DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11365#0048
38
historical results.
dissolved out by boiling alcohol and ether, and by
chloroform, leaving mineral matter only. The pro-
portions of wax employed vary. In a poor specimen,
easily crumbled with the nail, I obtained 15 per cent,
of wax. Others contain much more, and present a
waxy lustre in a clean fracture, &c.
The colour is obtained by the use of different
powdered minerals. Those actually found in use
were a felsite, stained naturally with a copper infiltra-
tion ; and a sand consolidated with copper carbonate.
These are natural. Other green minerals were col-
lected ready for use. No artificial frit was found
mixed with the wax.
The whole find suggests a workshop in which
" properties " for state and religious shows were made
by hasty or unskilled workmen. The woodwork was
probably painted green, and the cement coloured to
match it. The colouring of the sickles recalls the
representation of the earliest hieroglyphs, and suggests
symbolism rather than utility.
Of the remaining tools only a few pieces need be
mentioned, which might have been used to scrape a
limestone surface.
CHAPTER VIII.
historical results.
83. In the history of the new departure of art,
religion, and ethics at Tell el Amarna, the first ques-
tion is the period of its rise. On no monument yet
known is there any trace of the worship of the Aten
in this peculiar style, until after the reign of Amen-
hotep III. Among the most prominent features of
the new departure are the absence of the worship of
any god except the Aten or sun, the representation of
the sun with rays ending in hands which accept
offerings and give the sign of life, and the great
breadth of the cartouche band. The style of art
is also distinctive, but less readily defined. As
there is no trace of these peculiarities until after the
death of Amenhotep III, so also there is no trace
of any work at Tell el Amarna before that of the
new style.
Probably the earliest monument of the new style
is the cartouche of queen Thyi (Pl. XLII) in the
limestone quarry H, which is distinguished by the
breadth of the cartouche band. Being alone, without
any king's name, it appears as if she were sole regent:
this would therefore be after the death of Amen-
hotep III, her husband, and before the active reign of
Amenhotep IV, her son, during the first year or two
after his accession.
84. But before considering his age, it will be best
to deal with the question of his personality, and the
identity of Amenhotep IV and Akhenaten. Strictly
speaking it is impossible to prove that any past ruler
has not obscurely died during his nominal reign, and
been succeeded by another ruler who has adopted his
names and titles, imitated all his peculiarities, and
borne a close resemblance to him in face. Such may
be the case with even any well-known king, as
Ramessu II or Constantine, and such has even been
reported of Napoleon III. But no such tale can be
worth a thought unless some substantial reason can
be alleged for the changeling hypothesis. It has been
proposed that Amenhotep IV died after a very few
years ; and that Akhenaten, a man, or a woman,
was raised by intrigue into his vacant place, adopted
his throne name, and his diadem name, and intro-
duced the new style. It has been proposed that
the new ruler was a woman, masquerading with
a wife and suppositious children ; such a notion
resting on the effeminate plumpness of Akhen-
aten, and the alleged prevalence of feminine
courtiers. It has also been proposed that he was
an eunuch.
We will now review the actual remains and see what
they tell us.
85. Amenhotep IV is only represented as being
married upon two monuments, namely, the blocks
published by Prisse (Mon. Eg. XI, 3), and the piece of
alabaster cup here published (PL. XIII, 23). In both
cases his wife is Nefertythi, the same as the wife of
Akhenaten. On the steles of Akhenaten dated in his
sixth year there are sometimes one daughter, some-
times two; where there is only one, a second and
sometimes a third has been added later ; on the steles
of the eighth year there are always two daughters.
Hence we may conclude that his second daughter was
born at the close of the sixth year of his reign ; and
that he was probably married about the beginning of
the fourth year of his reign. He therefore began his
reign presumably as a child of about twelve years old ;
for, as being the king, he would have been married
early to avoid dynastic difficulties, and fifteen or
sixteen would not therefore be an unlikely age for his
marriage. We see then that Akhenaten began his
reign as a minor under the tutelage of queen Thyi ;
that Amenhotep IV is shewn as unmarried (Villiers
Stuart's tomb) as well as married, and that his wife
historical results.
dissolved out by boiling alcohol and ether, and by
chloroform, leaving mineral matter only. The pro-
portions of wax employed vary. In a poor specimen,
easily crumbled with the nail, I obtained 15 per cent,
of wax. Others contain much more, and present a
waxy lustre in a clean fracture, &c.
The colour is obtained by the use of different
powdered minerals. Those actually found in use
were a felsite, stained naturally with a copper infiltra-
tion ; and a sand consolidated with copper carbonate.
These are natural. Other green minerals were col-
lected ready for use. No artificial frit was found
mixed with the wax.
The whole find suggests a workshop in which
" properties " for state and religious shows were made
by hasty or unskilled workmen. The woodwork was
probably painted green, and the cement coloured to
match it. The colouring of the sickles recalls the
representation of the earliest hieroglyphs, and suggests
symbolism rather than utility.
Of the remaining tools only a few pieces need be
mentioned, which might have been used to scrape a
limestone surface.
CHAPTER VIII.
historical results.
83. In the history of the new departure of art,
religion, and ethics at Tell el Amarna, the first ques-
tion is the period of its rise. On no monument yet
known is there any trace of the worship of the Aten
in this peculiar style, until after the reign of Amen-
hotep III. Among the most prominent features of
the new departure are the absence of the worship of
any god except the Aten or sun, the representation of
the sun with rays ending in hands which accept
offerings and give the sign of life, and the great
breadth of the cartouche band. The style of art
is also distinctive, but less readily defined. As
there is no trace of these peculiarities until after the
death of Amenhotep III, so also there is no trace
of any work at Tell el Amarna before that of the
new style.
Probably the earliest monument of the new style
is the cartouche of queen Thyi (Pl. XLII) in the
limestone quarry H, which is distinguished by the
breadth of the cartouche band. Being alone, without
any king's name, it appears as if she were sole regent:
this would therefore be after the death of Amen-
hotep III, her husband, and before the active reign of
Amenhotep IV, her son, during the first year or two
after his accession.
84. But before considering his age, it will be best
to deal with the question of his personality, and the
identity of Amenhotep IV and Akhenaten. Strictly
speaking it is impossible to prove that any past ruler
has not obscurely died during his nominal reign, and
been succeeded by another ruler who has adopted his
names and titles, imitated all his peculiarities, and
borne a close resemblance to him in face. Such may
be the case with even any well-known king, as
Ramessu II or Constantine, and such has even been
reported of Napoleon III. But no such tale can be
worth a thought unless some substantial reason can
be alleged for the changeling hypothesis. It has been
proposed that Amenhotep IV died after a very few
years ; and that Akhenaten, a man, or a woman,
was raised by intrigue into his vacant place, adopted
his throne name, and his diadem name, and intro-
duced the new style. It has been proposed that
the new ruler was a woman, masquerading with
a wife and suppositious children ; such a notion
resting on the effeminate plumpness of Akhen-
aten, and the alleged prevalence of feminine
courtiers. It has also been proposed that he was
an eunuch.
We will now review the actual remains and see what
they tell us.
85. Amenhotep IV is only represented as being
married upon two monuments, namely, the blocks
published by Prisse (Mon. Eg. XI, 3), and the piece of
alabaster cup here published (PL. XIII, 23). In both
cases his wife is Nefertythi, the same as the wife of
Akhenaten. On the steles of Akhenaten dated in his
sixth year there are sometimes one daughter, some-
times two; where there is only one, a second and
sometimes a third has been added later ; on the steles
of the eighth year there are always two daughters.
Hence we may conclude that his second daughter was
born at the close of the sixth year of his reign ; and
that he was probably married about the beginning of
the fourth year of his reign. He therefore began his
reign presumably as a child of about twelve years old ;
for, as being the king, he would have been married
early to avoid dynastic difficulties, and fifteen or
sixteen would not therefore be an unlikely age for his
marriage. We see then that Akhenaten began his
reign as a minor under the tutelage of queen Thyi ;
that Amenhotep IV is shewn as unmarried (Villiers
Stuart's tomb) as well as married, and that his wife