Pharaoh Akhenaten
Akhenaten is almost always depicted alongside this famous figure, demonstrating her unusually high status and vital role in the new religion.
Nefertiti
Unlike traditional Egyptian temples that were dark and secretive, the Great Temple of the Aten intentionally lacked this architectural feature.
A roof
Spanning Akhenaten's rule and his immediate, short-lived successors, the heretical Amarna Period lasted for roughly this many years.
Approximately 17 years
The city of Akhetaten was planned as a palace institution that ran along this massive thoroughfare, dictating the alignment of the principal temples and the main palace.
The Royal Road
This ancient slab is considered the key discovery that finally allowed historians to understand and translate Egyptian hieroglyphics.
The Rosetta Stone
During his reign, Akhenaten moved the ancient Egyptian capital to Amarna from its traditional location in this city.
Thebes
To enforce his new monotheistic vision during the "Great Proscription," Akhenaten sent officials across Egypt to chisel the name of this former "King of the Gods" off monuments—even erasing it from his own father's name!
Amun
Driven by the Pharaoh's urgency, the new capital city of Akhetaten was constructed in the middle of the desert at the virgin site of Amarna over this many of years.
Approximately 4 years
While the "official" royal views painted a picture of a prosperous utopia, this type of physical evidence tells us life was actually very harsh for the common people.
Archaeological evidence (or human remains)
This famous Egyptian ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt was married to both of her younger brothers during her reign.
Cleopatra
Akhenaten was the successor to this New Kingdom Pharaoh, his father, who was highly regarded for being a patron of the arts and Egyptian tradition.
Amenhotep III
The Karnak Temple and the Great Temple of the Aten adopted this layered architectural approach to reinforce class and perceptions of power.
Telescopic (or axial) progression
Infamous for widespread religious reforms, the Amarna period is also known for a radical deviation from traditional, idealised Egyptian art into this specific style.
Naturalistic (or expressionistic)
Despite Akhenaten's strict reforms, archaeologists have found hidden figurines in commoners' homes, proving the people did not completely abandon this.
Traditional religion (or the old gods)
President William Henry Harrison holds the record for the shortest presidential term in US history, serving a term of this many days.
32 days
During his reign, Akhenaten maintained Ma’at and the status quo of ancient Egypt for this many years before changing his name and implementing his radical ideas.
Five years
Because the theology held that only the Pharaoh could truly "know" the Aten, some historians argue that Atenism wasn't a religion but rather this form of political control in which the leader was worshipped as a divine figure.
A Cult of Personality
Akhenaten is often portrayed with both male and female traits to represent himself as the "mother and father" of Egypt, a choice that served to legitimise this shared political authority with his wife, Nefertiti.
Co-rule (or shared regency)
Because the workmen’s village had no running water, it had to be transported from the main city and stored in these large ceramic jars.
Zirs
Long before it became a famous toy, this was originally invented during WWII by a naval engineer to stabilise sensitive instruments on ships in rough seas.
The Slinky
One reason for the archaeological intrigue surrounding Akhenaten and his reign is that his body was not found in his vandalised tomb at Amarna. Instead, historians believe the body was likely moved to this location before being relocated again.
Valley of the Kings
While traditional Egyptian religion focused strictly on the Nile Valley, the Great Hymn written by Akhenaten claims the Aten also provides for these people, despite their "tongues" being "separate in speech."
Foreigners (or Syrians and Nubians)
The Amarna period of the New Kingdom was officially succeeded and dismantled by this famous Boy King who served as the next major leader of Egypt.
Tutankhamun
While city officials had ornate cliffside tombs, 90% of the population were placed in shallow pits or poorly made coffins decorated with these meaningless symbols meant to resemble elite writing.
Nonsense (or fake) hieroglyphics
The "Pig War" of 1859 was a bizarre, bloodless conflict between the U.S. and Britain, sparked by an American farmer shooting a British-owned pig for eating this particular food.
Potatoes