Tell El Amarna is an ancient Egyptian symbol that showcases their devotion to religious reform, artistic innovation and mortality exemplified by Pharaoh Akhenaten's rule.
Tell El Amarna: Archaeological Treasure Chest from Ancient Egypt
Discover Tell El-Amarna, one of Egypt’s intriguing archaeological sites. Unveil remnants from Akhenaten’s revolutionary rule and explore this once vibrant capital where archeology offers us insight into this mysterious place called ancient Egypt.
Tell El-Amarna is an exceptional spot of tombs and relics from Akhetaton’s magical city in Upper Egypt, located 44 miles northeast of Asyut and 36 miles southwest of Al Minya.
Akhenaten, also known as “Amenhotep IV,” built this city around 1348 BC after switching his worship of Aton for Amun; four years after Akhenaton died, his throne returned to Thebes. Tell El Amarna was abandoned, and many villages could be found on the east side as well.
Tell El Amarna-Egypt Tours Group.
Notable Tombs in Tell El-Amarna
Tell El-Amarna historical site today is home to two sections of cliff tombs, which can be found at each end of Akhet Aton’s ancient city. The tombs feature intricate wall paintings and carvings that reflect ancient Egypt’s unique art from the New Kingdom.
List of unique tombs located within Tell-El-Amarna:
Huya Tomb
In Tell-El-Amarna’s northern section you will discover some of the most fascinating tombs, like Huya’s Tomb (formerly of Royal Harem Superintendent Huya), known for depicting scenes showing him providing services to members of Royal Harem Harem family. This tomb is truly remarkable due to the intricate detailing showing this remarkable serviceman in action while offering services.
Mery Re I Tomb
With its vibrant hues, Mery-Re I tomb is one of the most attractive tombs at Tell El-Amarna and displays remarkable artistic creativity. Mery Re was high priest for Aten, the Sun God, so his tomb includes reliefs depicting Akhenaton performing religious rituals while worshipping Aten.
Aye Tomb
Situated near the northern section of Tell El-Amarna ruins and not easily accessible like many of its tombs, Aye’s Tomb offers visitors an exceptional tourist site to see. Aye served as Egypt’s vizier during King Akhenaton’s rule—one of his preferred royal officials. Thus, this tomb is one of Tell El-Amarna’s most striking features. Glamorous paintings cover every inner wall, including one depicting Aye and his wife receiving honor from both King Akhenaton and his wife and Queen.
A drawing inside Tell Al Amarna – Egypt Tours Group.
Tell El Amarna Letters
The Amarna Letters represent one of the oldest examples of international diplomacy ever seen – dating back to 14th Century BC between rulers from Ancient Egypt and Near East, representing international relations dating all the way back.
All letters focused on various subjects, which included friendship declarations, diplomatic marriage proposals and material exchange. The Amarna Letters are considered one of the first known international diplomatic systems, providing several conventions and rules for negotiation and communication between nations. They created various ancient forms of written communication that became pivotal to building and expanding upon relationships between great powers in the Near East for creating an atmosphere of peaceful international co-operation that endured for centuries.
Tell El Amarna-Egypt Tours Group.
These letters also mentioned Amenhotep III and Akhenaten as rulers who predated Amarna period by one century – possibly also including Smenkhkare or Tutankhamun – among them. Letters reveal Egyptian expansion into new regions such as Amurru, Damascus, Byblos and Qadesh; vassals loyal to Egypt who displayed Pharaoh’s authority and devotion.
Amarna letters shed light on how ancient Egyptian civilization evolved over time, while also expanding our knowledge of distant events and isolationism during antiquity. Comprised of 382 clay tablets arranged geographically and chronologically, their contents offer us insights into this remarkable ancient civilization.
Letters were an insightful look into the language skills available during that era. These letters document in great detail how great powers and independent kingdoms like Babylon, Mitanni, Hatti, and Assyria maintained equal relationships through remarkable communication patterns that still hold today. Many museums across Egypt, the United States, and Europe showcase them.
A stunned face inside Tell El Amarna- Egypt Tours Group.
Excavations At Tell El-Amarna
Tell el Amarna was excavated between 1714 AD and Napoleon’s expedition between 1798-1799; during which period many explorers and scholars studied its remains and documented them. Initial excavation began around 1714 AD with subsequent ones taking place between 1798-1799 during and following Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign.
An English team of archaeologists first mapped the city around 1824; shortly thereafter, the southern tombs were unearthed in this region around 1833. A Prussian expedition from 1843-1845 further explored this part of Iran while collecting incredible records and drawings that still stand today. Around 1887, local women came upon more than 300 cuneiform tablets known as Amarna Letters that can provide insight into Pharaoh Akkadian diplomatic correspondence – and therefore shed new light onto why Amarna itself had significance.
At various points during the late 19th and 20th century, major excavations were undertaken independently, which yielded great successes with regard to discovering cuneiform tablets and artifacts; various boundary stelae from Amarna were unearthed as were numerous tombs from private tombs located outside its bounds.
Tell El Amarna-Egypt Tours Group.
Tell El Amarna Houses
Tell El Amarna was home to many types of houses for both common people and elite alike; these ranged from simple mudbrick houses for commoners to more intricate buildings for elite. All had unique architectural designs featuring smaller temples with open sanctuaries exposed to sunlight with numerous altars; also including numerous courtyards, rooms, storage areas as well as multiple storage sheds for storage space – plus decorated frescoes in wealthy households as well as gardens or private chapels and no closing doors on temples with no fixed door designs creating masterpieces which had life after Thebes again.
Tell El Amarna-Egypt Tours Group.
Tell El Amarna Art
Tell El Amarna art was one of the defining characteristics of its birth at Tell El Amarna during Akhenaten’s (1351-1334 BC) rule in the 18th Dynasty of New Kingdom Egypt. Amarna art was dramatically transformed by Akhenaten’s religious reforms and monotheistic worship of Aton’s sun disc; many remnants can still be found after his death in Amarna itself.
Art is known to represent active and dynamic scenes; featuring incredible figures with raised heads, intertwining figures, crowded scenes and vibrant imagery.
Akhenaten’s body exhibited numerous stunning characteristics that included swaying and slender postures, exaggerated extremities and distinctive visions for Pharaoh Akhenaten – including feminine qualities like great hips and breasts; feet hands facial structures were depicted with detail and elongation while tomb art displayed incredible images of Aton sans displays or traditional funerary scenes.
Tell El Amarna-Egypt Tours Group.
Tell El-Amarna Facts
Tell El Amarna is an exquisite city built by Pharaoh Akhenaten during the 14th century BCE as part of Amarna Period from 1346 BC-1330 BC and served only as capital administrative center during that timeframe. One major treasure from Tell el-Amarna Letters gives insight into ancient Near Eastern diplomatic relations.
FAQs
What is the significance of Tell el-Amarna?
Tell El-Amarna was established by Pharaoh Akhenaton as his capital dedicated to Aten in 1348 BC as his sun god was worshiped there. Situated in Upper Egypt, Tell El-Amarna boasts various monuments dedicated to Aten such as its unique Temple of Aten featuring exquisite architecture designed to emphasize his power.
Where is Tell el-Amarna in Egypt?
Tell el-Amarna is situated midway between Luxor City (ancient Thebes) and Cairo (ancient Memphis) along the Nile River. It lies approximately 44 miles northeast of Asyut and 36 miles southwest of Minya.
Akhenaten, as Pharaoh of Egypt, founded this city on the Nile in the 14th Century B.C., moving his subjects there to establish a new monotheistic religion.
A nile cruise in Tell El Amarna region- Egypt Tours Group.
What was the Amarna best known for?
The Amarna Period or Revolution was an era in ancient Egyptian history during the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten. It is most notable for two things: realistic art and monotheism.
How old is Tell el-Amarna?
Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV), on abandoning Amon worship for Aton worship, constructed his city about 1348 BCE as its new capital on an isolated east bank of the Nile. This virgin site provided him with ample raw materials from which he constructed this masterpiece of human architectural achievement.
Who destroyed Amarna?
Amarna stands apart from traditional Egyptian “tells”, in that its destruction did not result from external invasion or earthquake; instead it was ordered destroyed by Horemheb (c. 29-41 BC).
