Akhenaten Heretic Sun King of Ancient Egypt Amarna Karnak Nefertiti Tutankhamun

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Akhenaten Heretic Sun King of Ancient Egypt Amarna Karnak Nefertiti Tutankhamun:
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Akhenaten: King of Egypt by Cyril Aldred, with 107 Illustrations.

DESCRIPTION: Hardback with Dust Jacket: 320 pages. Publisher: Thames and Hudson; (1988). ISBN: 0500050481. The character of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten has provoked more debate than that of almost any other figure of ancient times. Poet, artistic innovator, madman, visionary, reactionary, instigator of monotheism and forerunner of Christ, or literal atheist, the controversy continues. But who was this god king, the notorious predecessor of Tutankhamun in the fourteenth century B.C.? What was the impact on ancient Egypt when he overturned the established religion and built a new capital on the Nile River at Amarna? One of the world’s leading Egyptologists, Cyril Aldred, whose earlier book, “Akhenaten: Pharaoh of Egypt” is already a classic work, now reassesses the evidence in a closed argued and forcefully written narrative that reads like an archaeological whodunit.

In the past two decades, computer-aided reconstructions of the king’s temples at Karnak have provided dramatic new information about the revolutionary art style and cult of sun-worship that Akhenaten introduced. Recently the rediscovery of a stone fragment in the Louvre has solved a nagging mystery of his last years and those of his queen, Nefertiti. Such contentious issues as the role of Nefertiti as a goddess, the dominant part played by plague during Akhenaten’s reign, and the likely events of the king’s twilight years are treated with new insight and set within the framework of a masterly overview of the entire Armana period.

CONDITION: NEW. Pages are pristine; crisp, clean, unmarked, unmutilated, tightly bound, unambiguously unread. Dustjacket and cloth covers do show very mild edge and corner shelfwear (almost imperceptible). Condition is quite consistent with new stock from an open-shelf book store (such as Barnes & Noble, for instance) wherein patrons are permitted to browse open stock, and so otherwise \"new\" books often show a little handling wear. Satisfaction guaranteed. In stock, ready to ship.

PLEASE SEE IMAGES BELOW FOR SAMPLE PAGES FROM INSIDE OF BOOK.

PLEASE SEE PUBLISHER, PROFESSIONAL, AND READER REVIEWS BELOW.

PUBLISHER REVIEW:

REVIEW: Cyril Aldred was one of the foremost Egyptologists of the twentieth century. From 1961 to 1974 he was Keeper of the Department of Art and Archaeology at the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh, and also served as Associate Curator of the Department of Egyptian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1978. His many books include “Egypt to the End of the Old Kingdom”, “Akhenaten, Pharaoh of Egypt”, “Akhenaten and Nefertiti”, “Jewels of the Pharaohs”, “Tutankhamun: Craftsmanship in Gold in the Reign of the King”, “Egyptian Art”, and “The Egyptians”.

PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS:

REVIEW: Until recently, the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten was considered a revolutionary reformer, an idealist and pacifist. But now his monotheism is seen as short-lived, quickly forgotten by the masses after he died; some scholars even consider him an atheist. The romantic image of his deep bond with Queen Nefertiti was challenged when a secondary queen named Kiya turned up. We know more about Akhenaten\'s incest with his daughters, and there is much speculation that the effeminate visual representations of this broad-hipped pharaoh signify that he suffered from a pituitary disorder. In this careful survey of the archeological evidence, Aldred, author of “Akhenaten: Pharaoh of Egypt”, reviews controversies such as whether the king shared power with a co-regent and the meaning of the Amarna Letters, 350 cuneiform slabs. Over 100 photographs and sketches bring the latest finds to light.

REVIEW: Respected Egyptologist Aldred offers a new study, valuable to scholar and layperson alike, of this much-studied Egyptian pharaoh regarded as the precursor of Judaeo-Christian monotheism and ruler from 1358 to 1340 B.C. This informative, well-written and lavishly illustrated book, is, in part, a summary of Aldred\'s numerous studies previously published, including some from his earlier “Akhenaten: Pharaoh of Egypt”. Used are computer-assisted reconstructions of the Karnak temples, and examined are neglected evidence, such as a stone fragment concerned with the equally famous Queen Nefertiti, his wife. For Egyptologists, other antiquity students, and armchair historians and archaeologists.

READER REVIEWS:

REVIEW: Cyril Aldred has delivered a book that brings to life one of the Ancient World\'s most enigmatic and fascinating characters. We meet a man who, albeit briefly, revolutionized the political, social and religious norms of his time, by introducing the concept of monotheism in the worship of the Aten (or sun disc), into Egyptian polytheistic society in the 14th century B.C. The book is a journey that begins with the modern discovery of Akhenaten\'s existence and ends with an account of his reign at Armana and its implications after his death.

It places Akhenaten firmly in historical context, with accounts of the reigns of his father (Amenophis III) and his grandfather (Tuthmosis IV). The book is very enlightening as Cyril Aldred shows that although change under Akhenaten took the form of giant leaps, his immediate predecessors had taken small steps in the same direction. It was, as the writer points out, the suddenness of these changes under Akhenaten that rocked Egyptian society, and which led to the inevitable backlash from the religious elite that followed his death.

We are also shown Akhenaten as a family man. A devoted husband, father and son, as demonstrated by the many illustrations in the book. Particularly moving is a black and white plate with details from a house stela at Armana, showing Akhenaten with his daughter Meritaten on his knee, playing with his face, while he kisses her. This is a very well written and illustrated account of Akhenaten and the Armana period. It is easily read and like any other good book, ends too soon, therefore begging many re-reads.

REVIEW: This is far and away the best book published about Akhenaten and the Amarna period. Unlike so many other publications it does not sensationalize or hypothesize about the life of this extraordinary man and his family, but presents the facts, balanced argument and rational discussion. You will not find any murder mysteries here! It\'s a very comprehensive review of this period in Egyptian history, with many illustrations of key art works and monuments.

Aside from the life and beliefs of Akhenaten himself, key issues discussed are the mystery occupant of KV55, the possible co-regencies and the excavation of Amarna in modern times. I like the honesty of this book - the fact the Aldred discusses what is “most likely” or “possible” from the evidence we have in our possession, rather than formulating a theory then presenting it as though it were fact, a crime common to many more recent authors and “experts” on this subject! A must-own if you are interested in this period of history.

REVIEW: 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. 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 Tutankhamun.

Egyptologists have long tried to find an explanation for Akhenaten\'s unique and somewhat feminine appearance. One popular theory was that it was attributable to Froelich\'s Syndrome. 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.

Bob Brier identifies the cause of Akhenaten’s physical peculiarities 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 Marfan\'s syndrome would seem to be a breakthrough in solving this mystery. 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 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. If you are remotely interested in this brief period of history, “Aldred\'s Akhenaten” is a must-have.

REVIEW: This book is a must for all interested in the Amarna Period, whether they are a serious student or simply one whose interest is casual. Though slightly dated, the work is still the largest depository of knowledge concerning Akhenaten other than the late Cyril Aldred himself. The plates are excellent and compliment well the captivating discussions they accompany. KV55 and its importance to the Amarna period are discussed at length, that discussion including theories on just who it was the make-shift burial was originally for. The conclusion of the book also leaves one imagining the meeting of Cyril and Akhenaten in the afterlife, each enjoying the company of an equally great leader in his field.

REVIEW: Recent archaeological studies form the basis of this work on the fourteenth-century B.C. civilization dominated by Akhenaten. Written by a notable 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.

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