Summary

• Tell El-Amarna was founded by Pharaoh Akhenaton in 1348 BC as the capital devoted to the sun god, Aten.
• Positioned in Upper Egypt, Tell El-Amarna houses ruins such as the Temple of Aten, showcasing unique architecture designed to emphasize the sun god’s power.
• Akhenaton’s rule during the New Kingdom shifted Egypt’s religious focus from Amun to Aten.
• The Amarna Letters, dating back to the 14th century BC, uncovered international diplomatic relations, showcasing Egypt’s expansion into territories like Amurru and Damascus.
• From the 18th century to the present day, ongoing excavations have unveiled artifacts and cuneiform tablets.
• Art from this period showcased a departure from traditional Egyptian representations, focusing on Akhenaton’s religious reforms.

Tell El-Amarna is a terrific spot of the tombs & ruins of the magical Akhetaton’s city and it is located in Upper Egypt, around 44 miles north of Asyut city & 36 miles from the city of Al-Minya. Akhenaten “Amenhotep IV” managed to build that city around 1348 BC to be his kingdom’s new capital especially when he left the worship of god Amun and devoted himself to worshiping Aton.

After 4 years after the death of Akhenaton, the throne got back to the city of Thebes, and Tell El-Amarna was abandoned. There are lots of villages located on the east side of Amarna.

Tell El-Amarna Overview

Tell El-Amarna, one of the ancient Egyptian cities, was established by King Akhenaton and Queen Nefertiti, the wife of the king to become the center of the cult of God Aten. Its great ruins & remains are scattered now over the land and attract a huge number of tourists to know more and more about that fascinating site.

Among the most interesting things to check is the hypnotic temple of God Aten. It has a distinguished style & shape since it had a sanctuary without a roof designed that way especially to allow the sun rays to enter the complex and show the power of the sun god, Aten and that is different from the other temples that have roofed sanctuaries & chambers.

Tell El-Amarna Location

The city of Tell El Amarna city is found on the eastern bank of the Nile River in the Minya Province. It is found 312 km (194 mi) south of the city of Minarets Cairo, 58 km (36 mi) south of Minya, and 02 km (250 mi) north of the golden city of Luxor. The city was established in 1346 BC to be the worship center for Pharaoh Akhenaten’s “The Horizon of the Aton“.

Who Is King Akhenaton?

King Amenhotep IV who was called Akhenaton was the 10th Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty in ancient Egypt during the New Kingdom. His ruling period is known to be among the most controversial periods in the whole history of Egypt, and he reigned from 1352 BC till 1336 BC.

He managed to build many buildings and left various archeological finds such as the beautiful portrait busts of Queen Nefertiti, and around 300 cuneiform tablets that were discovered by a peasant woman in 1887.

Famous Tombs in Tell El-Amarna

Among the most fascinating parts of the Tell El-Amarna historical site today are the two sections of cliff tombs that are located at the ends of Akhet Aton’s ancient city. The carvings & the wall paintings of those tombs are really interesting, and they reflect Egypt’s visitors to have a look at the unique art of the New Kingdom. Here is a list of the most interesting tombs that are located in Tell-El-Amarna:

1- Huya Tomb

In the northern section of Tell-El-Amarna, you will find some of the most fascinating decorated tombs including Huya’s tomb who was the Royal Harem’s superintendent. It is a really remarkable tomb and is famous for its scenes of the owner of the tomb while offering services to the royal family.

2- Mery-Re I Tomb

It is considered one of the most attractive decorated tombs all around Tell El-Amarna with its amazing colors. Mery Re was the high priest of the temple of the Sun God, Aten and it is displayed in the tomb. There are also some reliefs on the eastern section of the tomb’s wall that display Akhenaton performing religious rituals while worshiping Aten.

3- Aye Tomb

It is located in the northern section of the Tell El-Amarna ruins, and it is not accessible like the other tombs of the city, but it is such a terrific place tourist site to visit. Aye was the vizier of Egypt during the reign of King Akhenaton. He was actually one of the favorite royal officials of the king. It is one of the most beautiful tombs in Tell El-Amarna because of its glamorous paintings that are spread all over the tomb’s inner walls including a famous scene of Aye and his wife while receiving the honor from the king & his wife.

Tell El-Amarna Letters

The Amarna Letters are an incredible collection of correspondence from the 14th century BC between rulers from ancient Egypt and the Near East which was the oldest vision of international diplomacy. All the letters were focused on a number of topics, which included friendship declarations, diplomatic marriages, and material exchanges. The Amarna Letters are regarded as the first known international diplomatic system, which contained many conventions and rules for seeking negotiation and lines of communication. They developed a number of ancient forms of written communication, which was a key factor in growing and expanding many relationships with great powers in the Near East for the purpose of creating a peaceful international atmosphere that lasted for centuries.

The letters mentioned the names of many of the rulers of the 18th dynasty who predate the Amarna period by a century, including Amenhotep III, Akhenaten, and possibly Smenkhkare or Tutankhamun. The letters show the Egyptians expanded their empire into new territories like Amurru, Damascus, Byblos, and Qadesh vassals of Egypt that displayed the Pharaoh’s authority and loyalty. The letters were able to shed light on how ancient Egyptian civilization developed over time, plus improving our knowledge of the distant past and the concept of Isolation during ancient times. The Amarna letters are made of 382 clay tablets, which were geographically and chronologically organized.

The Letters were able to offer insights into the linguistic capabilities of that time period. The letters show in great detail the exchange between great powers and independent kingdoms like Babylon, Mitanni, Hatti, and Assyria who as documented, maintained equal relationships and incredible communication patterns. The letters are found in various museums around the world in Egypt, the United States, and Europe.

Excavations At Tell El-Amarna

The excavations of Tell el Amarna took place around the 18th and 19th centuries when many explorers and scholars searched and documented the area. The first excavation in the city took place in 1714 AD and then continued during Napoleon’s expedition in Egypt between 1798 and 1799. The city was mapped by an English group of archaeologists around 1824, and then the southern tombs were uncovered in the area around 1833. A Prussian expedition between 1843 and 1845 explored the area, which created marvelous records and drawings.

Around 1887, over 300 cuneiform tablets known as the Amarna Letters were discovered by local women which can shed light on the incredible diplomatic correspondence of the Pharaoh in Akkadian. This discovery shed light on the significance of the ancient city of Amarna. In the late 19th century and the 20th century, great independent excavations were done which led to the discovery of cuneiform tablets and artifacts. A number of boundary stelae and private tombs from the great city of Amarna were discovered. One of the greatest discoveries that took place in the northern and southern parts of the area was made by Ludwig Borchardt as part of the Deutsche Orientgesellschaft expedition from 1907 to 1914 which led to the discovery of famous artifacts like the bust of Nefertiti.

The excavations continued after the end of World War I. The Egyptian Exploration community returned to excavate from 1921 to 1936 which was incredibly focused on royal and religious structures. The excavations continued around the 1960s by the Egyptian Antiquities Organization and all across the 21st century, a cemetery near the tombs of the nobles was discovered later in the 80s. The reliefs from the royal tomb were copied with a number of other objects. The many excavations and research led to the understanding of Amarna’s history, art, culture, and significance.

Tell El-Amarna Houses

The houses of Tell El Amarna contained many types of houses that ranged from small mudbricks for the common people to more elaborate buildings for the elite. All the houses had different architectural designs featuring smaller temples with open sanctuaries exposed to the sun and numerous altars. It contained many multiple courtyards, rooms, and storage areas.

The houses of the rich and elite were decorated with a number of colorful frescoes and also had amenities like gardens and private chapels. The temples had no closing doors and were very different in their design. Many of the houses and temples were reused by creating a number of epic constructions and works of art again in Thebes.

Tell El-Amarna Art

The art of Tell El Amarna is the most incredible aspect of the area which came to be around the reign of Akhenaten (1351–1334 BC) in the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom. The art was incredibly marked by a total shift in its depictions and subject matter, as it became center-focused on Akhenaten’s religious reforms and the monotheistic worship of the sun disc Aton. The remnants of Amarna art are still found in the same area after Akhenaten’s death. The art itself is renowned for its active and dynamic representations.

The art featured incredible figures with raised heads, overlapping figures, and crowded scenes. The body held a number of marvelous characteristics, which included swaying and slender postures, exaggerated extremities, and distinctive visions for Pharaoh Akhenaten, including feminine qualities like great hips and breasts. Feet, Hands, and facial structures are depicted with detail and elongation. The art in the tombs was very prevalent which showed incredible images of Aton plus there were no displays or any of the traditional funerary scenes.

The sculptures and statues had a unique artistic shape, which included an untraditional skull shape plus elongated heads, necks, limbs, plus large ears and lips which are seen across the statue of Akhenaten himself. Amarna’s art had a central core known as the Sun god Aton which is symbolized by the key of life “The Ankh“. One of the biggest lasting artistic innovations is the sunk relief carving, which was used extensively at the time. The finest piece of art found in Amarna is the legendary Nefertiti Bust, which was found in the studio of the Royal Court Sculptor Thutmose and can now be found in Berlin.

Tell El-Amarna Egypt Facts

• The magnificent city of Tell El Amarna was founded by Pharaoh Akhenaten in the 14th century BCE.
• The city was only a capital administrative center during the Amarna Period from 1346 BC to 1330 BC.
• The biggest possession in the city includes Tell el-Amarna Letters which provide crucial insights into the incredible diplomatic relations in the ancient Near East.