Akhenaten Essay

Akhenaten and Nefertit shared a distinctive relationship that baffles today’s scholars. The complexity of this can be illustrated through a variety of ancient sources; inaugurating many hypothetical statements on the true nature of Akhenaten’s relationship with Nefertiti.

Nefertiti was Akhenaten’s primary wife and the “chief queen”. They had married before Akhenaten had assumed his role as pharaoh of Egypt. There is no specific evidence; stating Nefertiti as Akhenaten’s co-regent but evidence may allude their co-regency as a definite possibility. Nefertiti has played a more dominant religious and political role than any other queens consort.

It was implied that Akhenaten had great affection and devotion to his wife. Their affectionate relationship has been publicly displayed through the Amarna Art Style. This can be shown through a small stele depicting Nefertiti and Akhenaten with three out of six of their daughters. In this illustration, the daughters and being held and caressed by their parents with the sun disc (Aten) spilling it’s rays over them.

Nefertiti appears to have been the dominant ruler out of the power couple. She was displayed nearly twice as much (on ancient reliefs) as her husband. She has also been depicted taking a variety of pharaonic roles. This can be perceived through depictions on talatat blocks of her, assigning the traditional pharoaic role of “smiting the enemy”. Another example is the grand statue assembled in East Karnak (portraying Nefertiti) possesses a crook and flail and Nefertiti always being exhibited at a same scale as Akhenaten in artworks. Nefertiti has even been shown independently riding a chariot to the Aten temple.