconciled.

The blurb on the book claims that "Akhenaten emerges as a charismatic enigma," but in fact it is Nefertiti whose role is most intriguing. Every narrator has an opinion about her, positive or negative, and opinions about her faith or lack of it, her fidelity or lack of it, and so on. Every narrator acknowledges that she was very politically astute, but everything else is left open. More and more, the reader looks forward to the final interview, with Nefertiti herself.

And here's where I had the problem. Meri-Ra, Akhenaten's hight priest, tells the interviewer, "You did not start this journey for no reason." I expected that not only would there be some climax of informtion during the interview with Nefertiti, but that we would learn something pertinent about the interviewer himself. I actually suspected we might find out that he was Moses (even though the timeline would have been somewhat off).

Yet nothing happened. Nefertiti, like all the others, told her story, made herself look good, and didn't resolve anything or bring up any intriguing twist to make the reader rethink anything. So the entire book was narration. stop. narration. stop. narration. stop. final stop. The exercise was interesting, to watch so many people describe the same events so differently. But in the end, it just dropped flat.

Akhenaten: Dweller in Truth.......2007-01-13

If you are interested in Egyptian history, particularly the enigmatic Akhenaten -- the pharoah who attempted to convert his people to mono-theism -- you will enjoy this novel. Interesting theory, even if you don't agree with the premise. Mahfouz's writing is, as always, excellent.

A Before Christ Christ-like Pharoah?.......2006-11-18

In translation, and in concept, the notion of considering an Egyptian Pharaoh as a human being; a visionary, a lunatic, a passionate priest, a meglomaniac, depending on whom you ask, is somehow counter-intuitive. This dychotomy, that of the ancients' as individuals is substantively what makes Akhenaten, Dweller in Truth an interesting work by a master writer.
The mention of Citizen Kane (in an above review) as a similarly executed story is apt, as we read the opinions and experiences of the "Heretic" Pharaoh Akhenaten's attendants and family. Some praise and revere him, others deride and villanize him, all in an effort to shape an enigmatic and suspect historical figure.
The substance of Akhenaten's "heresy" is his praise of the God Aten over Amun, two of Egypt's poly-theistic dieties, and then his epiphany of the One and Only God. The notion of a mono-theistic Egypt is clearly a threat to the society, as well as a revolution, and the ensuing reactions of those around him is the tale told here.
I would say, that while Akhenaten is an interesting figure, one I'd never heard of, he remains a historical mystery to me. His place is never regarded in any wider context here, certainly on purpose, but that omission dries the story for me. As do the similar characterizations of Akhenaten by the various voices that describe him. In this I wondered if the passion and the depth were perhaps lost in translation. That's not to say I didn't get the world of the Pharaoh's, their queens and families, their court and behavior. Only that it didn't captivate me.

=0).......2005-01-20

LoL...I have this crazy Amarna obsession, so I was psyched when I got my grubby hands on this book, but frankly, after reading it, I just don't understand what the fuss about this book is all about. Maybe the aesthetics got lost in the translations, but whatever it was, it left me a bit disappointed. There was a nice infusion of theories surrounding Akhenaten, but it was superficial and def. could have used a little more development. And although the formatting was interesting, I didn't really like the way the characters were portrayed and overall, the story was just a bit too wishy-washy for my taste.

Average customer rating:

King of Fools
Brilliant Archaeologist
for everyone interested in Akhenaten...
LUDICROUS
Akenhaten-The most intersting King of Egypt

Akhenaten: King of Egypt
Cyril Aldred
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0500276218

Customer Reviews:

King of Fools.......2006-03-23

Amazing book, for two reasons. First the amount of information contained within and second the shear ignorance of the author. The first book written about Amenophis IV aka Akhenaten which does not attack his crediblity, legacy and character will be the first. Aldred sinks to the depths of his era while doing all he can to discredit any positive attributes and accomplishments to this historic figure. Egyptologists enjoy a distinct advantage over other non-fiction writers in that they are free spin deceptive webs which are vitually unverifiable to the general public for decades inorder to attack their subjects with wild claims, stories and inuendo. It is amazing that a researcher of Aldred's acclaim would focus so much on unfounded allegations of incest, adultry and homosexuality that I began to wonder what dark secrets lay in his past.

It is clear that the author had an agenda and that agenda was to control the legend which he clearly feels is out of control. As for the appearance of Akhenaten the author refers to the physical appearance of his subject numerous times as hideous, grotesque, etc. In an effort to justify his harsh and ignorant rants he fosters the claim that the Pharoah must have suffered from some "then unknown," ailment. Nothing supports any of the slanderous claims made by the researchers, Egyptologists and historical revisionists. What Akhenaten suffered from was the same ailment King Tut and most of the other Egyptian Pharoah's were saddled with and it is unofficially known as Nubianism. There is no known cure for this curious illness which has struck fear in the hearts of mindless curators, Egyptologists and historians for centuries. It is rumored to have been around since the dawn of time despite the best efforts to suppress its rapid spread. If you have alot of patience and genuinely love the subject than you might find this title worthy of purchase but yourself a favor and pick it up from the bargain bin...

Brilliant Archaeologist.......2001-12-11

Cyril Aldred was one of the best minds ever to work in Egyptology. He used both common sense and intelligence, and rarely found himself swept up in the fantasies that abound in Egyptology. This book is an excellent example of his meticulous work. Read, for example, his chapter deciphering the contents of KV55. Not just the mummy, but the shrines and other objects, found in a hopeless jumble. Guided by what is simple and probable, he presents a reasonable explanation of how the tomb was found in that state it was; and how such a mixed burial, with objects referring to Akhenaten, Tiye and Smenkhara, came to be.

He also treats Akhenaten's "monotheism" with much less awe that it is usually given. He points out that it wasn't quite a religion ahead of its time, but a return to Old Kingdom sun-worship, and that it was by no means monotheism as we now consider it.

To respond to the issue raised in the review below: Aldred didn't invent the theory of Froelich's syndrome. It was a going theory at that time, as Egyptologists tried to find an explanation for Akhenaten's unique and somewhat feminine appearance.

Aldred knew the disease caused impotence. A working theory for many Egyptologists was that the disease went into remission before it made Akhenaten sterile. Aldred does present the idea that Amenhotep III might have fathered the children, if Akhenaten had been unable to. However, he then shows artwork of Akhenaten in mourning, with a growth of beard, showing that he did have secondary sex characteristics. Aldred then concludes the most likely theory is that Akhenaten fathered his own children.

In regard to the "incest-mania": that, too, was a going theory, not one invented by Aldred. It results from the fact that Akhenaten's three eldest princesses all evidently had daughters when they were very young, and when they were not married. Inscriptions refer to the these infants as "child of the king."

The theory goes that, in a mad attempt to have a male heir of fully royal blood, Ahenaten fathered children on his own children. A distasteful thought, but his own father married his daughter, Akhenaten's sister Sit-Amun, so again there is some basis for the idea.

Aldred also discusses the co-regency of Smenkhara. I personally think he would make short work of current theories that the ruler was really Nefertiti in drag, ruling as Pharaoh. For one thing, he discusses funerary objects (ushebtis) with Nefertiti's name on them which come from about the year 14, the year she "disappeared" or was "exiled." So it would seem likely she died at that time. For another, the body in tomb 55 is a royal male body, evidently an older brother of Tutankhamun. And portraits of King Smenkhara look nothing at all like Nefertiti. They do, however, show family resemblance to Akhenaten and Tut.

To return to the disease that plagued Akhenaten, I think author Bob Brier has it right. He has identified the disease as Marfan's syndrome, which causes, among other things, unusually long fingers and toes. He outlines his theory in his book about King Tut's death. His theory about the boy-king's murder is a bit farfetched, but his work on Marfan's syndrome would seem to be a breakthrough in solving this mystery.

If you are remotely interested in this brief period of history, Aldred's Akhenaten is a must-have.

for everyone interested in Akhenaten..........2001-08-25

Written by a notorious Egyptologist, this classic tells of Akhenaten and Nefertiti's life and family, the foundation of Amarna,and the conception of monotheism. One of the best books ever written on the subject, it is well researched and extremely informative, with many illustrations. Definitely recommended to anyone interested in learning more about this pharaoh.

LUDICROUS.......2001-08-15

The book is well researched and brings detailed information about Egyptology, but when it comes to the biographee, the conclusions presented are simply ludicrous.

First the author, unable to account for Akhenaton's unusual appearance, states that he suffered from a so-called Frohlich Syndrome; however, as that Frohlich disease is an utterly sterilizing one, and Akhenaton is always depicted surrounded by his beloved wife Nefertiti and their many children, Aldred has to rack his brains to support his amazing theory. What does he comes up with then? Of course! All Akhenaton and Nefertiti's seven children were actually generated by Akhenaton's old father, Amenhotep III! How come we never thought of it!

Later on, Aldred forgets all he said before and states, based on nothing but his own weird fantasy, that Akhenaton simply... married his own daughter, and, guess what? had children with her! Extraordinary! Did he cure himself of his Frohlich disease and fathered his grandchild, or did old Amenhotep III play again the stallion and fathered his great-grandchild? Well, that can hardly be, for old Amenhotep was dead and mummified for a long time by then; so, who's the newborn's real father this time? Tuthankhamen? Perhaps the author should have cured himself of that incestmania of his before committing to Egyptology, which is supposed to be a serious science.

Akenhaten-The most intersting King of Egypt.......2000-01-09

I was fascinated by this book. I have read a lot of different books on the history of Egypt and find Akenhaten the most intersting of subjects. He tried to try something new of a well established religion....was he a few millenniums too early! If you have to read anything on him. Read this.

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Akhenaten Worshipper of the Sun. Indeed, no.
PURE VENOM!!
informative book about Akhenaten
The worst book on this historical period ever written
Akenaten was a good person

Akhenaten: The Heretic King
Donald B. Redford
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0691002177

Customer Reviews:

Akhenaten Worshipper of the Sun. Indeed, no........2002-07-19

Amenhotep, later Pharaoh Akhenaten, has been called a "worshipper of the sun" by a recent reviewer. Surely he was not. National Geographic (April 2001) quotes him as saying: "Oh living Aten, who initiates life.... Oh, sole god, without another beside him! You create the Earth according to your wish.... You are in my heart, and there is none who knows you except your son." It is said that he spoke these words as the Sun rose.

But is he a worshipper of the outer, physical Sun or the inner, spiritual Sun, that is ultimately God? Who has initiated life? God the Father has. Does not the Upanishads, which predates Akhenaten, say that "the whole universe came forth from [God] and moves in [God]"? (Prabhavavanda and Manchester, Upanishads, 23. The Sanskrit word used is "Brahman.")

Who is the sole god, without another beside him? The Heavenly Father is One without a second, is He not? Is there any difference between what Akhenaten said and what Isaiah said?" I am God, and there is none else." (Isaiah 5:22.) Or Shankara: "[God] alone is real. There is none but He." (Prabhavananda and Isherwood, Crest-Jewel of Discrimination, 69.) Surely what Akhenaten is saying is that only God exists; there are not two in the universe, but only One. "Hear, Oh Israel, the Lord thy God. The Lord is One."

Did He not create the Earth (and the heavens) according to His wish? Said Solomon: "The Lord ... hath founded the earth." (Proverbs 3:19.) Said Shankara: "[God] is the cause of the evolution of the universe, its preservation and its dissolution." (CJD, 75-6.)

Does He not reside in the heart of each being as the Immortal Self? Krishna declares: "The Lord lives in the heart of every creature." (Prabhavavanda and Isherwood, Bhagavad-Gita, 129.) Or the Upanishads: "The Supreme Person, ... the Innermost Self, dwells forever in the heart of all beings."(Upanishads, 24.)

And where is the difference between saying that "there is none who knows you except your son" and saying, with Jesus, "no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son." (Luke 9:22.) This same Son, this Christ, this Pearl of great price and treasure buried in a field -- is not this the immortal Self, the Son of God?

When Akhenaten says, "I shall make [the royal city of] Akhetaten for the Aten, my father, in this place," is he referring to his earthly father or to his Heavenly Father, whom he revered?

I submit that Pharoah Akhenaten was an enlightened man, who had knowledge of the Heavenly Father through mystical insight, as all the world's saints and sages have had. He had this experience, as they all did, when the Inner Sun of the Self arose, not on the earthly horizon, but on the inner horizon of the heart. The religion that he initiated, which was overthrown after his death, was the worship of the same Heavenly Father that all mystics and masters through eternity have reverenced.

Seeing him in this way eliminates the difficulties inherent in casting him as a mere worshipper of the Sun and restores to him his true accomplishment: he fulfilled the purpose of life -- to realize God. That his contemporaries did not give him his due is unfortunate. But, with the benefit of thousands of years of spiritual learning, we have the opportunity to set that unfortunate circumstance straight and give Akhenaten his true place in history, along with such other enlightened mystics as Solomon, Socrates, Jesus, and Buddha.

PURE VENOM!!.......2001-07-25

I am sorry but as a decent and self respecting human being, (and to put it nicely, too), I am permenantly allergic to this book. Akhenaten is my absolute hero and I don't know where these people who detract from him including in this work think they'll get off taking untruthful and cheap shots at him. Obviously, they are afraid to look further into the sheer beauty and kindness which radiates from both him and his brilliant poetry. I think that if they decided to open their minds and look further, they would suddenly see the startling lovliness of this man. But this book is just cruel far beyond the edge of decency, though this author obviously isn't stupid, as he projects onto so many other fine people. I give it one star only because there isn't a zero, so this is the lowest.

informative book about Akhenaten.......2000-06-17

The author portrays Akhenaten more as an atheist than a monotheist. A striking portrait is an outline of this fascinating 'worshiper of the sun', who is also one of the best known pharaohs. A good overview is provided of the Akhenaten Temple Project. Some of the author's comments are amusing which makes the book more enjoyable especially through the 'dry' moments. The book contains a short glossary, suggested readings, and many black and white illustrations and drawings. It is recommended for the open-minded lay person.

The worst book on this historical period ever written.......1999-12-21

I'm a scholar in the Amarna Period and I have read almost every book about this period. This is absolutely the worst. And this is a pity since it doesn't do justice to its author who is a famous egyptologist. It seems that here Redford wants to discharge all his personal hate towards the period and the characters under discussion. This is certainly not the best book to start with if a layman is interested seriously to start and begin with Amarna studies.

Akenaten was a good person.......1999-06-05

I don't agree with most of the things in this book. I still think Akenaten's Amarna was en- lighting and he was far ahead of his peers at the time. Of course he was not perfect, but he did give Egypt the light.

Moses and Akhenaten: The Secret History of Egypt at the Time of the Exodus

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Moses and Akhenaten
Required Revelation, Not Free of Bias
Composite review of two books - 'Act of God' and 'Out of Egypt'
A Thought Provoking Possibility Worth Considering
Worth more than just a cursory glance

Moses and Akhenaten: The Secret History of Egypt at the Time of the Exodus
Ahmed Osman
Manufacturer: Bear & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Hebrew Pharaohs of Egypt: The Secret Lineage of the Patriarch Joseph
Jesus in the House of the Pharaohs: The Essene Revelations on the Historical Jesus
Christianity: An Ancient Egyptian Religion
Secrets of the Exodus: The Egyptian Origins of the Hebrew People
The Mystery of the Copper Scroll of Qumran: The Essene Record of the Treasure of Akhenaten

ASIN: 1591430046
Release Date: 2002-10-01

Book Description

A reinterpretation of biblical and Egyptian history that shows Moses and the Pharaoh Akhenaten to be one and the same.

• Provides dramatic evidence from both archaeological and documentary sources.

• A radical challenge to long-established beliefs on the origin of Semitic religion.

During his reign, the Pharaoh Akhenaten was able to abolish the complex pantheon of the ancient Egyptian religion and replace it with a single god, the Aten, who had no image or form. Seizing on the striking similarities between the religious vision of this "heretic" pharaoh and the teachings of Moses, Sigmund Freud was the first to argue that Moses was in fact an Egyptian. Now Ahmed Osman, using recent archaeological discoveries and historical documents, contends that Akhenaten and Moses were one and the same man.

In a stunning retelling of the Exodus story, Osman details the events of Moses/Akhenaten's life: how he was brought up by Israelite relatives, ruled Egypt for seventeen years, angered many of his subjects by replacing the traditional Egyptian pantheon with worship of the Aten, and was forced to abdicate the throne. Retreating to the Sinai with his Egyptian and Israelite supporters, he died out of the sight of his followers, presumably at the hands of Seti I, after an unsuccessful attempt to regain his throne.

Osman reveals the Egyptian components in the monotheism preached by Moses as well as his use of Egyptian royal ritual and Egyptian religious expression. He shows that even the Ten Commandments betray the direct influence of Spell 125 in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Moses and Akhenaten provides a radical challenge to long-standing beliefs concerning the origin of Semitic religion and the puzzle of Akhenaten's deviation from ancient Egyptian tradition. In fact, if Osman's contentions are correct, many major Old Testament figures would be of Egyptian origin.

Customer Reviews:

Moses and Akhenaten.......2007-07-24

This was the second book of Osman's that I read and I wish I had read it first. This book essentially begins his argument that Christianity is the product of Ancient Egyptian religion and...as the title suggests, Moses and Akhenaten are one in the same. Osman does provide the reader with a convincing argument and I find his books to be a good source for "alternative" history buffs. However, I feel that he tends to lose the reader with all of the name changing going on in this particular book. (Akenaten is Moses, so and so is Soloman, etc, etc) This was, in my opinion, the least readable of his books...but by no means a bad or unreadable book. If you're going to read Osman's books, I would suggest starting with this one and then moving on to "The Hebrew Pharoahs of Egypt" followed by "Christianity - An Ancient Egyptian Religion."

Required Revelation, Not Free of Bias.......2007-06-20

If I overstand correctly, this is a 2002 revised reprint of the 1990 book "Moses, Pharaoh of Egypt: The Mystery of Akhenaten Resolved". 190 regular text pages. With an additional 7-part appendix of 54 pages, which sections I recommend reading when referenced respectively.

Ahmed Osman reveals various errors of other Egyptologists, e.g. why they have guessed the time frame of the Moses Exodus wrongly, that they didn't consider various kinds of co-regencies of Pharaos and why Akhenaten had to be coded as Moses after his fall from power.

He is very convincing in this and more, mixing circumstantial evidence with what I consider hard evidence. In contrast to some other readers I don't mind the circumstantial evidence in this specific book. For the simple reason that even that makes much more sense than what is popularly assumed about Akhenaten/Moses, i.e. even should the author be not quite correct on some issues, this book is a step forward in the correct direction. Of both, revelations and method of scientific progress. As a RastafarI I don't like too much of magic as the basis of belief in religion and appreciated the author's explanation of Moses' magic rod, supposedly turning into a serpent, as having lost in the translation and alteration, meaning something entirely different, non-magical. Ahmed Osman takes it for granted that the reader already has been revealed to that Akhenaten/Moses was Black and that in ancient language, "Ethiopia" may stand for any Black kingdom, not necessarily the country by that name.

Most certainly, I would like to get all the Afrocentrist authors of the past decades at a round table. They sound really convincing in their specific fields of expertise, yet they tend to contradict each other. They tend to check their findings with the establishment (which usually isn't that difficult to prove wrong), not necessarily with each other. Which doesn't make any one of the Afrocentrists wrong in principal as a necessity. It just shows that further research is necessary for the fine tuning. For example Ahmed Osman puts the Moses Exodus in the convincingly correct time frame of Akhenaten, again convincingly chosing a later date. However, just as convincingly Robin Walker, author of When We Ruled: The Ancient and Medieval History of Black Civilisations revealed a wrong time frame for all of ancient Egypt, saying, the further you go back in Egyptian history, the more time has been concealed by Western egyptologists. According to him Akhenaten ruled from 1501-1474 BCE, i.e. long before Ahmen Osman's suggestion of Akhenaten's birth in 1394 BCE. Which would approximately push back that Exodus at the original estimate. Expressions like "mixed Egyptian-Israelite blood" (as in ancient Black context) may be criticized anyway for touching racist notions, but specifically Nana Banchie Darkwah, author of The Africans Who Wrote the Bible (which I highly recommend reading in tandem with this book) would disagree that there would be much of a separation to be "mixable" anyway. (Not to mention that the latter calls the Pharao "Akenten" as the supposed real spelling/pronunciation.)

This book doesn't seem to be free from bias, responsible for a potential clouding of scientific judgement: It seems to have an issue with anything homosexual and the like. Which becomes clear when the author says that other Egyptologists would have attempted to discredit Akhenaten as having been gay. As a historian he should have known that the judgement of "homosexuality" as being automatically something to get discredited by is post-ancient Egypt. The picture of a statue he provides, which has been the source for the homosexual claim is indeed a very weak argument. It looks as if having been largely dissolved in acid rain, not making it possible to identify anything. However, that is also true for the suggestion of Ahmed Osman, what this piece of art is supposed to represent instead... I am not an expert in this, I think that homosexual claim for Akhenaten goes beyond that statue. What really seems to cloud the author though are his remarks about another statue he provides a picture of. A naked one, with no depicted genitalia. He's saying, those who say, he didn't have any, are wrong. Well, of course! Someone said that? However, he in turn claims, this statue would be unfinished: the artist didn't have time to make the clothes yet around his waist. Any layperson can see how absurd this claim is. Especially, since a clothed statue of Akhenaten is depicted directly next to the naked one. The naked statue has fully developed legs and a dent in the genitalia region. Both are covered by the clothes at the other statue. It would neither be possible to make clothes of stone above either, nor would it make sense for the artist first to fully make the legs, than to undo that. The real purpose of the statue has to do with that, what Ahmed Osman closed his eyes to when captioning the very first picture in the book, of a double statuette of Nefertiti and Akhenaten: "No physical defect mars Akhenaten's appearance." I would agree with that literally only. He probably was referring to the face. Yet, his body IS unusual: It depicts a 4 months pregnancy belly, and WITH clothes, something misses, which Nefertiti is shown with: a bulge under her clothes in the genitalia region. Although some statues of Akhenaten (and Nefertiti) are even more pronounced than this one in this respect, the general idea is very much recognizable: Gender-bending. Before monotheism, virtually all over the world, "homosexuals" and gender benders of any kind were seen as mediators "between the genders" and with that metaphorically between humans and the godly world. That's why shamans, healers, priests etc. often were "gender bending" in one form or the other. Akhenaten represents the "missing link" between pre-monotheistic approach and monotheism. In fact, the ancient Egyptian sign of life, the ankh/nkwa also depicts "both genitals" in one. A sign to have become/remained important for Akhenaten. I am not claiming (or disclaiming) that Akhenaten (or Nefertiti) were homosexuals; that would be a specific late 19th century German concept anyway, in this literal wording of the mid-20th century. I am reasoning the intentional symbolism expressed in ancient Egyptian religious art, especially at the time of Akhenaten. As, of course, a pregnant belly of a male is as symbolic as a missing penis.

I wouldn't really have subtracted an entire star for that. I did that for another reason: This obvious misjudgement, even omission of knowledge reveals Ahmed Osman as biased. Biased to the point of harboring the potential of absurd claims. Exactly that, what he criticizes about other Egyptologists. It hasn't anything to do with what anyone might think about gender benders, it has everything to do with letting that influence their scientific approach. If THAT has caused wrong judgement, what else might have?

Composite review of two books - 'Act of God' and 'Out of Egypt'.......2006-07-14

I thought it prudent to do a generic review of the two books so at least they can be compared as they are dealing with the same topics. The two books are `Act of God' by Graham Philips and `Out of Egypt' by Ahmed Osman. They should be read concurrently.

[*NB: Out of Egypt seems to be out of print hence not listed on Amazon. As my review dealt with Moses and Akhenaten, I have placed my review here even though I have not read Osman's book, 'Moses and Akhenaten. Will get hold of it soon!]

The two authors of their respective books do talk about the same topic of the origins of the Bible stories of Moses and Pharoah (Osman also talks about Christianity) but they have different interpretations of the events and identities of the persons involved. At the outset both books seem to furnish the reader with evidence for their theories and convincingly so. But when the two books are compared, they are diametrically opposed.

1. Identity of Moses:

- Philip's view: It was a prince called `Tuthmosis' whose account in Egyptian literature is spurious and not much is said about him. He was the elder brother of Akhenaten and rightful heir to the throne before he mysteriously disappears. Both Moses and Akhenaten shared the similar views about the one deity. Some of the Atenists joined the Israelites during the Exodus

- Osman's view: Moses was Akhenaten. Because they shared the same religious beliefs they must have been the same person

2. Identities of other peoples

- Philip's view: The other peoples such as David, Joshua, Tutenkhamun etc. are as accepted by the conventional thought

- Osman's view: Tutenkhamun was Jesus. He was killed on Mt. Sinai by Pinhas. Osman argues that the New testament also claims that the Roman soldier who killed Jesus on the cross was Pinhas. Hence the real physical Jesus (Titenkahmun) was confused with the spiritual Jesus of the New Testament. Tuthmosis III was David. Aye was Joseph of Arimathea. Amonhotep III was Solomon

3. Cause of River Nile Turning Red

- Philip's view: Mt. Thera erupted and blocked sunlight. Iron Oxide spewed out and gave the Nile the reddish colour. Because of the catastrophe, plagues ensued and fish died on the Nile.

- Osman's view: The Nile turning red is seasonal. During the season of Inundation, the Nile waters turn reddish. If the events took place in the Eastern Delta this suggests late Summer. The plagues were natural occurrences during the course of the Egyptian year.

4. Origin and meaning of the name, `Moses'

- Philip's view: It is from the Egyptian word, `Mosis' or Mos, meaning `son'. Many people thought that the Hebrew name of Moshe was given to Moses because it means `to draw', and he was drawn out of the water. Philips makes a good point that Egyptians did not use Hebrew. So `Mos' was used which means `son'. The woman who adopted Moses brought him up as a son and a part of the Royal household. `Mos' is used as an adjunct to `Tuth'. Hence the name `Tuthmosis'. So the shady character, Tuthmosis (Akhenaten's older brother) was Moses who led the Israelites out of Egypt.

- Osman's view: Similar to Philips. He also refers to the Hebrew `Moshe' (to draw). But Osman understands `Mos' to mean son in context of a rightful heir, i.e. royalty. As Akhenaten was the rightful heir of Amonhotep III, therefore Akhenaten is Moses.

Summary

You can see how the two different authors are diametrically opposed to each other, yet they seem to furnish their theories with evidence. I came across Graham Philip's book by the suggestion of an Atheist who seemed to be convinced by his investigative research. But as the reader can judge, theories are not proof! The conspiracy theories further become ludicrous when other authors try to link the Pyramids with alien contact (Robert Temple,`The Sirius Mystery' or Peter Lemesurier, 'Gods of the Dawn').

I believe that the best book on the Hebrews and the Egyptians is by the late Maurice Bucaille (well known for his classic, `The Bible, the Quran and Science'), a French doctor and Egyptologist, who gives a very objective account of the Israelites and sheds some interesting light on the Bible and the Quran. The name of this book is, `The Hebrews in Egypt'. This book makes more sense than the portfolio of exotic theories that surround the pyramids, the Jews and the ancient Egyptians. Unfortunately this book is not available at Amazon. Visit a Muslim bookstore.

By Hasan Ali Imam
Ex-Parliamentary Candidate, Conservative Party
UK

A Thought Provoking Possibility Worth Considering.......2005-04-22

I read Mr. Osman's book a year ago and I'm still thinking and dreaming about the possibility that Moses and Akhenaten were the same person. If not, Mr. Osman convinced me that they must have known, or heard about each other because they lived during the same period of time, or within a couple hundred years of each other. I suspect that Thera, the volcanic island in the eastern Mediterranean that is presently called Santorini, exploded during Akhenaten's reign unleashing devastating destruction throughout the region in the form of tsunamis, earthquakes, extreme weather changes, droughts, and bacterial/viral epidemics that substantially reduced the population in the region, including Egypt. I lived in Seattle when Mount St. Helens blew up and the environmental devastation caused by the blast was awful to behold. Yet, Thera's blast was magnitudes greater, perhaps greater than the blast that created Crater Lake in southern Oregon or Krakatoa's blast in the South Pacific. The damage caused by the tsunami produced by Thera's explosion must have far exceeded the damage caused by the tsunami that killed so many people in southeast Asia last December. If I'm correct, the priests of Amun-Ra likely seized the "opportunity" to blame Akhenaten and his god, the Aten, for provoking Ammun-Ra's anger thereby assuring the end of what must have been Egypt's Camelot. Small wonder that Egypt retaliated against the Atenists with the biblical oppression enslaving them and forcing them to build Pi-Ramses, the new capitol in the Nile delta that became the base of operations for the Rameside pharaohs of the Nineteenth Dynasty. I also suspect that Egypt emptied its jails and rounded up the Hebrews (many of whom were Atenists), political dissidents, foreigners, the mentally ill, and the incurably sick and expelled them after Pi-Ramses was completed. Moses led Egypt's untouchables out of Egypt into permanent exile. Horemheb, whom many regard as the pharaoh during the oppression, or his successor Ramses I and the priests of Amun-Ra, probably thought they were pretty clever to assign Moses, or Akhenaten, to be the ruler of the nation's untouchables. Many egyptians probably followed them out into the desert hurling insults, stones, and anything else that they could throw at the struggling sweating mass of unarmed people. It must have been quite a scene. I wonder how many americans today would like to do the same thing to other americans with whom they disagree. Like the sixties song says, "When will they ever learn?"

I do not believe that any persuasive evidence exists to support claims that Semenkhare (Akhenaten's successor) was Nefertiti in drag, although Hatshepsut (an earlier 18th Dynasty ruler who governed Egypt in a co-regency with a young child named Thutmosis until he siezed control of Egypt in his mid twenties) was depicted by sculptors with a beard. It is more probable that Nefertiti perished from some disease, possibly from the plague that ravaged much of Egypt during those times. As for Tutankhamun, his mummy was examined just a week or two ago (early April 2005) with sophisticated medical technology and no evidence was discovered to support the theory that he was murdered. In fact, I believe that most egyptologists now regard him to have been Akhenaten's son by another lesser wife (ie., not Nefertiti), which is not surprising since he needed to have a son to succeed him and he and Nefertiti had failed in that regard. They "only" managed to have 6 daughters!

Worth more than just a cursory glance.......2004-12-07

Before I begin my review, in response to Richard Lewis' review: before you begin laughing at the idea of Atenism being the first monotheistic religion, I suggest you read your history books. Most historians (in fact, I can't think of any who dispute it) agree that Atenism is at the very least the first case of monotheism that can be supported with archeological evidence. If you had read the Hymn to Aten, you would have come upon the lines: "O Sole God, whose powers no other possesseth" and "The Living Aten, there is none other than he." Akhenaten was actually adamant that no other gods be worshipped under his reign (What on earth are your sources that Ma'at was worshipped?). Polytheism slowly began to emerge in Armana when Smenkhare was installed as co-regent as a political compromise. But, certainly at the beginning of his rule, no other gods were worshipped publically in cities controlled by the Pharaoh (Thebes was not under the religious control of the pharaoh after the capital was moved to Akhetaten, now Tell el-Amarna). Even Donald Redford, a well-known critic of Akhenaten, views Atenism as the first monotheistic religion. O and worshipping many gods and goddesses as manifestations of one god while more sophisticated than, say, Greek polytheism, does not qualify as true monotheism.
I just don't want people who are unfamiliar with the subject matter to think that it's a shocking claim (it's very well accepted). What is shocking and deserving of scrutiny is his claim that Moses and Akhenaten were the same person. Osman does a good job of providing some very compelling circumstantial evidence. For example, the transliteration of the Ancient Hebrew "Adonai" to "Aten" and the tracing of "Moses" to the Egyptian word "Mos". Its also compelling that Akhenaten's grave has never been found (a fact echoed in my other reading). In any case, I find Ahmed Osman remarkably inconsistent as a scholar. His arguments range from very cohesive and clear (even when covering uncharted territories) to frustratingly convoluted and obtuse. I would have given this a lower rating for that reason except that I think his central idea is one worthy of a lot of attention. The parallels are very powerful between Moses' and Akheanaten's life stories. Ahmed does an excellent job establishing an overlapping chronology for their lives. I also think his re-intepretation of biblical symbols at the end of Moses' life is interesting. In the end, this is just a theory, but one that very well may be true.
And, because of this, I think it's tragic that Osman published "In the House of Pharaohs" claiming that Jesus and Tutankhamen were the same person. That's just ridiculous. i haven't even read that book, but Tutankhamen was a polytheist who died at the age of 19. Way to completely discredit yourself as a serious Egyptologist. Anyone who wants to read more about Tutankhamen, Akhenaten's son, should read The Murder of Tutankhamen by Bob Brier, easily one of the best books written on this subject.

Akhenaten and Tutankhamun: Revolution and Restoration

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The City of Akhet-aten Dominates This Fine Work

Akhenaten and Tutankhamun: Revolution and Restoration
David P. Silverman , Josef W. Wegner , and Jennifer Houser Wegner
Manufacturer: University of Pennsylvania Museum Publication
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Chronicle of the Queens of Egypt (Chronicle)
The Royal Tombs of Egypt: The Art of Thebes Revealed
Akhenaten: King of Egypt
The Papyrus
Akhenaten: History, Fantasy and Ancient Egypt

ASIN: 1931707901

Customer Reviews:

The City of Akhet-aten Dominates This Fine Work.......2007-02-02

The title of this book is a bit deceptive in that the authors, all professors at the University of Pennsylvania, are more concerned with instilling in their readers an excellent mental image of the city of Akhet-Aten than anything else. The greater portion of the text offers logical reasons for the layout/design of that city and the location of the various palaces, temples, etc. therein, which is, admittedly very interesting and informative; this leaves the reader with a much better idea of what the city was actually like. Beyond speculating about various aspects of that city, the book provides a basic overall view of Akhenaten, his religion and reign; nothing particularly new. As very little is actually known about the life and reign of Tutankhamun beyond what has been learned from the contents of his tomb, very little of the book directly concerns him, apart from some interesting speculation about the large number of statues that Tut commissioned only to have Horemheb later claim as his own. The photos, although somewhat dark at times, add to the book in that a number of them show items from the Univ. of Pennsylvania's collection that are not widely published in other books on this subject. Another plus is the admirable way in which the authors refrained from promoting their own opinions or personal agenda regarding this controversial period. As they so rightly state, "Modern interpretations of Akhenaten tend to reflect to a significant extent the surrounding ethos of the commentators themselves." The authors have avoided making that mistake here.

Akhenaten and Tutankhamen: The Religious Revolution (Leaders of Ancient Egypt)

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"Tut-tut" to all the other books for children regarding these two Pharaohs-- this book REIGNS -- "MONO"!
Egyptology at its best!

Akhenaten and Tutankhamen: The Religious Revolution (Leaders of Ancient Egypt)
Susanna Thomas
Manufacturer: Rosen Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0823935892

Customer Reviews:

"Tut-tut" to all the other books for children regarding these two Pharaohs-- this book REIGNS -- "MONO"!.......2007-03-11

Page 61 states:
"... The family often appeared together in the Window of Appearance..."
Page 70 indicates:
"A bridge over the Royal Road connected this palace to the King's House.
We don't know if Akhenaten and his family ever lived in this building, but we do know that it was probably the site where the Window of Appearance, which is sometimes show in tomb paintings, was located. The Window of Appearance was a kind of balcony from which Akhenaten and Nefertiti would appear and reward their loyal followers with gold collars, which were the ancient Egyptian version of..."
When I read this I said "oh yeah, I remember that" but I don't recall reading it in the many Egyptian and archaeological books, periodicals, websites, etc. It was a term that I was familiar with from "long ago." I know when we were in Egypt back in 1995 it was not mentioned otherwise I would have had the same reaction. Whatever, I am glad that it was mentioned in this excellent book and I know that I will refer to it with regard to the Window of Appearance periodically as I already have -- and it is the only children's book (and adult, for that matter) in which I know the subject is mentioned.
This is a fine book for adults as well as children, and it was well researched and the subject matter was well executed.
We have a friend living in Cairo and I was lucky to happen upon another copy for her to take back to the school in which she teaches, so the children of Egypt may enjoy
it, as well!

Egyptology at its best!.......2004-12-23

I saw a review of this author's series of books by an Egyptology professor which said that they were highly informative and full of accurate information, so I bought them and found that I agreed. There are lots of quotes from the ancient Egyptians themselves which give a real flavor of the times, and the life stories of each pharaoh are described in an exiting and easy to follow way. A really good read for both me and my 13 year old son!

Akhenaten: History, Fantasy and Ancient Egypt

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Horrendously overpriced for a mere skimming of information
Great Idea Betrayed by Superficiality, Political Correctness
Akhenaten at his muliplicitous best

Akhenaten: History, Fantasy and Ancient Egypt
Domi Montserrat
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Akhenaten: Egypt's False Prophet
Akhenaten and the Religion of Light
Akhenaten's Egypt (Shire Egyptology, No. 10) (Schire Egyptology Series No 10)
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ASIN: 0415185491

Book Description

Theoretically astute yet engagingly written, and illustrated with many striking images, this book appeals to anyone with an interest in Akhenaten or in the archaeology of ancient Egypt.

Customer Reviews:

Horrendously overpriced for a mere skimming of information.......2001-06-28

I couldn't agree more with the reviewer from Georgia who mentioned that this book is a great idea betrayed by an utter lack of thoroughness. Indeed, and without belaboring what has already been said in that review, this potentially valuable idea (for somebody else's book) is quite a frustrating read. And it does seem like more of an annotated bibliography than a real study of/comparison between competing notions of ideas about Akhenaten. While much of the information provided is interesting, there is basically no room for investigation, for follow-through, for earnest authorial postulation. Too, I found the book a lumpy piece of writing. For any American-educated scholar there seems to exist a wholly annoying and singular European mode of academc writing that would drive the MLA absolutely insane. Whereas parts of this book are utterly fascinating, such as the discussion of the aborted Akhenaten film script by the late Derek Jarman, such parts are touched upon ever so slightly . . . The idea of this book rates an A for me, but the combination of iffy execution and alarming brevity (and PRICE!) cause me to caution anyone, especially poor graduate students, from plunking down a veritable jackpot wad only to receive this disappointing scholarly effort.

Great Idea Betrayed by Superficiality, Political Correctness.......2001-05-21

The idea of a book on the different interpretations and appropriations of Akhenaten and his religion is simply wonderful, and I learned a lot of names and titles from this book which will be useful for further research. The book is also well-produced, and contains some very good illustrations. But it is ultimately more frustrating than enjoyable. I was annoyed by the superficiality of EVERY discussion. The author simply tries to cover too much territory in only 184 pages of text, which means that none of it is covered well. A book of double the length would actually have been more readable if it had included more substantive discussions. Lists of names and titles with brief and superficial synopses quickly become tedious. Parts of this book read like an annotated bibliography. Also annoying is the author's totally needless use of postmodern academic jargon and his politically correct pandering to certain privileged minorities. His diplomatic pussyfooting is truly remarkable in his discussion of Afrocentrist interpretations of Akhenaten. He carefully avoids pointing out blatant falsehoods and distortions, and he treats the use of completely fictitious and childish etymologies as merely a charming Negro folk custom without commenting on whether such etymologies are a good method for unearthing historical facts. This is a tedious, grossly overpriced, and morally compromised book. A waste of time and money.

Akhenaten at his muliplicitous best.......2001-01-04

Dominic Montserrat has succeeded in bringing to us a survey of the different myths, legends and scholarship that have surrounded the elusive Akhenaten and the finds at Amarna. Starting out with the thesis that how people illuminate this historical figure is directly linked with who those people are and what they are trying to accomplish. He proves this through an entertaining look at all the incarnations Akhenaten has had in our society since his discovery over a hundred years ago--as political, social, religious and even sexual icon. I appreciated the tone of this work because it was neither condemning, condescending or mocking of these different views but rather did a good job of showing how varied groups viewed him as the hero in antiquity that lent validation to who they were (are). However, it is hard not to smirk at least at how seemingly diametrically opposed groups, such as Nazis and homosexuals, could both see Akhenaten as their distant progenitor. Montserrat also looks at the different depictions of this period in fiction and movies, and even the opera of Phillip Glass. He also puts the scholarship of Amarna in the context of the scholars who wrote it and the sources from which they got their information. It is interesting to see the changing views of this intriguing period of Egyptian history and why. Montserrat furthermore succeeds by offering no opinion of his own as to who he thinks Akhenaten was. This would only further muddy the water and cause him to become part of his own thesis. I agree with him to leave Akhenaten as perhaps all things to all people.

Book Description

One of the most compelling and controversial figures in history, Akhenaten has captured the imagination like no other Egyptian pharaoh. Much has been written about this strange, persecuted figure whose freakish appearance—elongated and effete—is totally at odds with that of the traditional Egyptian ruler-hero. Scholars and laymen have speculated that he was a eunuch or a sufferer of a genetic disorder—or even a woman. Known today as a heretic, Akhenaten sought to impose upon Egypt and its people the worship of a single god, radically affecting the country in every way, from art to the written language. In this immensely readable reevaluation, Nicholas Reeves gives an entirely new perspective on the turbulent events of Akhenaten's seventeen-year reign. Reeves argues that, far from the idealistic founder of a new faith, Akhenaten cynically used religion for purely political ends in a calculated attempt to reassert the authority of the king and concentrate power in his own hands. In the process, he suppressed potential opposition by unleashing a terror that reverberated down the centuries. The founding of the new capital at el-Amarna was also politically motivated: Thebes, Egypt's premier city, had proved unreceptive to the king's ideas. Akhenaten's revolution ultimately failed as political, financial, and moral corruption overwhelmed the regime. His traditionalist successors showed little mercy. With a ruthless determination not seen in Egypt before or since, all trace of the pharaoh's existence was systematically expunged. Nicholas Reeves presents a provocative interpretation of Akhenaten and the Amarna period. Insights are provided into questions that have baffled scholars for generations—the puzzle of the body in Tomb 55; the identity of Akhenaten's mysterious successor, Smenkhkare; the fate of Nefertiti, his beautiful wife; and the theory that Tutankhamun, his son and true heir, was murdered.

Customer Reviews:

An interesting look at one chapter in Egypt's long history.......2007-09-23

The subject of Reeves' book is Akhenaten; a Pharoah who attempted to remake Egyptian society from country where a host of gods and idols were worshipped to a monothiestic society which recognized only one god: the Aten, or sun disc.

Reeves looks further back than most other authors for the origins of the Aten cult, seeing not just the trend of a priesthood that was becoming more and more politically powerful but also in other events during the 17th and 18th Dynasties which might have effected Akenaten's thinking. Reeves also discusses archeological proof as he tells the story (as it is known) and writes about different theories to explain this or that. Reeves does NOT fall into the trap of discussing the Aten cult as predecessor or influence on Judaism, which has become fashionable as of late. Overall, a good book.

Excellent history, reads like a novel.......2007-03-24

If you are fascinated with ancient Egypt, do not miss this non-fiction book about Pharaoh Akhenaten,which reads like a well-written novel. The mysterious Pharaoh Akhenaten, who tried to introduce one god, Aten, and overthrow the all the other gods, and became known as the "great heretic" is one of the most interesting and debated historical figures of all time. It is beautifully illustrated with photographs. It also has an early section that summarizes the history of the period up to that point, and it continues on to the reign of his son Tutankhamun. Worth the photographs alone, but well written, not dry.

More of the same.........2006-03-27

If you've read one Akhenaten title you've basically read them all. As with the countless versions which have preceeded Mr. Reeves treatment of the socalled False Prophet, the author reproduces and supports many of the curious claims surrounding the Amarna periods infamous ruler. One area the author appears to make headway is in identifying Amenophis III with the Aten. In detailing Amenophis III and his adoption of the Aten personna as his "deified physical manifestation", Mr. Reeves appears to defend Akhenaten from the status of "False prophet", but he quickly backpeddles and returns to the normal persecution completely ignoring his own statements.

So was Akhenaten a mad religious zealot or merely a devoted son expressing loyalty and love for his departed father? Was Akhetaten a new capitol city or simply the grandest form of tribute to the man whom truly gave him life? If Akhetaten was indeed the capitol city as is claimed then it appears that the new Pharoah was more of a visionary than many of his predecessors as the location of this new city was a centralized location. Halfway between the old capitols of southern and northern Egypt "as Mr. Reeves points out". This would serve to unify the country and make the Pharoah and his court more accessible to the population and not isolate them as is claimed in this book. Another curious and unverified claim adopted by the author from previous sources is the decline of the Egyptian empire under Akhenaten. As I have said this is an often repeated claim which is never verified. None of the authors who preach of the Egyptian empires decline under Akhenaten ever present verifiable facts to support their claim and Mr. Reeves is no differnt.

Most desturbing is the introduction of often repeated claims of incest on behalf of Akhenaten, again I would ask where except in the mind of the author is the proof of this? What Mr. Reeves does is introduce some very interesting ideals only to shrink back into long excepted ideals and accusations. I can only speculate as to the reason for Egyptology's deep animosity toward Akhenaten as he is befar the most reviled figure in Egypt's history. The hatred expressed for the man and his ideals by those who study him from a distance seperated by thousands of years is almost always skewed in the most vile manner. The use of bricks and usurption of temples constructed by Akhenaten by later rulers is helf up as proof of the hatred the man engendered with his ideals. Yet it is completely ignored that Ramesses "the offending Pharoah" did the same to his own father's constructions. So was Akhenaten anymore hated than any of his predecessors by his own or he simply viewed as a threat by outsiders struggling to make sense of a history long ago written?

These Reviews Vary Alot!!!.......2006-02-08

What I read in Reeves book is a good study and background on ANKH-ATEN (Akhenaten) thru the eyes of a schlor and on hands reseacher. In knowing that every schlor or reseacher who studies anything for that matter, especially history & religions, cannot never become apart of what their studying. Outside looking in!! So I do take his book with a grain of salt. One has to realize the the worship and diety of ATEN didn't start with ANKH-ATEN. It started long before there was a Upper and Lower Egypt (so-called). Also one must realize that his mother was a powerful figure behind his throne and his father throne. In which they did share together as many Kings of Kemet have. The polictical theories of this so-called new of ATEN. Is what can be debated until the end of time. The only reason why ANKH-ATEN closed the other temples because of his father poor health and the priest of AMUN wanted his brother to rule who was of the AMUN-RA temple. They called ANKH-ATEN not worthy to be King because of his linage, Queen Tiye been the daughter of the great Yuya (known as Joseph in the bible) So ANKH-ATEN was indeed from Upper Kemet and trying to fit in with the traditions of the priest of Lower Kemet and the people as well. This books does give new light on the place called Amarna. Also a point missed was that ANKH-ATEN never was agaist ANY other temple in Kemet!!! He was against those priest who didn't want him to succeed as King under the powerful hand of Queen Tye, his mother, who was a follwer of ATEN. She is the really reason he had so many problems with his reign. But she wanted to end her husband reign and get the people started on anew glory. Remember ATEN worship is fron the temple of RA, in which was common in Upper Egypt(Kemet), the Nubia, Sudan, Uganda, & Ethipia region today. These are where the darker skin Kemetians were and hailed from. The Lower Egypt, Egypt,Libia, & the middle east. They were lighter skinned Kemetians, all African! Just as we are now! So this Nefertiti was white theory is completly rubbish! If you want to see whites or europeans trying to look like Egyptians/Kemetians in art go to the Metro Muesuem of Art in NYC. One side is true Kemetic art, and on another side there is greco-roman-egyptian art. Totally seen as TWO different things by two different people in two different regions. The reviewers has this concept of ATENism so-called, confused. Makes me wonder how many of you practice it? BTW I do! Also King TWT-ANKH-ATEN was the birth name of King TUT when his father ANKH-ATEN left Amarna for Upper Kemet the priest of AMUN-RA had him changed his name to TWT-ANKH-AMUN. In which he did to be crowd king. I had this book for a long time and use it as a direct reference to geographical place of Amarna. And to read the writing from the great pictures Reeves has. It's a reference book to me as it should be to us all. A well needed one too!!

A Needed Reappraisal of Akhenaten.......2004-11-17

In my view, Nicholas Reeves delivers a long needed reappraisal of Akhenaten's reign by arguing that most interpretations of this controversial Pharaoh--as a benevolent ruler who merely believed in the existence of One God are totally at odds with the surviving facts from his reign. Although Reeves' book is devoted to the monarch, Akhenaten does not take centre stage until the beginning of Chapter 4(p.75) when he accedes to the throne. In the previous chapters, Reeves meticulously lays out the rise of the New Kingdom Empire, the discovery of El-Amarna and the tremendous wealth that Egypt enjoyed under the prosperous 38 year reign of Amenhotep III, Akhenaten's father.

Reeves argues, compellingly that rather than being a devout Monotheist (someone who believes in the existence of one God--the Aten here), Akhenaten used his Religious Revolution to cynically concentrate power in his hands--at the expense of more traditional political structures of Ancient Egypt such as the Amun Priesthood. The Amun priests were denied access to the considerable wealth of the Amun temples which had boosted the Egyptian economy after they had defied Akhenaten's wishes in his 4th Year. The wealth was instead conveniently diverted into the Treasury of the Egyptian state, ie. Akhenaten. Soon after, Reeves notes that Akhenaten unleashed a Wave of Terror against anything remotely concerning the old religious order--between his Year 8 and Year 12--as his agents actively destroyed non-Atenist religious statues and hacked out the names and images of these gods wherever they occured--on Temple Walls, Obelisks, Shrines and even on the accessible portions of Tombs. (pp.154-55) Rather than being a king who wished to reform the traditional Amun Priesthood or curb its power as Akhenaten's father had begun to do in the final years of his reign by paying more attention to the temples and shrines of other divinities such as Monthu, Re and Ptah, Akhenaten wished to create a New Order--his order.

The author observes that the scale of the anti-Amun persecutions were so terrifying that mass paranoia reigned throughout Egypt. Archaeological discoveries at Akhetaten show that many ordinary residents of this city chose to gouge or chisel out all references to the god Amun on even minor personal items that they owned--like commemorative scarabs or make-up pots--perhaps for fear of being accused of having Amunist sympathies. References to Amenhotep III, Akhenaten's father, were partly erased since they contained the traditional Amun form of his name. As the author aptly concludes: "Such displays of frightening self-censorship and toadying loyalty are ominous indicators of the paranoia which was beginning to grip the country. Not only were the streets [of Akhetaten] filled with the pharaoh's soldiers...; it seems the population now had to contend with the danger of malicious informers." (pp.154-55) In the end, Akhenaten's revolution collapsed from within after his death since the enormous costs of founding a new capital city at Akhetaten in modern day El-Amarna and the closing of the Amun temples choked off the growth of the Egyptian economy. A byproduct of Akhenaten's centralisation tendencies was the appearance of massive corruption among the king's state officials who held unprecedented control over all the wealth and produce of Egypt. Later Egyptians rejected Akhenaten's unhappy reign by systematically dismantling all his monuments, denouncing him as "that criminal from Akhetaten" (see 'The Inscription of Mes' dating to Ramses II) and abandoning Akhetaten, the seat of Akhenaten's religious Revolution, to the Desert.

On other matters, Reeves decisively rejects the view of a long 12 year coregency between Akhenaten and his father, Amenhotep III in favour of a shorter period of only one year. Reeves notes the clear evidence of docket EA 27--on a diplomatic letter written to Akhenaten--which is dated to the latter's Year 2 plus the evidence from Amenhotep III's own tomb, in which this king's name is always represented in his traditional prenomen/nomen form of Nebmaatre Amenhotep, rather than the later Akhenaten inspired "Nebmaatre Nebmaatre" which omitted any reference to his father's Amun-affiliated birth name. (pp.75-78) Regarding the mysterious Dahamanzu who corresponded with Suppiluliuma of Hatti, the author argues that this Queen could only be Nefertiti, rather than Ankhesenamun, as is traditionally believed. Reeves notes that the approximate time of the first correspondence by this newly widowed Queen occured late in the Autumn Season (ie: September/October)--a time which Hittite records show that Suppiluliuma I was beseiging the city of Carchemish. This corresponds perfectly with the known time of Akhenaten's death when the bottling of Wine from his Royal vinery was taking place. One of his Year 17 wine dockets was even been changed into Year 1 of Akhenaten's successor (cf. CAH)--which proves that Akhenaten had died during this process--to reflect this political change. Tutankhamun, by contrast, clearly died late in the Winter Season (December or early January) as the presence of the Blue Lotus flower in his tomb--which only blossoms in late February and early March--proves when one takes into account the traditional 70 day mummification process. The existence of a diplomatic letter, EA 170, found in El-Amarna from one of Akhenaten's Canaanite vassals which makes reference to a Hittite attack on the city of Amki is undoubtedly the same one which Hittite Annals record as being in progress at the time of Dahamanzu's first correspondence. (pp.172-77) In contrast, Tutankhamun had abandoned Akhetaten (El-Amarna) for Thebes at least 7 or 8 years prior to his death in his Year 10--a fact which removes the case for identifying Dahamanzu with Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamun's Queen.

However, Reeves' suggestion in his book that Neferneferuaten was the same person as the male king Smenkhkare must now be rejected based on new evidence collated in 2004 which demonstrates that the former was a woman. (cf. Dodson & Hilton, The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt, 2004, p.285, note 111)

Reeves' excellent prose and penetrating insight into the disastrous situation that Egypt was facing under Akhenaten's crisis filled reign shows the tremendous value of this masterful work. I consider it a must read on Akhenaten's tumultous 17 year reign and its terrible aftermath which left behind a weak and chastened Egypt bereft of her imperial possessions in Syria (which had now been lost to the Hittites), and struggling to recover her confidence and belief in the divine kingship of Pharaoh. It took 3 different Pharaohs--Tutankhamun, Ay and Horemheb--to fix the mess that Akhenaten left behind. The sole regret which I have with this work is its relative brevity--at 194 pages--before you reach the Bibliography and Index sections. But this does not detract from its great value and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to the general reader.

Pharoahs of the Sun: Akhenaten, Nefertiti, & Tutankhamen

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fabulous book on 18th dynasty egypt
A Model for Exhibition Catalogues
review of Pharaohs of the Sun
Beautiful!
Stunning !

Pharoahs of the Sun: Akhenaten, Nefertiti, & Tutankhamen

Manufacturer: Museum of Fine Arts (Boston)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Akhenaten: King of Egypt
Akhenaten and the Religion of Light
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Nefertiti: Unlocking the Mystery Surrounding Egypt's Most Famous and Beautiful Queen
The Search for Nefertiti : The True Story of an Amazing Discovery

ASIN: 0878464700

Book Description

The fascinating Amarna Period of ancient Egypt comes to life through more than 250 beautiful works of sculpture, architectural elements, ceramic ware, jewelry, clothing, tools, and furniture from renowned international collections. Essays by leading Egyptian scholars describe this time of unprecedented change in art and architecture, technology, the role of women, and religion.

Customer Reviews:

fabulous book on 18th dynasty egypt.......2005-01-01

for those of you like me who may never have the opportunity to travel and see all the various places the many artifacts of egypt are kept worldwide, this brings it all together. the book is basically a nice bringing together of text with information about this time period in egypt as well as fabulous imagery of the artifacts so far discovered. many of these are overseas and i know personally i may never get there to view them in person. a great find, particularly those who want specific info or pictures of tutankhamun, nefertiti, akhenaten, and others all involved in the 18th dynast of egyptian rule

A Model for Exhibition Catalogues.......2001-07-17

This is the finest exhibition catalogue for Egyptian art this reviewer has ever seen. The text is a monument of scholarship for the always-challenging Amarna period, and the objects are sensitively photographed and well explained. The book is also beautifully designed and printed. A must-have for the devotees of Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Tutankhamen.

review of Pharaohs of the Sun.......2000-12-31

An intriguing account of the life and rule of Akhenaten, one of the most controversial figures in Egyptian history. Akenaten, who is widely credited with being the world's first monotheist, rejected the well-established pantheon of gods and Egypt's capital to establish a new religious and government center at Aketaten, the "Horizon of the Aten." The authors attribute this to the fact that the priesthood, especially that of Egypt's most powerful god Amun, had grown so as the threaten pharaonic power, and Akenaten's closing of the temples was designed to eclipse this threat.

Much has been written about Akenaten's possible physical deformities, due to the appearance of surviving sculptures and paintings. The slack belly, prominent hips, almond-shaped eyes, long face, and large lips, not only of Akenaten but of other members of the royal family as well, have engendered discussions as to whether Akenaten actually appeared this way, or if he wished to depart from the traditional methods of depiction in Egyptian art. When Akenaten abolished the old system of worship, and set up the Aten, the disc of the sun, as the one true god, he also appointed himself as the sole intermediary between Aten and the people, thereby deifying himself in the process. (This deification of the person of the pharaoh was not without precendent. Akenaten's father, Amenhotep III, enjoyed such status in his lifetime.) The authors suggest that the unusual appearance of Akenaten was to give himself an instantly recognizable iconography appropriate to his divine status, much like the other gods' peculiar attributes, such as Osiris' mummiform body and green skin. This theory is supported by the fact that Akenaten's appearance in artworks changed throughout his reign, moving from relatively usual examples toward the most extreme depictions in the "high Amarna" style, before returning to a more traditional appearance before the end of his rule. The authors also note the continuing influence of the Amarna style for centuries after Akenaten's death, most notably in the tomb treasures of Tutankhamen.

Beautiful!.......2000-09-22

Published as a compliment to the "Pharaohs of the Sun" exhibition that has been making its way across the country this year, this book is a wonderful catalog of Amarnan art, including what lead up to the style change and how it affected art afterwards. It's full of beautiful color photos of all the masterpieces included in the exhibition, plus many other artefacts from the reigns of Amenhotep III, Akhenaten, and Tutankhamen. It also features 14 essays on Akhenaten, his city Akhetaten, and the radical changes he made in religion and art while he was pharaoh. This book is a "must have" for anyone interested in ancient egyptian art.

Stunning !.......2000-08-26

Like the book about Nefertiti by Joyce Tyldesley, this is a must for any modern believer in the Amarnian people - Akhenaten, Nefertiti, etc....and the Aten religion. If you have or haven't seen the related exhibition, then this book is still wonderfully illustrated and interestingly detailed and can be read again and again ! A MUST !!!!

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enjoyed book
Too scared of clichés
Akhenaten, the Einstein of Ancient Egypt
The Pharoah Exohertics Love to Hate
BRILLIANT

Akhenaten and the Religion of Light
Erik Hornung
Manufacturer: Cornell Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0801436583

Book Description

Akhenaten, also known as Amenhotep IV, was king of Egypt during the Eighteenth Dynasty and reigned from 1375 to 1358 b.c. Called the "religious revolutionary," he is the earliest known creator of a new religion. The cult he founded broke with Egypt's traditional polytheism and focused its worship on a single deity, the sun god Aten. Erik Hornung, one of the world's preeminent Egyptologists, here offers a concise and accessible account of Akhenaten and his religion of light.

Hornung begins with a discussion of the nineteenth-century scholars who laid the foundation for our knowledge of Akhenaten's period and extends to the most recent archaeological finds. He emphasizes that Akhenaten's monotheistic theology represented the first attempt in history to explain the entire natural and human world on the basis of a single principle. "Akhenaten made light the absolute reference point," Hornung writes, "and it is astonishing how clearly and consistently he pursued this concept." Hornung also addresses such topics as the origins of the new religion; pro-found changes in beliefs regarding the afterlife; and the new Egyptian capital at Akhetaten which was devoted to the service of Aten, his prophet Akhenaten, and the latter's family.

Customer Reviews:

enjoyed book.......2007-03-23

As a Rosicrucian I really enjoyed reading this book about our first traditional Grand Master

Too scared of clichés.......2006-03-14

Although very short and readable, this book is not recommendable to those who never read anything about Pharaoh Akhenaten and his place in Egyptian history. Retrieved from a lecture given by the author, it works best as an inventory of all that was ever written about Egypt's "Heretic King" and his religious revolution, since his discovery by German scholar Lepsius in 1843, down to 1995, when it was published. And, as its title proclaims, the book focuses on Akhenaten's doctrine, the Amarna theology.

Aware that Egyptologists usually infer too much from too little, Herr Hornung is excessively cautious in his approach, always avoiding any labeling of his biographee, whether as the tragic saint glorified by Breasted and Weigall, whether as the decadent fanatic despised by Redford and Aldred, whether as the true founder of Judaism hailed by Freud and the Rosicrucian. He has no opinion about Akhenaten's possible co-regency with his father or with his successor, whoever he (Smenkhkare?), or she (Nefertiti?), might be; he doesn't know what happened in his last years, ignores the debate over the mummy found at Tomb 55 in the Valley of Kings, and has no idea where Tutankhamun came from. He is not sure of anything, though he mentions most of the theories proposed by other authors. All he seems sure of is the basic tenets of Akhenaten's religious ideas.

And this is very interesting, because one of the author's most avoided "clichés" is precisely the pre-Christian feature of this very dramatic character. "Akhenaten as a pacifist who ruined Egypt as a world power in Dinasty 18, as a king caught up in the unreal, sham world of the Horizon of Aten, his new capital, where he lived out his teaching and conducted his search for the divine - these were clichés that would have long-lasting influence. Though Tomas Mann overcame these clichés in his nuanced treatment of the king, he succumbed to the parallels with Christianity and attempted to categorize Akhenaten as an early Christian figure." Yet, Akhenaten's religion is based on a Holy Trinity to begin with, composed by Aten, himself and Nefertiti, what drives Hornung to question the monotheistic character of Atenism, although he doesn't seem equally willing to dispute Christianity's monotheism. Besides, Aten, the One God, shines only over the King and his family, and the King and son of God is reported to have said to his Father: "There is no other who knows you." Thirteen centuries later, another Son of the One God proclaimed in the very same way: "No one comes to the Father but by me."

At the Epilogue, the author fell into the precipice of sheer speculation he avoided so carefully, by writing on page 121 that "Akhenaten had founded no congregation; he had no disciples or apostles to carry on his work after his death. There was only his small circle of followers, who were now bereft of a reference point." How can he be so sure of that, we wonder, specially since he mentions in the next page some "undercurrents that remain hidden to us might certainly have exercised an influence"?

Hornung's one serious mistake was stating, on page 116, that shortly after Akhenaten's disappearance the royal court moved to Memphis, and he persists on this absurdity by adding, on page 121, that following the abandon of Akhetaten, the new city build by the King, "Thebes would never again be the capital".

His final remarks on the character he treated so impersonally are positive at first. "Here we come to the critical point. In Amarna religion, for the first time in history, an attempt was made to explain the entire natural and human world on the basis of a single principle. Like Einstein, Akhenaten made light the absolute reference point, and it is astonishing how clearly and consistently he pursued this concept in the fourteenth century BC, making him in fact the first modern human being. Indeed, modernity also strives to describe the universe with a single formula, to explain it on the basis of a single principle; the attempts to do so do not cease."

And then:

"But Akhenaten demonstrated with unusual clarity that such one-sidedness is doomed to failure; all we repress and ignore will overtake and overshadow us. Akhenaten was perhaps the first fundamentalist in history, and for this reason, he remains even today a very contemporary figure who can scarcely be denied respect and sympathy in any critique of him."

Akhenaten, the Einstein of Ancient Egypt.......2004-03-23

Stories on the ancient Egyptian civilization command the attention of many as no other ancient extinct civilization does, the Mayans, Aztecs and the Hindus included. May be this is ascribable to the relatively recent (less than 200 years) deciphering of the intricate Egyptian hieroglyphic script by the French mathematician Jean-François Champollion, a feat which expanded in more than 3.000 years the horizon of humankind, or maybe this is a kind of perverse and doctrinarian boomerang effect of old English colonies against its colonizers, demonstrating that whatever be the powerfull cultures - and armies - behing the colonizing Western powers, they would never attain the magic and the glory Egypt did at its apogee. The names of Cleopatra, Tutankhamen, Ramses, Champollion and many others somehow associated with Egypt culture and its glorious history are almost household names to many of us, demonstrating the intimacy Western and even Eastern (mostly specially Japanese, keen not to accept the supremacy of Chinese over them) readers have vis-'a-vis Egiptology. Sure, beneath all this there is a kind of "who first?" contest between the peoples, and most especially some governments, vying for the primacy of scientifically establishing who was the first craddle of civilization in the planet. See, in this regard, the recent efforts of the Chinese and even the Israeli government to find the earliest traces of civilization in their territories, thus displacing the Mesopothamia as the incumbent craddle of civilization.

"Akhenaten and the religion of Light", written in the 1990's by the German scholar and Egyptologist Eric Hornung, and magnificently translated into English, is a very small booklet about the cultural revolution brought about by the pharaoh Akhenaten (son of Amenophis III) , who during his 30 + years reign changed many of the religious creeds and cult practices of the time, being referred to by many as the first true monotheistic ruler of the world. To some scholars, he was the first individual of the Planet Earth, in the sense that he made a giant step in the dark in order to advance human understanding about oneself. If this was exactly not so, given that many others scholars point out that Egypt was first and foremost monotheist in its origin before adhering to polytheism, at least the pharaoh Akhenaten was the bold founder of a new religious and cultural movement which sent rippling waves trough years to come, given the huge impact his reforms had in almost every aspects of the daily life of his time. In his view, the only and sole God was the god Aten, represented by the sun rays, being in its essence Light, the creator of all existent creatures of the world. The religious revolution set by Akhenaten (who was called Amenophis IV when ascended to the throne but changed his regal name to Akhenaten, thus dismissing the importance of the heretofore powerfull god Amen) had even a big impact in the concepts of the Egyptian Afterlife, almost debunking Osiris as the god of the heretofore important Egyptian netherworld.

Despite all the hoopla that surrounds the very attractive theme of monotheism, being even used by Sigmund Freud in his invenctives against Judaism and Christianism in his book Moses and Monotheism, the life and the death of the pharaoh Akhenaten is shrouded in mistery and secrecy and not too many details of his life and of his royal family are produced out of the excavations made in the territory in Middle Egypt that he designated to be his future home and temple to the God Aten, where he settled with his family and famous first wife Nefertite and harem, living a reclusive life dedicated foremost to religious affairs, almost foregoing important aspects of Egyptian external affairs with its neighbours. In fact, his relics are virtually non-existent and many of the information gathered are collected from burial grounds of his followers in the Egyptian bureaucracy.

Despite the conciseness of the text, this is a very invigorating approach to the life of this important pharaoh, who by many was compared with the likes of Saint Paul, Saint Francis and even Albert Einstein, this latter due to the importance both men put in light as an inspirational power to the creation of life on Earth. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The Pharoah Exohertics Love to Hate.......2003-07-02

"For the first time in history, an attempt was made to explain the entire natural and human world on the basis of a SINGLE principle. Like Einstein, Ahkenaten made light the absolute reference point, and it is astonishing how clearly and consistently he pursued this concept in the 14th century B.C.E., making him in fact the first MODERN human being." (p. 125)

Akhenaten's revolutionary change from polytheism to monotheistic belief in only one god helped unify Egypt.

The subjective controversy that plagues the history of Akhenaten is an anticipative backlash from exoheretics to the academic practice of historiography. When emotional superfluous definitions to the meaning of heresy are discarded, it becomes obvious (for the right reasons) that Akhenaten was indeed a heretic. As a dissenter from orthodox religious beliefs, he was, by definition, a "heretic king".

Hornung's book delves into Akhenaten's radical dissent from Egypt's traditional polytheism, and his establishment of the world's first instance of monotheism. The belief was in Aten, whom many mistakenly believe was depicted by the solar disk. This book makes it clear that Aten was actually not the sun disk, but rather the LIGHT that is in the sun and which, radiating from it, calls the world to life and keeps it alive. It was no more or less an icon than Judaism's Star of David, or Christianity's Cross of Jesus, or Islam's calligraphic symbol. Early text of a boundary stelae reads, "sculptors do not know him."

The parallels Hornung draws between today's 3 major monotheistic religions and Akhenaten's precedent are many and presented in clear detail. But the author is careful to emphasize that the temporal interval is too great to infer a DIRECT influence from the Amarna Period on the monotheism of the Hebrew Bible over half a millennium later.

Hornung's book is full of interesting details, such as Egypt's use of swine for street-side waste removal, the use of a bread and beer barter system pre-dating coinage, descriptions of Amarna-Period home construction techniques for efficient indoor climate control, the first-time use of the Hyksos-introduced war chariot for peacetime transportation by the Pharoah, the emergence of a new expressionistic art form in place of traditional static deptictions, the rise of new forms of architecture, the increased use of flower offerings in place of animal sacrifices, the meaning and mutation of Akehnaten's name, and much more.

In regard to the new impressionistic art form of the Amarna Period, Hornung points out that Akhenaten's supposed "sickly" depiction in sculpture and painting, with his feminine hips, pot belly, swollen lips and chin, receding forehead, elongated neck and crown can be understood by comp0aring it with schools of modern art that deal freely with the human form. In his sub-chapter on "The Grotesque Pharoah", Hornung eloquently dispels emotional assumptions that the Pharoah had a "sick ugliness and nervous decadence" about him. Akhenaten's supposed "repulsive ugliness" is a result of opinion towards a new impressionistic art form and not a logical analysis of the Pharaoh himself. Hornung explains the motive behind this new art form and the rules that define it.

Hornung concludes his book with an analyses of why monotheism failed to catch on after Akhenaten's death. Among them, the radical departure his new religion had with comfortable traditional beliefs of the afterlife, the fact he left no male heir to the throne, and the iconoclasm which in the mind of Egyptians in particular cases meant their own consignment to oblivion, and other things to name a few. Though Akhenaten's monotheism lingered on into Tutankamon's 3rd regnal year, it was simply too radical a departure from the norm given the period's socioeconomic status. In this sense, it was a religion ahead of its time.

My only point of contention with this book is the brief chapter titled, "Dark Years". It is a chapter that deals with Akhenaten's relationship with the mysterious Kiya, the supposed disappearance of Nefertiti, the Dakhamanzu affair, and Akhenaten's marriage to his older daughters to elevate their status in lieu of no male heir to his throne. Though the author clearly focuses on Akhenaten's religion of light, I would have enjoyed reading more into Akhenaten's personal life in these mysterious later years: in context and without slant as other authors have done. But given the author's expressed intent and the title of the book, the lack of this additional information does not degrade the quality of this book as a positive contribution to Egyptian historiography.

BRILLIANT.......2001-07-04

Any work by Hornung is always very good. Akhenaten's religion has always been problematic for historians, just as it was for the ancient Egyptians. There is also the modern problem of being biased in favor of monotheism. I found the book profound in the issues it discusses, clarifying and ultimately unconvincing.

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