Pharaoh Achnaton was one of the most influential and controversial pharaohs of Old Egypt. He is considered to be one of the most important religious innovators. He was Pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty, father of Tutankhamen, and Queen Nefertiti's husband.

17 of interesting facts about Achnaton

1) Achnaton was Egyptian pharaoh Eighteenth Dynasty, ruled 17 for years and was known as the "Great Heretic".

2) At the beginning of his reign he was known as Amenhotep IV, but soon changed his name to Achnatonto express his relationship with the new, established highest God.

3) Achnaton was Queen Nefertiti's husband, one of the most famous and influential Egyptian women and queens. Their joint depictions show that they were equal with Achnaton when conducting religious ceremonies.

4) Mummy Nefertiti has never been found. While the archeologist, June Fletcher, claimed to have found Nefertitia a very damaged mummy in the side chamber of the tomb of Amenhotep II. in the valley of kings, but most scientists are not convinced. Achnaton granted Nefertiti a divine status. Scientists point out that she is at the time of his marriage to Akhenaten, he could have been only 12 years old.

5) Achnaton terminated foreign military missions and dramatically reduced military defense Egypt.

6) He is known to have left traditional Egyptian polytheism and introduced the worship of a single god Atona.

7) Akhenaten said: "There is only one God, my father. I can be in touch with him day and night. "

Achnaton (© Jon Bodsworth)

8) Achnaton could have been history the first monotheist.

9) According to Egyptian mythology, he was the successor of the gods who came to Earth at the time of Tep Zepi. Even today people still believe that this pharaoh is in fact came from "stars".

10) After becoming Achnaton Pharaoh, he ordered it to be removed all iconography of previous gods.

11) According to Achnaton's writings and poems that were later written about him, it was visited by beings who descended from heaven. These beings told Achnaton what to do and how to rule his people.

12) Achnaton claimed he was the direct descendant of Atonthat he is considered to be divine and even to God. Not only did he believe he was a god, but the whole nation has worshiped him as the only god.

13) Achnaton ordered construction of a new capital city, which he called Amarna and dedicated it to the sun.

14) Introduced changes in art and culture.

15) One of the most significant changes was his public rendering of yourself not as a strong, "untouchable" pharaoh, but as "real" as in reality - an elongated skull, a long neck, thick thighs, long toes, rotated knee joints, with a belly and female breasts.

16) After the end of his reign the city of Amarna was abandoned and the temples of the sun were destroyed, the image of Achnaton's face was deliberately removed.

17) He discovered the body of Akhenaten in 1907 in the Egyptian Valley of the Kings by British archaeologist Edward Ayrton.

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