Akhenaten and the Religion of Light
Akhenaten, also known as Amenhotep IV, was king of Egypt during the Eighteenth Dynasty and reigned from 1375 to 1358 B.C. E. Called the "religious revolutionary," he is the earliest known creator of a new religion. The cult he founded broke with Egypt's traditional polytheism and focused its worship on a single deity, the sun god Aten. Erik Hornung, one of the world's preeminent Egyptologists, here offers a concise and accessible account of Akhenaten and his religion of light.Hornung begins...
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Akhenaten, also known as Amenhotep IV, was king of Egypt during the Eighteenth Dynasty and reigned from 1375 to 1358 B.C.E. Called the "religious revolutionary," he is the earliest known creator of a new religion. The cult he founded broke with Egypt's traditional polytheism and focused its worship on a single deity, the sun god Aten. Erik Hornung, one of the world's preeminent Egyptologists, here offers a concise and accessible account of Akhenaten and his religion of light.
Translator's NotexiMap of Egyptxiv1.The Founder of a Religion Is Discovered1Champollion's Impressions1Lepsius Discovers the Founder2Vague Recollections in Antiquity4The Discovery Is Completed6The "Heretic" as Precursor of Modern Ideas8New Archaeological Finds10A New Religion Comes to Light12The First Biography and Its Influence13Critical Notes Are Sounded15Not in the Mists of Later Legends172.The Religious Background19The New Solar Theology19His Father's Policies20The Royal Sed-Festival24The Festival of the Elder King26The Search for New Intermediaries273.The First Steps31The Royal Titulary as Program for a Reign31Pharaoh's Titulary31The Origin of a God34The Sanctuaries at Karnak36Once Again, the Sed-Festival39The Grotesque Pharaoh42No Fear of Emotion46Only One God48Akhenaten's "Perestroika"49"The Beautiful Child of the Living Aten"504.A New Religion52No Divine Revelation52God as Pharaoh54Pharaoh as God55The Female Element: Nefertiti57Possible Advisers585.A City for a God61The Founding of Akhetaten61An Unusual Residence64Comfort Is Required67The City of Light706.The Pure Teaching72New Sanctuaries for the Aten72A Holy Family74A Change of Name76The Great Hymn to the Aten79The Universal Deity: Light847.The Question of Monotheism87Persecution of the Old Deities87Egypt as the "Cradle of Monotheism"?88The Cosmic God of the Ramesside Period92The Monotheistic "Cosmic Formula"938.Belief in an Afterlife without a Hereafter95Osiris in the Shadow of the New Light95The Afterlife Becomes This-worldly96Living On in the Temple99External Forms100The King's Grace Replaces the Judgment of the Dead101The Inyotef Song1039.Dark Years105The Eventful Year 12105Kiya, the Beloved106The Dakhamanzu Affair108A "Sunset" Filled with Mystery109Mockery of the "Heretic King"110The End Is Uncertain11210.The Successors114Many Women, but No Heir114Tutankhaten Makes His Appearance115Return to Amun and Ptah116The End of the Dynasty: Aya and Haremhab11911.Epilogue121Failure and Continuity121More Than an Episode122The Sun Endures123Roots of Fundamentalism125Afterword127Bibliography129Index141
\ From the Publisher"The book is infused with critical inquiry; instead of merely repeating past theories, Hornung discusses and contextualizes the scholarship into the trends of the time it was written . . . Akhenaten and the Religion of Light is excellent."-Choice\ "In Akhenaten and the Religion of Light, Erik Hornung, . . .explores the metaphysical and religious dimensions of Akhenaten's 'perestroika' . . . shows how psychological and medical interpretations of Akhenaten's portraits based on a literal reading of their anatomy-bending style have often fed dubious moral presumptions. . . .'Ugly' and 'sick' Hornung tells us were the most common epithets applied to Amarna art by scholars at the turn of the century."-Lawrence Osborne. Lingua Franca. April, 2000.\ "In this book, the author provides a concise, accurate, and very readable account of Akhenaten's reign. . . It is one of the best books on the subject of this heretic pharaoh. Recommended reading for all."-Frankie's Bibliography of Ancient Egypt\ "Eric Hornung. . . effectively and succinctly guides through the mess of interpretations to a sympathetic, yet historically critical understanding of the pharaoh's theology and impact upon Egyptian history. . . Like any good historian he explains the social and historical context that gave rise to Akhenaten and his religion of light. The author has spent a life time trying to unravel for us the intricacies of Egyptian religion. His books are accessible, well written, and full of useful information."-Tom Collins, Religious Studies in Secondary Schools, Spring 2000.\ "A concise and thoughtful analysis of Akhenaten's reign and religious innovations by a foremost expert on Egyptian religion. . . Throughout, Hornung's knowledge of Egyptian religion and balanced coverage of the issues make this a publication of great value to anyone with an interest in Akhenaten or in Egyptian religion."-Denise M. Doxey, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Religious Studies Review, Vol. 25, No. 4, October 2000\ "This short and eminently readable translation. . . focuses on the nature of Akhenaten's religion, religious beliefs, and cultic practices, bringing together concepts and discussions from a wide range of scholarly writing."-Susan Tower Hollis, SUNY Empire State College. Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 121, No. 3 (2001)\ \ \
