Statue of Akhenaten Making Offerings to Aten

This small statue, which depicts King Akhenaten making offerings, was discovered in a house in the residential area of Tell el-Amarna.

This type of statuette served as a figurative embodiment of the human pharaoh, enabling the magic rituals in the celebration of religious rites connected with Aten.

Akhenaten was a pharaoh who reigned during the 18th dynasty, known for his religious revolution that focused on the worship of Aten, the sun disk, as the sole god. This statue represents Akhenaten in the act of making offerings to Aten, emphasizing his role as a priest and intermediary between the god and the people.

The rigid posture of the king with his legs together is unusual and can only be explained by the solemnity of the act of making an offering to Aten.

The body of the king is realistically portrayed with a swollen belly and a serious expression on his face. He wears the Blue Crown, an official crown related to the coronation ceremony of the king.

The statue is notable for its distinctive artistic style, which differs from the more traditional depictions of Egyptian pharaohs. Akhenaten is shown with an elongated and somewhat androgynous form, a feature characteristic of the Amarna period’s unique artistic style. This change in physical representation is thought to reflect the religious and cultural shift during Akhenaten’s reign.

The image of Akhenaten presenting offerings to Aten underscores the king’s devotion to the sun god, reinforcing his role as both a ruler and a religious leader. The statue’s symbolism and artistic style are important for understanding the religious and cultural changes of the period.

New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, Amarna Period, reign of Akhenaten, ca. 1353-1336 BC. From Tell el-Amarna. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 44867