Akhenaton, Nefertiti, and three daughters

Akhenaton, Nefertiti, and three daughters. New Kingdom (Amarna), 18th Dynasty. c. 1353–1335 B.C.E. Limestone.


  • OLD KINGDOM, MIDDLE KINGDOM, NEW KINGDOM - ALL CONSISTENT
  • RADICAL CHANGE
  • AKHENATON CHANGES STATE RELIGION
  • PREVIOUSLY WORSHIPPED AMUN, NOW ATEN 
  • HIS WIFE AND HIM, ONLY ONES WITH ACCESS TO NEW GOD
  • EGYPT RETURNS TO ITS ORIGINAL RELIGION AFTER AKHENATON DIES 
  • VERY BRIEF PERIOD IN EGYPTIAN HISTORY
  • SHIFT IN STYLE
  • SUNKEN RELIEF CARVING
  • PLACED IN PRIVATE DOMESTIC ENVIRONMENT
  • ALTAR IN SOMEONES HOME
  • SENSE OF DOMESTICITY
  • HOLDING DAUGHTER TENDERLY 
  • SWOLLEN BELLY, THIN ARMS, ELONGATED SKULLS
  • CURVILINEAR FORMS RATHER THAN RECTILINEAR FORMS
  • COMPOSITE VIEW OF BODY
  • PROFILE FACE, FRONTAL EYE
  • ATTENTION TO DRAPERY
  • SOFTNESS
  • SHOULDERS SQUARED
  • ATEN RENDERED AS A SUN DISK
  • MONOTHEISTIC RELIGION
  • RAYS OF LIGHT