There were many other changes during Akhenaton’s reign in addition to the religious reformation. In art, many of the traditional conventions were abandoned, and things were portrayed more realistically, particularly the human figure. The surviving pictures of Akhenaton are very unflattering. They show a man with a narrow face, a potbelly, wide hips, and matchstick legs. In contrast, a bust of Akhenaton’s wife Nefertiti depicts a woman of extraordinary beauty.
In literature, some forms of the spoken language were introduced, and the variation now known as Late Egyptian emerged as the standard written language around 1380 BCE. It was used for business and some priestly documents until around 700 BCE. Classic Middle Egyptian continued to be used in religious texts.
The evidence of the Amarna Letters shows that Akhenaton maintained con-
The mask of Tutankhamen from 1323 BCE is ancient Egypt’s greatest treasure, but Tutankhamen was a relatively minor ruler.
Tacts with other states through correspondence and the exchange of gifts, but it is clear that he failed to take decisive military action when Egypt began to lose its influence in the Syro-Palestinian region. There were also difficulties at home, caused by the closing of the temples, which effectively transferred the property of the temples to the pharaoh. Without the help of the local temple officials, it proved difficult to collect the income that arose from this property.
World History
