This class provides a critical examination of Egypt during the Amarna Period, roughly 1350-1334 BC. This era was one of great transformation, most notably the introduction by the king Akhenaten of a new religion that focused solely on the light from the disc of the sun. In order to properly worship this god Akhenaten not only closed old temples of Egypt, he built an entirely new city to house temples, palaces, an urban center and tombs. This city – known now as Amarna – was abandoned shortly after Akhenaten’s death. Because of this it is the most accessible and extensively documented ancient urban site in Egypt, meaning that its archaeological importance is greater even than the key role it plays in illuminating this particular period. In addition to constructing a new city, Akhenaten marked his theological ideas by promoting a new and very different style of art. Artistic production was high during this short period and the number of sculptures, paintings and reliefs we have help us to understand both changes and continuities in Egyptian culture at this time. In addition to archaeological and artistic sources, we have large numbers of extant texts from the Amarna period. These document not only the religious “revolution” of Akhenaten but also the workings of international diplomacy at a time when great powers were increasingly coming to rule the Eastern Mediterranean world.

This course will take an integrated look at this diverse set of evidence. We will delve into both the physical and ideological settings of the time, and will examine some of the most interesting and enigmatic characters from Egyptian history, including not only Akhenaten himself but his wife Nefertiti and his probable son, Tutankhamun. At the end of the course we will turn to the reaction against the Amarna period, which was almost entirely forgotten from shortly after its occurrence until its rediscovery in the 19^th century.

Office Hours Wednesdays 1-3pm by Zoom (email for an in-person appointment)

Laurel_bestock@brown.edu

ARCH1635 Spring22 S01 The Great Heresy: Egypt in the Amarna Period