The
Boundary Stelae of Akhenaten map out the boundaries of the
Ancient EgyptianAncient Egypt was an ancient civilization of eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. The civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh, and...
city of Akhetaten, the capital city of Pharaoh
AkhenatenAkhenaten was known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV . A Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, he ruled for 17 years and died in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
.
Many of the stelae are heavily eroded, but two of them have been protected and are easily visited. One is in the north of the city boundaries, by
Tuna el-GebelTuna el-Gebel was the necropolis of Khmun . It is located in Al Minya Governorate in Middle Egypt.-Boundary Stelae:The oldest monument in the area is one of the Boundary Stelae of Akhenaten, up in the cliffs, protected by a glass 'booth'...
. The other is at the mouth of the
Royal WadiThe Royal Wadi at Amarna is a where the Royal Family of Amarna were to be buried. It can be thought of as being an Amarna replacement for the Valley of the Kings....
.
There were two phases of stelae, the four earliest (probably from Year 5 of
AkhenatenAkhenaten was known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV . A Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, he ruled for 17 years and died in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
's reign) were in the cliffs on the eastern bank of the
NileThe Nile is a major north-flowing river in Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world....
, to the north and south of the city of Akhetaten.
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The
Boundary Stelae of Akhenaten map out the boundaries of the
Ancient EgyptianAncient Egypt was an ancient civilization of eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. The civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh, and...
city of Akhetaten, the capital city of Pharaoh
AkhenatenAkhenaten was known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV . A Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, he ruled for 17 years and died in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
.
Many of the stelae are heavily eroded, but two of them have been protected and are easily visited. One is in the north of the city boundaries, by
Tuna el-GebelTuna el-Gebel was the necropolis of Khmun . It is located in Al Minya Governorate in Middle Egypt.-Boundary Stelae:The oldest monument in the area is one of the Boundary Stelae of Akhenaten, up in the cliffs, protected by a glass 'booth'...
. The other is at the mouth of the
Royal WadiThe Royal Wadi at Amarna is a where the Royal Family of Amarna were to be buried. It can be thought of as being an Amarna replacement for the Valley of the Kings....
.
There were two phases of stelae, the four earliest (probably from Year 5 of
AkhenatenAkhenaten was known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV . A Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, he ruled for 17 years and died in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
's reign) were in the cliffs on the eastern bank of the
NileThe Nile is a major north-flowing river in Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world....
, to the north and south of the city of Akhetaten. These had copies of the same text in which the king told of how he planned the city, and was dedicating it to the
AtenAten was the disk of the sun in ancient Egyptian mythology, and originally an aspect of Ra. He became the deity of the monotheistic — in fact, monistic — religion Atenism of Amenhotep IV, who took the name Akhenaten. The worship of Aten seemed to stop shortly after Akhenaten's death...
.
The later phase of stelae (from Year 6 of
AkhenatenAkhenaten was known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV . A Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, he ruled for 17 years and died in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
's reign) were used to properly define the area of land that were to be used by the city and surrounding farmlands. There are 11 of these stones and they all have the same text, but for some omissions and additions. They reaffirmed the dedication of the city and royal residences to the
AtenAten was the disk of the sun in ancient Egyptian mythology, and originally an aspect of Ra. He became the deity of the monotheistic — in fact, monistic — religion Atenism of Amenhotep IV, who took the name Akhenaten. The worship of Aten seemed to stop shortly after Akhenaten's death...
.
Now as for the areas within these 4 landmarks, from the eastern mountain to the western mountain, it (is) Akhetaten itself. It belongs to my father Re–Horakhti–who–rejoices–in–lightland. In–his–name–Shu–who–is–Aten, who gives life forever; whether mountains or deserts or meadows or new lands or highlands or fresh lands or fields or water or settlements or shorelands or people or cattle or trees or all, anything, that the Aten, my father has made. I have made it for Aten, my father, forever and ever.