What is "akhenaten"

Akhenaten (; also spelled Echnaton, Akhenaton, Ikhnaton, and Khuenaten; meaning "Effective for Aten") known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV (sometimes given its Greek form, Amenophis IV, and meaning Amun is Satisfied), was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC. He is especially noted for abandoning traditional Egyptian polytheism and introducing worship centered on the Aten, which is sometimes described monolatristic, henotheistic, or even quasi- monotheistic. An early inscription likens the Aten to the sun as compared to stars, and later official language avoids calling the Aten a god, giving the solar deity a status above mere gods.

Akhenaten tried to bring about a departure from traditional religion, yet in the end it would not be accepted. After his death, traditional religious practice was gradually restored, and when some dozen years later rulers without clear rights of succession from the Eighteenth Dynasty founded a new dynasty, they discredited Akhenaten and his immediate successors, referring to Akhenaten himself as "the enemy" or "that criminal" in archival records.

He was all but lost from history until the discovery during the 19th century of the site of Akhetaten, the city he built for the Aten, at Amarna. Early excavations at Amarna by Flinders Petrie sparked interest in the enigmatic pharaoh, and a mummy found in the tomb KV55, which was unearthed in 1907 in a dig led by Edward R. Ayrton, is likely that of Akhenaten. DNA analysis has determined that the man buried in KV55 is the father of King Tutankhamun, but its identification as Akhenaten has been questioned.

Modern interest in Akhenaten and his queen, Nefertiti, comes partly from his connection with Tutankhamun, partly from the unique style and high quality of the pictorial arts he patronized, and partly from ongoing interest in the religion he attempted to establish.

Akhenaton, Akhnaton, Akhnaten or Akhenaten may refer to:

• Akhenaten, Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt
• Akhnaton (play), 1937 play by Agatha Christie about the pharaoh
• Akhnaten (opera), a 1983 Philip Glass opera about the pharaoh
• Akhenaten (verse novel), a 1992 poem by Dorothy Porter
• Akhenaten (comics), 1998 Marvel Comics character based on the pharaoh
• Akhenaton (rapper) (b. 1968), stage name of French rapper Philippe Fragione
• Akhenaten, Dweller in Truth, 1985 novel by Naguib Mahfouz
• Akhenaten: Son of the Sun, 1986 novel by Moyra Caldecott
• Akhenaten, stage name for Andrew Harris (musician) (fl 1997-2003), a black metal musician

Akhenaten The Musical is a musical drama with book by Hisham Abdel Khalek and Mohamed Metwally (Lyrics) and music by Hesham Nazih. The story is about how the pharaoh Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti challenged the almighty power of the priests by imposing for the first time a single God over their many gods. But the struggle for power will leave many destinies shattered. The new Broadway bound musical is now in development in New York.