Thousands of priests were unemployed.Īkhenaten died in the 17th year of his reign. But by decreeing monotheism, the ruling couple made powerful enemies.

The location was a valley protected by steep cliffs, the plain of Amarna.Īkhenaten also had a temple dedicated to his god built in record time, the Gem-pa-Aten ('Aten is found'). Ancient relief: Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti worship the sun god Aten Image: Paul Schemm/AP Photo/picture alliance A new city for the god AtenĪround 1350 BC, the royal couple left the capital Thebes and within a short time built the city of Akhetaten ('horizon of Aten'), with a population of 50,000, as the new royal residence. Aten, Akhenaten and Nefertiti were virtually a government unit,' she told DW. 'They formed a triad, a trinity, with the god Aten. She bore the title of Great Royal Wife and stood on equal footing with her husband, according to Olivia Zorn, deputy director of the Egyptian Museum Berlin, which is part of the Neues Museum. He also changed his name, from Amenhotep to Akhenaten ('he who serves Aten'), while Nefertiti became Neferneferuaten ('beautiful is the beauty of Aten').

He was given the epithet of 'heretic pharaoh' because he abolished polytheism and subsequently worshiped only Aten, the god of light, depicted as a radiant sun disk. What is known is that at a young age, presumably between the ages of 12 and 15, she became the wife of Amenhotep IV. Only a few ancient reliefs and inscriptions give scant details about the mysterious Nefertiti. There are no reports from her contemporaries, no papyrus with stories from her life. Her name means 'the beautiful one has come forth.'īut was she tall or short, was she stern, generous, or haughty? All her personal qualities have been lost to history. Not much is known about the woman who lived in ancient Egypt around 3,500 years ago. Nefertiti appears to gaze into the distance, proud and aloof.

Nefertiti papyrus