Chapter I: Front Matter

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

Footnote anchors are denoted by [number], and the footnotes have
been placed at the end of the book.

Footnotes [79] and [82] have a translation of some heiroglyphic
words, using several accented characters. These will display,
using Unicode combining diacriticals, on this device as
ȧ (a with dot above)
ḥ and Ḥ (h and H with dot below)
a͑ and A͑ (a and A with half left circle above)

Pages 155 and 156 of the original book have a two-column side by
side comparison of “Akhnaton’s Hymn” and “Psalm CIV”. The Psalm
has been placed under the Hymn in this etext.

Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.

_BY THE SAME AUTHOR._

Crown 8vo, 7s. 6d. net. With numerous Illustrations.

TRAVELS IN THE UPPER EGYPTIAN DESERTS.

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writes: “... The very best book of travel ... I have seen for
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THE TREASURY OF ANCIENT EGYPT.

Chapters on Ancient Egyptian History and Archæology.

Mr Weigall has performed a remarkable literary feat. He has
truly made dry bones live, and has presented his researches in
Egyptology in a manner so fascinating as to arouse the enthusiasm
of the patrons of the circulating libraries. Of this volume it is
enough to say that it is worthy of the author of ‘The Life and
Times of Akhnaton.’

WM. BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH AND LONDON.

The Life and Times of

Akhnaton

The Life and Times of

Akhnaton

Pharaoh of Egypt

BY

ARTHUR E. P. WEIGALL

CHIEF INSPECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTIQUITIES, UPPER EGYPT

AUTHOR OF ‘A REPORT ON THE ANTIQUITIES OF LOWER NUBIA,’
‘A CATALOGUE OF THE WEIGHTS AND BALANCES IN THE CAIRO
MUSEUM,’ ‘A GUIDE TO THE ANTIQUITIES OF UPPER EGYPT,’
‘DIE MASTABA DES GEMNIKAI’ (WITH PROFESSOR VON
BISSING), ‘TRAVELS IN THE UPPER EGYPTIAN
DESERTS,’ ETC.

“Ye ask who are those that draw us to the Kingdom if the Kingdom
is in Heaven? The fowls of the air, and all the beasts that are
under the earth or upon the earth, and the fishes of the sea, these
are they which draw you, and the Kingdom of Heaven is within you.”
--GRENFELL AND HUNT: _Oxyrhynchus Papyri_, iv. 6.

SECOND IMPRESSION

William Blackwood and Sons
Edinburgh and London
1911

_ALL RIGHTS RESERVED_

_TO_

_THEODORE M. DAVIS,_

_THE DISCOVERER OF_
_THE BONES OF AKHNATON_,

This Book is Dedicated.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
INTRODUCTION 1

I.

THE PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS OF AKHNATON.

1. THE ANCESTORS OF AKHNATON 7
2. THE GODS OF EGYPT 11
3. THE DEMIGODS AND SPIRITS--THE PRIESTHOODS 18
4. THOTHMES IV. AND MUTEMUA 21
5. YUAA AND TUAU 25
6. AMONHOTEP III. AND HIS COURT 33

II.

THE BIRTH AND EARLY YEARS OF AKHNATON.

1. THE BIRTH OF AKHNATON 42
2. THE RISE OF ATON 45
3. THE POWER OF QUEEN TIY 49
4. AKHNATON’S MARRIAGE 53
5. THE ACCESSION OF AKHNATON 58
6. THE FIRST YEARS OF AKHNATON’S REIGN 62
7. THE NEW ART 68
8. THE NEW RELIGION DEVELOPS 76
9. THE NATURE OF THE NEW RELIGION 84

III.

AKHNATON FOUNDS A NEW CITY.

1. THE BREAK WITH THE PRIESTHOOD OF AMON-RA 88
2. AKHNATON SELECTS THE SITE OF HIS CITY 92
3. THE FIRST FOUNDATION INSCRIPTION 94
4. THE SECOND FOUNDATION INSCRIPTION 101
5. THE DEPARTURE FROM THEBES 105
6. THE AGE OF AKHNATON 110

IV.

AKHNATON FORMULATES THE RELIGION OF ATON.

1. ATON THE TRUE GOD 115
2. ATON THE TENDER FATHER OF ALL CREATION 118
3. ATON WORSHIPPED AT SUNRISE AND SUNSET 124
4. THE GOODNESS OF ATON 127
5. AKHNATON THE “SON OF GOD” BY TRADITIONAL RIGHT 130
6. THE CONNECTIONS OF THE ATON WORSHIP WITH OLDER
RELIGIONS 135
7. THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF THE SOUL AFTER DEATH 138
8. THE MATERIAL NEEDS OF THE SOUL 143

V.

THE TENTH TO THE TWELFTH YEARS OF THE REIGN OF AKHNATON.

1. THE HYMNS OF THE ATON WORSHIPPERS 149
2. THE SIMILARITY OF AKHNATON’S HYMN TO PSALM CIV. 155
3. MERYRA IS MADE HIGH PRIEST OF ATON 157
4. THE ROYAL FAMILY VISIT THE TEMPLE 162
5. AKHNATON IN HIS PALACE 167
6. HISTORICAL EVENTS OF THIS PERIOD OF AKHNATON’S REIGN 169
7. QUEEN TIY VISITS THE CITY OF THE HORIZON 176
8. TIY VISITS HER TEMPLE 182
9. THE DEATH OF QUEEN TIY 184

VI.

THE THIRTEENTH TO THE FIFTEENTH YEARS OF THE REIGN OF AKHNATON.

1. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RELIGION OF ATON 189
2. AKHNATON OBLITERATES THE NAME OF AMON 193
3. THE GREAT TEMPLE OF ATON 198
4. THE BEAUTY OF THE CITY 202
5. AKHNATON’S AFFECTION FOR HIS FAMILY 208
6. AKHNATON’S FRIENDS 213
7. AKHNATON’S TROUBLES 217

VII.

THE LAST TWO YEARS OF THE REIGN OF AKHNATON.

1. THE HITTITE INVASION OF SYRIA 223
2. AKHNATON’S CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTIONS TO WARFARE 226
3. THE FAITHLESSNESS OF AZIRU 230
4. THE FIGHTING IN SYRIA BECOMES GENERAL 235
5. AZIRU AND RIBADDI FIGHT TO A FINISH 239
6. AKHNATON CONTINUES TO REFUSE TO SEND HELP 243
7. AKHNATON’S HEALTH GIVES WAY 246
8. AKHNATON’S LAST DAYS AND DEATH 252