Majeston:
Akhenaten's "problems":
1. Advocating a GLOBAL BELIEF, then moving to a remote area, 100 or
more miles away from where the bulk of the Egyptians were. Only with
those who believed like himself (most of whom did it for gain - check
tomb inscriptions and murals).
Any New Movement of any kind is NOT promulgated by 'going into exile'.
2. The Egyptian belief that transition to the afterlife was only for the
Elite. And that it could ONLY be accomplished through Pharaoh, which
isolated Akhenaten even more and further convinced him of his own
divinity (Pharaonic 'hubris').
3. His obsession with the "New Religion" caused him to ignore the
SPREADING of it. It lasted such a short time, that it was easy for
his successors to almost totally erase his memory and that of the
Aten for 2000 years and more.
I am not going to discuss here what I think resulted from his beliefs and how they
were consequently distorted.
AS FOR TUTANKHAMUN:
He was only a little boy when he rose to the throne. I can't believe anybody would expect
HIM to carry on where Akhenaten left off. I do not think Akhenaten left any instructions,
save for his hymns, which do not help in power struggles.
I do believe that he was Akhenaten's son, perhaps by another wife. For personal reasons, I
have researched Tutankhamun more than Akhenaten. Even today, tracking down material
on his WetNurse MAYA - whose tomb has recently been found at Saqqara - (See:Lion Skeleton
Story), everywhere I find statements that Akhenaten referred to him as "from my own loins",
(paraphrasing), just like he did to his daughters by Nefertiti.
Of course he was also Akhanaten's son-in-law, he married his daughter Ankhesenpaaten, did he
not? He reverted to the Pharaonic custom of marrying sister/half sister, as one could only
legitimately inherit the throne through the FEMALE line!
And, as for Tutankhamun not believing in the Aten, try to picture some of the items found in
his tomb, like:
FRONT OF CHAIR/THRONE
BACK OF CHAIR/THRONE - NOTE THE 'ATEN' DISKS
B
