Egypt’s Golden Couple: How Akhenaten and Nefertiti Became Gods on Earth

In this innovative and detailed study, husband-and-wife Egyptologists John and Colleen Darnell (Tutankhamun’s Armies) explore the 14th-century BCE reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti, the parents of Tutankhamun. The Darnells convincingly argue that Akhenaten and Nefertiti’s establishment of a monotheistic solar-based religion, support for architectural and artistic innovations, and strategic vision changed the course of Egyptian history. Early in his 17-year reign during Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty, Akhenaten changed his name from Amunhotep IV to Akhenaten, rejecting his father’s religious beliefs in favor of a new solar cult with the god Aten as its focus. Along with Queen Nefertiti, Akhenaten elevated Aten above all other deities, drastically altering Egypt’s religious infrastructure. The city of Akhet-Aten (also known as Tell el-Amarna) served as a sacred stage, reflecting the trinity of the god Aten, Akhenaten, and Nefertiti as god, high priest, and high priestess, respectively. Throughout, the Darnells draw on historical records, artwork, and archaeological discoveries to provide colorful vignettes of daily life during the era and share immersive descriptions of their own excavations and travels throughout Egypt. Readers will delight in this accessible study of a consequential period of Egypt’s history. Illus. (Nov.)