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Amarna

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description Amarna Overview

Amarna in Middle Egypt was the short-lived capital city founded by Pharaoh Akhenaten around 1346 BCE to promote the monotheistic worship of Aten, abandoned shortly after his death and never reoccupied.

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Why did Akhenaten build Amarna?

Pharaoh Akhenaten founded Amarna around 1346 BCE as a new capital devoted to the worship of Aten. The city was part of his attempt to reshape Egyptian religion and royal life around the solar disk.

What was Amarna called in ancient Egypt?

The ancient city was known as Akhetaten, meaning the horizon of Aten. The modern name Amarna comes from the nearby village and the wider archaeological area.

What happened to Amarna after Akhenaten died?

The city was abandoned shortly after Akhenaten's death and was never reoccupied as a permanent capital. Later rulers restored older religious traditions and moved the royal center elsewhere.

What is distinctive about Amarna art?

Amarna art often shows Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their children in more elongated and informal forms than earlier Egyptian royal art. The style is associated with the religious and political changes of Akhenaten's reign.

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