1. Akhenaten’s Amarna
Religious Architecture during the Amarna Period
Meera Kulkarni
This paper explores the topic of religious architecture in context of the Amarna Period. It looks at the
evolution of temple architecture and the changes brought by Akhenaten’s reign including the
significance of each.

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Amarna Period & Religious Architecture
The Amarna Period is characterized by a series of changes in politics, culture, religion
and many other aspects of Egyptian daily life. Religious architecture, evolved from the shrines of
the Early Dynastic Period, has seen numerous changes in building style and plans going from
small sanctuaries o vas complexes. Under Akhenaten’s reign, temple architecture and art were
dramatically altered.
Amenhotep IV, famously known as Akhenaten or the heretic king, reformed many things
during his time as Pharaoh. Despite he puzzling nature of these eccentric renovations and the
harsh but systematic erasures of his reign, Akhenaten significantly transformed he fundamentals
of religion in architecture.
Not much is known about the origins of ancient Egyptian architectural development with
respect to religion. The earliest evidence of basic religious architectural forms was found in two
Early Dynastic Period cities: Hierakonpolis and to the north Buto, also known as Tell-el Fara’in
(Wilkinson 2000:17) where archaeologists found evidence of the cities being shrines.
When it comes to temples there are two distinct types found in Egypt’s history: cult
temples used for worship of god and mortuary temples used for worship of the dead pharaoh.
The main focus of the Amarna period study is going to be the style of cult temples. Some of the
most famous cult temples from Egyptian history include the Temple island of Philae (which is a
temple of Isis), the Edfu Temple (which is a temple of Horus), and the two temples at Luxor
(rather than focus on a cult god this temple focuses on the rejuvenation of kingship) and Karnak
(which is a temple of Amun) (Murray 1977: 155 – 159). All of these sites have survived for

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centuries and remain intact today, though some are in extreme fragile states and that begs the
question: how is religious architecture important?
Pertaining to Egypt, religious architecture is the only sector that provides information on
general ancient Egyptian architecture as a whole. Religious architecture is significant due to the
fact that religion was the basis of ancient Egyptian society: it was woven into every aspect of
their lives. There was no separation of religion from any part of daily life be it in politics,
economics or the workings of an average household. Analyzing religious architecture, then, has
the possibility of unearthing information on not just architecture but the romance between
society and religion as a whole.
The average Egyptian cult temple is known for its rectangular plans. Devoid of any
curved elements the structures are linear, involving rectangular shapes as opposed to spherical.
The inspiration stems from the stark, geometric landscape (Murray 1977: 1). In general
architecture, a house was designed to be a haven from the desert surroundings. Inspiration was
drawn from the scenery of the Nile, the plant life, and such. The same principle can be seen in
the construction of temples. Another key aspect which will be discussed later is the presence of
pylons for an imposing entrance which was used for houses of the elite (the bigger, the better) as
well as temples (Crocker 1985: 54). According to Egyptologist Alexander Badawy, rhythm is a
factor that contributes to Egyptian architecture being what it is: rhythm being harmony achieved
through symmetry and proportion (Badawy 1965: 1).

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It is a recognized fact that rhythm was a governing factor in Greek aesthetics, psychology, and
metaphysics. If one compares the plan of an Egyptian temple of the simplest type…he finds,
underlying their designs, the same spirit of simple rhythm for achieving beauty.
Egyptian architecture is where tradition pertaining to Egyptian culture is seen best
(Badawy 1965: 5). Construction was based on
nature such as plant stems (the torus, the cornice
etc.) and all forms and proportions were generally
kept uniform (Badawy 1965: 5). In fact, tradition
was so stressed upon that traditional architectural
rules were actually passed down by text and
tongue, penned on rolls of papyrus and leather and stored
specially in vaults (Badawy 1965: 5). When it comes
specifically to religious architecture such as temples and
shrines, evolution is slight but pointed (Badawy 1965: 14). That results in one particular type of
temple plan.
On average, the basic structure of a cult temple consists of four parts which are as
follows: an outer court, an inner court, the vestibule and lastly the shrine (Murray 1977: 2). The
New Kingdom temples include those four elements with a few specific modifications. The most
famous building of the Amarna Period is the Great Temple of Aten at Amarna with some minor
Aten temples sprinkled across the city and another temple at Thebes. A term coined for a
standard New Kingdom temple plan is the ‘tripartite layout.’ The temples of the Amarna Period,
while varying in structure have a basic form that follows this layout. Included in this plan was an
Fig 01. The façade of the small structure
known as Temple C in East Karnak based
on the reconstruction by Donald Redford.
The cornice, molding around the ceiling,
is the carving across the top of the
structure in the shape of elongated petals
(Wilkinson 2000: 165).

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entrance pylon giving access to an open court, then a columned hall followed by the inner
sanctuary (Wilkinson 2000: 24).
Fig 02. The tripartite layout of the classic Egyptian temple: pylon, open courtyard, columned hypostyle hall
and inner sanctuary (Wilkinson 2000: 24-25).
Details about temple façades have been found mainly through representational evidence
suggesting that there were three different types of pylons, known as bekhen in Egyptian (Badawy
1968: 177), that were used. The first type was used for the façade of the “Gem-Aten” in the tomb
of Mryre‘(Badawy 1968: 165)
In the tomb of Meryre’ the front façade of the Great Temple
assumes the shape of a pylon with two high towers, with
vertical faces crowned with a cornice, flanking two
doorways of different sizes, with broken lintel. In front of each
tower five flagstaffs carrying flags are fixed vertically and two
superimposed rows of four papyriform columns with bad
capitals are shown between the flagstaffs.
The second type was found at the Sanctuary from the tomb of
Mahu at Amarna (Badawy 1968: 166-167) Fig 03. Representation of the pylon of
the Gem-Aten from the tomb of
Meryre‘ at Amarna (Badawy 1968:
166).

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Four drawings represent a pylon similar to the preceding one, but having only two
superimposed rows of two columns in front of each tower. This seems to represent
façade of the sanctuary, with two porches of four columns each.
Fig 04. Representation of the pylon of the
Sanctuary from the tomb of Mahu at Amana
(Badawy 1968: 167).
The third and final type is a simple construction
with no flagstaffs. Instead there are abutting porches
with four columns each and two royal statues (Badawy
1968: 166).
Looking at the Great Temple of Aten, some changes can be seen from what an average
temple was supposed to look like and what this specific Amarna temple looked like. It begins
with the façade. Continuing from the tradition of the Middle Kingdom, the temple façade always
took the shape of a pylon, made up of two towers on a rectangular plan with battered faces
topped with a cornice standing on either side of a central gateway. That gateway was also
crowned with a cornice and a winged disc of the sun represented in relief (Badawy 1968: 177).
The temple of Aten had a façade with a pylon and two porches on four columns that each
sheltered four statues of the king (Badawy 1968: 169). Flanking the façade was a screen wall that
enclosed a villa or an empty passage which is considered a unique feature as it deviates from
normal temple constructions.
The forecourt or open court known as wba in Egyptian was built again rectangular of
plan bordered by a portico on columns and an abutting Osiris statue of the pharaoh. This court
included an altar for offerings. On the walls were painted scenes of the pharaoh in historical and

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religious activities. At the end of the court sometimes a high portico was included with rows of
columns, some party covered by screen walls. This marked the front of the temple proper
(Badawy 1968: 179). The Great Temple of Aten had three courts instead of just one. The third
was encircled by a portico on eight papyriform bud columns (Badawy 1968: 167 – 168).
Fig 05. Columns of Edfu’s
peristyle court. This court is
constructed with 32 different
column types. The papyriform
bud columns are named so due to
the flower bud like carvings on
the top (Wilkinson 2000: 205).
Following the forecourt was the hypostyle hall or columned hall known as wadjit in
Egyptian. The columns were so arranged that a central nave was bordered by two rows of tall
papyriform columns while the aisles were flanked by shorter columns, usually a bud papyriform
type. The hall was lit during the day from windows set into the ceilings (Badawy 1968: 179).
The walls are decorated with images of ceremonies held in the columned hall. The pharaoh
shown fully dressed in the forecourt art was shown here in a kilt. Sometimes this first hypostyle
hall was followed by a second and a third. In that case, the names of the three were as follows:
the first was known as the ‘hall of appearance’ or wsekhet kha‘it, the second as the ‘hall of
offering’ or wsekhet hetep and the third as the ‘intermediate hall’ or herit ib (Badawy 1968: 180).

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Following the hypostyle hall is the sanctuary. The sanctuary stands at the rear of the
temple and is seen as the private home of the deity. It is a long and narrow room containing the
sacred bark or naos. Kept inside this room was the cult statue, a wooden figure plated with gold.
Because the bark was often put on a stand and carried during processions by priests a second
doorway was added in the rear wall of the sanctuary which became the bark chapel. No specific
name has been found before the 22nd dynasty to represent
this room. The walls of the sanctuary are painted with low-
relief scenes representing rituals performed in the room
and items that were used (Badawy 1968: 180). For
example the Temple at Karnak contained reliefs of
anything from domestic life to rituals performed by
Akhenaten with him standing with his wife and daughters,
bulls being slaughtered, and men carrying different parts of
the bull to be presented as offerings (Redford 1973: 90).
The sanctuary at the Great Temple of Aten had eight
basins laid out in front of the outer walls and there were
large stelaes sitting with a royal statue on a platform.
Included here were two villas and a slaughter house.
In addition to these temple buildings were rooms or
addition courts used as a slaughter court for animals
presented as offerings. Sometimes a sacred lake was
included on the premises within the walls again with a
rectangular or U-shaped plan (Badawy 1968: 180).
Fig 06. Plan and elevation of the Great
Temple at Amarna. Shown from the
bottom upward: entrance portal and curt,
façade of the temple pylon, great altar
court, second court, third court with its
portico and part of the fifth court bordered
by eighteen cells (Badawy 1968: 168).

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Akhenaten’s new monotheistic religion celebrated the sun disc as not only a god but a
source of light and everything else associated with it. Best seen in how temples in Amarna were
constructed, Akhenaten celebrated the light by including open air courts which allowed sunlight
to enter the sacred temples (Hollis 2001: 500). When looking at the Great Temple specifically, it
can be seen that the structures here went above and beyond regular temples through the inclusion
of extra rooms and the shift from static representations in art to representations of movement
(Hollis 2001: 500).
These specific alterations in structure are momentous because they bring to light how
revered the sun god was in Akhenaten’s eyes. So much so that the majority of his reign was
thrown into worship, other requirements such as foreign affairs and military practices forgotten
as seen from the Amarna letters (Hollis 2001: 500 – 501). Due to his religious fervor, temples
were bigger, better, and more suited to his style of prayer which as previously mentioned
included open courtyards to let in ample amounts of sunlight, the addition of extra rooms as well
as the kind of art and reliefs that were drawn on the walls which will be addressed later.
After looking at general New Kingdom religious architecture in comparison to Amarna
religious architecture it is of importance to address that religious architecture includes more than
just temple construction. It also includes statues and the art that goes with the temple. Akhenaten
made changes not just to religion but to art and temple construction as well. Art of the Amarna
Period was all in a new artistic style that deviated from the traditional Egyptian art style which
was considered too rigid and formal (Samson 1978: 9). The reliefs on temple and monument
walls along with statues portrayed the royal family in ways the elite had never before been
portrayed. As mentioned earlier, his style deviated from reserved and static representations to
fluid representations of movement (Hollis 2001: 500). The art style was more life-like than the

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official Egyptian style which shattered the image of perfection the pharaoh was supposed to be.
Instead they showed Akhenaten how he actually was
and in very tender situations with his wife and children
(Baikie 2004: 284-285). That being said, this intimacy
was seen mostly only in Amarna. Amarna reliefs had a
greater variety of poses and there was more intimacy in
the activity but elsewhere, especially in Karnak, reliefs
were much more traditional and limited as they depicted
the king and in very few cases his queen (Redford 1975:
10).
When it comes to temple plans, archaeological
digs have found fragments of stone balustrades,
parapets and screen walling from el-Amarna.
Archaeologists found the presence of ramps and steps
with stone balustrades on either side (Shaw 1994: 109).
These were decorated with sunken relief or engraved
inscriptions on two of the main faces. These reliefs and
engravings depicted the royal family presenting offerings
to the Aten (Shaw 1994: 110).
Very distinctive of Akhenaten’s shrines and temples
were these ramps and steps, bordered on two sides by balustrades and leading to altars. This assemblage
is quite unique to the Amarna Period.
Fig 07. Depiction of the Amarna royal
family making offerings to the Aten,
decorating one side of the segment of
balustrade (Shaw 1994: 111).

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After Akhenaten’s reign came to an end, the world he had created at el-Amarna was
systematically abandoned as the capital was moved back to Thebes. It was left as a monument of the
failure Akhenaten was considered to be (Baikie 2004: 395). Because they believed in life after death and
preservation by name, priests of other gods erased every inscription of Akhenaten’s name. Even
mentioning his name was forbidden (Baikie 2004: 399).
Despite the erasure of his existence and abandonment of his city, the monuments and
temples still stand to this day. Despite the nature of his alterations they are significant. His introduction of
ramps, stairs, and balustrades merely highlighted that deviating from traditional temple plans resulted in
new innovative architectural forms which allowed for the worship of Aten (Shaw 1994: 109). This
monotheistic religion focused on the sun disc, a source of power as well as light. Incorporating that light
into temple constructions was only natural, then, and the above mentioned structures were unique ways of
going about it. A unique religion brought about an equally unique way of practicing it.
The pharaoh was considered a heavenly being, a god, in ancient Egyptian society. “Religio is the
term for the bond between the supernatural and humankind, along with the obligations arising therefrom”
(Redford 2013: 26). In this kind of society, a society where god is all-knowing and all-seeing, the
presence of whom touches every aspect of daily life, Akhenaten’s unprecedented changes in how that
godly pharaoh is portrayed is revolutionary. He encouraged that he be shown in his truest form, including
all the faults of his physique rather than covering it all up with an idealized version of himself.
Overall, Akhenaten’s reign is considered a regrettable tumultuous blip in Egyptian
history. His changes were said to have scarred the land, scars that still can be seen today. What
appalled the rest of Ancient Egypt is his disregard for other gods and conversion to monotheism.
Apart from that, Akhenaten was innovative and left no stone unturned to figure out ways to make
worship of Aten bigger and better. Art and temple architecture were forever changed under his
rule.