Abstract

Amarna (short for Tell el-Amarna or El-Amarna) is the modern Arabic name for the site called Akhetaten – the Horizon of the [sun disc] Aten – during the second half of the 18th Dynasty of the Egyptian New Kingdom. ¹ Akhetaten was the newly founded capital of Egypt under Akhenaten/Amenhotep IV and at least one immediate successor ² during parts of the so-called Amarna Period, which is now defined as covering the reigns from Amenhotep III until Horemhab (1393–1298 bc). ³ It was situated in Middle Egypt, nearly equidistant to Memphis and Thebes.