The Boundary Stelae of Akhenaten (Publication of the Graduate Institute of International Studi)

During the 14th century, even as Egypt faced troubling challenges to her empire, the most basic structures of society suddenly came under attack from an unexpected quarter - the pharoah himself. Amenhotep IV (c. 1353-1336 B.C.), both god-king and high priest of all the gods in the Nile Valley, acted against all precendent by withdrawing his support from the orthodox religion. In place of Egypt's many traditional divinities, he promoted an entirely new form of the Sun God embodied in the solar orb "Aten", a hitherto minor figure in the pantheon. When the king decided to break with the past, he changed his name to Akhenaten and established for his god a new cult center on virgin ground in Middle Egypt. To define the site of Akhet-Aten ("Horizon of Aten"), the king commissioned a number of glorified frontier markers the boundary stelae. These were imposing monuments that symbolically established the royal presence, by means of statues and reliefs depicting the royal family, and preserved for posterity the decrees which had initiated the city's foundation. The 15 known boundary monuments of Akhenaten were discovered in the two decades that bridged the 19th and 20th centuries, but they were incompletely served by the pioneering publications that first made them known. The authors, both well-known Egyptologists, worked at El-Amarna from 1983 to 1989, making fresh copies of the inscriptions and studying the sites of the stelae themselves. The results of their investigations, which are published here, include a definitive new edition of the texts with modern translations, together with a wide-ranging analysis of the history which inspired and is reflected in these monuments.

during The Fourteenth Century B.c., Even As Egypt Faced Troubling Challenges To Her Empire, The Most Basic Structures Of Society Suddenly Came Under Attack From An Unexpected Quarter - The Pharaoh Himself. Amenhotep Iv (c. 1353-1336 B.c), Both God-king And High Priest Of All The Gods In The Nile Valley, Acted Against All Precedent By Withdrawing His Support From The Orthodox Religion. In Place Of Egypt's Many Traditional Divinities He Promoted An Entirely New Form Of The Sun God. Embodied In A Hitherto Minor Figure In The Pantheon, The Solar Orb ('aten'), This Being Was Not Only Worshipped As The Life Force Of All Creation, But Was Regarded As The Celestial Alter Ego Of The King, Who Reigned On Earth As The Aten Ruled In Heaven. When The King Decided To Break With The Past, He Changed His Name To Akhenaten And Established For His God A New Cult Centre On Virgin Ground In Middle Egypt. To Define The Site Of Akhet-aten - 'horizon Of The Aten' - The King Commissioned A Number Of Stelae Along The City's Boundaries. These Glorified Frontier Markers Symbolically Established The Royal Presence By Means Of Statues And Reliefs Depicting The Royal Family, And Preserved For Posterity The Decrees Which Had Initiated The City's Foundation. The Fifteen Known Boundary Monuments Of Akhenaten Were Discovered In The Two Decades That Bridged The Nineteenth And Twentieth Centuries, But They Were Incompletely Served By The Pioneering Publications That First Made Them Known. The Authors, Both Well Known Egyptologists, Worked At El Amarna From 1983 To 1989, Making Fresh Copies Of The Inscriptions And Studying The Stelae Themselves. The Results Of Their Investigations, Which Are Published Here, Include A Definitive New Edition Of The Texts, With Modern Translations, Together With A Wide-ranging Analysis Of The History Which Inspired And Is Reflected In These Monuments.

Front Cover ......Page 1 The Boundary Stelae of Akhenaten......Page 4 Copyright Page ......Page 5 Table of Contents......Page 7 List of Plates......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Chapter One. Discovery and Previous Study of the Boundary Stelae......Page 16 Chapter Two. The Earlier Proclamation: Bibliography and descriptions (pp. 11-18); parallel texts (pp. 19-34); translation (pp. 35-47); commentary (pp. 47-68)......Page 25 Chapter Three. The Later Proclamation: Bibliography and descriptions (pp. 69-83); parallel texts (pp. 84-98); translation (pp. 99-104); commentary (pp. 104-109)......Page 83 Chapter Four. Architectural Features of the Boundary Stelae......Page 124 Chapter Five. The Boundary Stelae as Official and Historical Documents: Parallels and historical significance (pp. 147-149); inscriptions, design of and modifications to the stelae: the chronology of Akhenaten's reign (pp. 149-155); history of the site (pp. 155-157); the developing design of the stelae and the demarcation of the boundaries (pp. 157-162); the fixing of the borders in the text (pp. 162-165); the decrees as historical documents: reasons for settling at EI-Amarna (pp. 166-169); Akhenaten's alleged self-exile to EI-Amarna (pp. 169-171); building plans for the city (pp. 171-175); the royal family in the boundary stelae (pp. 175-178); ceremonial and practical regulations in the lower parts of Stelae K, M and X (pp. 178-181); conclusion (pp. 181-182)......Page 160 Appendix One. Fragments of the Boundary Stelae no longer in situ......Page 196 Appendix Two. Stelae L......Page 206 Appendix Three. Principal Topics of the Inscriptions on the Boundary Stelae......Page 208 Endnotes......Page 210 Index of Egyptian Words and Phrases......Page 270 First published in 1993. This is a new edition of Akhaenaten's boundary stelae, which now includes information about most of the boundary markers, the tablets were accompanied by statues of Akhenaten, Nefertiti and two of their daughters, all of which stood on low platforms that were raised above the level of the floor. In addition was the awareness that the statues at the site of Stela A were elevated to a greater degree than were the corresponding statues at other sites (insofar as this could be judged from published photographs). The evidence in the publication indicated, moreover, that Stela A, along with Stela B (some two miles south) were the latest of the boundary monuments to be inscribed, since both concluded with a colophon, dated to the end of Akhenaten's eighth regnal year, added to the standard text of the Later Proclamation found on these and other stelae of this series. A study of the boundary stelae based on the results of the authors' investigations. It includes a definitive new edition of the texts, with modern translations, as well as a wide-ranging analysis of the history which inspired and is reflected in these monuments.