IN THIS STUDY

The author shows that the belief in the god Aten had been inspired by solar eclipse phenomenon.
The author shows that the representation of the Egyptian solar god Aten as a radiant Sun disc had been inspired by the shadow bands phenomenon.
The author presents his translation and interpretation of the name of King Akhenaten.
The author explains the connection between Aten and the Benben Stone.
The author shows that the Egyptian pyramids were inspired by two solar eclipse phenomena: the shadow bands and the Diamond Ring effect.
The author explains King Akhenaten's belief in the uniqueness of Aten and the close relation between Aten and the king.
The author explains the lack of mythology and statues of the god Aten.
The author presents his appreciation of King Akhenaten and the Amarna Period.
Note: All the ancient dates used in this study are the results of the author's own astronomical (eclipse-based) dating and are in general in agreement with Professor K. Kitchen's chronology.
The study is written for the scholars and the general readers too.

INTRODUCTION

In the previous parts of this series we have seen that the primordial solar gods of ancient Egypt were inspired by solar eclipse phenomena. In this part we go on a Nile trip to the fascinating Amarna Period, and tackle its epic mysteries. I have enjoyed writing this paper most, since I feel I have actually lived in the City of Akhetaten for a month or so. I have dug on and on and on, excavating the wealthy Egyptian skies in an ambitious search for solutions for the enigma of Akhenaten and his radiant Sun god Aten. I have found a lot of treasures, I feel as if the charming bust of Queen Nefertiti had talked to me, to tell the secrets of the sacred city. The current part of the series is my fourth paper on the Amarna Period.

ECLIPSE OF ATEN
I began my research in archaeo-astronomy with some ideas that proved to be quite fruitful. Of which, an idea that the Amarna solar revolution was inspired by a total eclipse of the Sun, and the location of the site of Akhetaten, the short-lived, sacred capital of King Akhenaten (1355-1338 BC), was probably made according to the totality path of an ancient solar eclipse. I began excavating the ancient skies for the sought eclipse. The pulse of my heart geared up when the eclipse-computation software I am using showed that a total solar eclipse crossed the middle of the Egyptian Nile on 08/15/-1351 (-1351 = 1352 BC). Actually the totality path of the eclipse passed quite close to the site of Akhetaten. I have arrived at quite startling results. My ideas were right! There is strong evidence that the king displaced the capital of the Egyptian empire according to the totality path of that historic eclipse. I have also used this eclipse to demonstrate and date the hotly disputed coregency between King Akhenaten and his father, King Amenhotep III (1386-1349 BC). If you have not read the study yet, I recommend to read it at my website indicated below.
In a later study, I have shown that Egyptian hieroglyph Akhet (which has been misinterpreted for many decades as 'horizon') stands for 'solar eclipse'. The study is available at my website. In the texts cited in this paper, please replace "horizon" and "horizon of heaven" by 'solar eclipse'. Also, if you read to me for the first time, you should read the earlier parts and the following studies before you read this paper:

1. Aymen Ibrahem, Egyptian Cosmology, Part VII, Karnak the Horizon of Heaven, 2000.
2. Aymen Ibrahem, Egyptian Cosmology Part II, The Heliopolitan Cosmogony, Revised Edition, 2001.

KING AMENHOTEP IV

King Amenhotep IV was the 10th pharaoh of Dynasty XVIII (1552-1295 BC). He was successor (and very possibly coregent) of his father King Amenhotep III. King Akhenaten's principal queen was Queen Nefertiti who bore him six daughters (1). Kiya, a secondary queen, bore a seventh daughter (2). The king had also two putative sons, Smenkhkare and Tutankhaten, who became his consecutive successors (3). In the first five regnal years, King Amenhotep IV built a temple for his beloved deity Re-Horakhty at Karnak (4). In Year 4, the king decided to build a new capital, sacred city that he claimed that Aten personally had chosen its location (5). The city was established in about two years, and from Year 6 the king dwelt there (6). The Theban phase of his life was over.

KING AKHENATEN

In Year 5 the king changed his name to Akhenaten (7). The newly adopted name has been interpreted variously as 'Servant of Aten' (8); 'Beneficial for Aten' (9); 'The Glorious Spirit of Aten' (10); and 'The Illuminated Manifestation of Aten' (11). I prefer the last translation, it is actually consistent with my ideas and is close to my own translation and interpretation of the name which is 'The Primordial Beams of Aten' (argued below).

PHARAOH UNDER FIRE!

King Akhenaten is one of the most famous Egyptian symbols, and is undoubtedly the most controversial pharaoh. The king has many admirers, but some have formed quite formidable pictures of him. Breasted the pioneering American Egyptologist sought him a brave soul that far surpassed his age (12). Sir Alan Gardiner found him a fanatic; John Pendlebury thought him a religious maniac; S. R. K. Glanville thought King Akhenaten was deserving of nothing but censure (13). Indeed, there is evidence that King Akhenaten was not such a revolutionary or inspired figure as previous generations have believed (14), but I am neither convinced by the fierce critics, nor satisfied by the enthusiasts' impressions! This study presents quite a new perspective of King Akhenaten, it is an astronomical approach to enigmas of Amarna. At some stage of this study, I have felt that Akhenaten is even more mysterious than the Great Sphinx! It is no biasing for a fellow eclipselover, but I am now so pleased with what I have [at last] found! Further, my eclipse-theory of Amarna explains quite a bit of the Amarna riddles, of which: What is Aten? Why was Aten a primordial, creator god? Why did the king believe it to be supreme unique? Why did the king change its figure from the hawk-headed man to the radiant orb? Why was there no statues of Aten? Was the Amarna Religion a heresy or a revolution?

THE GREAT HYMN TO ATEN!

On the walls of the tomb of King Ay (1326-1322 BC) at Akhetaten there was inscribed a hymn to Aten that is ascribed to King Akhenaten himself. I have shown that the Great and Short Hymns to Aten describe and were inspired by the eclipse of 08/15/-1351. It was the third Egyptian eclipse record I discover in my studies. The Hymns clearly reveal that the king was fascinated by the eclipse! For many decades, the Hymns were thought to have been inspired by the daily sunrise and sunset, and consequently were misinterpreted as praises of the rising and setting Suns. The study is available at: http://www.eclipse-chasers.com/egypt2.htm

ANCIENT ATEN

Aten is no invention of King Akhenaten. The nature of Aten has remained unclear (15). The word "aten" appears from as early as the Old Kingdom (c. 2700-2190 BC) (16). It referred to circular objects such as mirrors (17). In the Middle Kingdom (c. 2050-1687 BC), the "god" Aten appears in the Coffin Texts and in the famous narrative text 'Story of Sinuhe' (18). In the story of Sinuhe the king is described as: The Sun rises at your pleasure (19). The story also mentions the king 'being united with the Sun' (20). In both cases, the word for the Sun is Aten rather than the usual Re (21). Aten was thus so venerated in the Middles Kingdom.

SOLAR PHARAOHS

It is clear that there had been a culminating interest in the Sun cult since at least the reign of Queen Hatshepsut (1479-1458 BC), as evidenced by the monuments and literature of the New Kingdom (1552-1070 BC). The earliest mention of Aten in the New Kingdom occurs in the reign of King Thutmose I (1504-1493 BC) (22). In my studies on the obelisks of Queen Hatshepsut I have shown that the queen erected the obelisks in response to the annular solar eclipse of 08/23/-1463. Thus, I believe that the occurrence of eclipses was the gravitating force acting toward the solar gods, simply because the benefits of the Sun are remembered through eclipses or rainy days. King Thutmose III (1479-1425 BC) had also erected many hefty obelisks for the Sun gods. I call the reigns of Queen Hatshepsut and King Thutmose III the Golden Age of Obelisks. Moreover, it seems that the god Aten received its position in the Egyptian pantheon some time in the reigns of King Thutmose III or his successor King Amenhotep II (1427-1396 BC) (23). In the stela that King Amenhotep II erected for the Great Giza Sphinx, the Sun god is depicted with two arms descending to embrace the royal cartouche (24). This may hint to the shadow bands phenomenon.

SUNLOVERS

King Thutmose IV (1396-1386 BC) and King Amenhotep III (1386-1349 BC), grandfather and father of King Akhenaten (1355-1338 BC), seem to have enjoyed a closer relationship to the solar god than their predecessors (25). The interest in the solar culture is steeply rising from the reign of King Thutmose IV who delivered the Sphinx (a representation of all the manifestations of the Sun god) from the sands of the desert that engulfed it. King Thutmose IV also issued a scarab on which Aten appears as a god of war, who goes into battle before the king to gift him victory (26). Aten thus became a member of the Egyptian pantheon. King Amenhotep III honored Aten much further. One of the epithets of King Amenhotep III was Tekhen Aten 'Radiance of Aten', which was also the name of the royal bark (27).

SUPREMACY

King Amenhotep IV is credited with introducing the concepts of the supremacy and uniqueness of Aten. The king elevated Aten to the status of the supreme state god. Aten became also a heavenly pharaoh, whose name was written in two royal cartouches, and celebrated royal jubilees (28). Aten was even given regnal years which are identical with Akhenaten's (29). Some texts even refer to the king and Aten as one being (30). I believe this may explain why Aten's name was written in cartouches.

UNIQUENESS

Some time later, King Akhenaten ignored and obliterated all other deities (31). He closed their temples and abandoned their priesthood (32). Particularly, the Theban god Amun, was fiercely attacked by the king's men who defaced its monuments and suppressed its name wherever it occurred (33).

A SOLAR TRIAD

The king claimed to be the son of Aten who came forth from him, its unique prophet and its sole intermediary and regarded Queen Nefertiti to be of a similar rank (34). Aten became a high deity in heaven, not accessible to the populace and can be communed and worshipped only through the king (35). Thus the king, the queen, and Aten formed a triad (36). The current study seeks the motives for beliefs

SACRED IMAGES

King Akhenaten is credited too of another revolutionary step. The king changed the figure of the Aten from the hawk-headed man, to the famous raying solar orb, whose rays end in gracious human hands (37). The royal pair has been depicted adoring the disc receiving the hieroglyphs for "life" and "prosperity" from their god (38). In a nice image, Queen Nefertiti offers flowers to Aten whose hand touches the queen's Uraeus (her crown's cobra). I believe this hints again to the shadow bands. Such artful works had been the principal cult images of the Amarna religion, and became the dominant features of the temples and tombs at Akhetaten.

THE ENIGMA OF ATEN!

The nature of Aten has remained unclear (39). I am not satisfied with the common interpretation of Aten as the "Sun Disk". If so, it will be inconceivable that King Akhenaten declared "Aten is Found", since no human is credited with the discovery of daylight, the Sun Disc! And, the king would not have needed to desert the capitals Thebes and Memphis for the "Sun Disc", simply because no Egyptian city is polar, and the disc shines there year-round! I am convinced, for the following reasons, that Aten is some impressive eclipse phenomenon: 1. I have shown in earlier studies (see my website) that the other solar gods were inspired by eclipse phenomena, and the Akhet is the heavenly abode of the Egyptian gods, thus I believe that Aten must be manifested there and could be some eclipse phenomenon too. 2. The Egyptian texts refer to Re and Aten as separate deities (cited below). 3. The king named his sacred city Akhet-Aten which I have interpreted as 'Eclipse of Aten'. 4. As I have shown, the Great Hymn to Aten is an eclipse record.

A HYMN TO RE

Having discovered the Egyptian hieroglyph for 'solar eclipse', and having deciphered the ancient Egyptian description and conception of solar eclipses, I became able to discover numerous Egyptian eclipse records, among which were elaborate hymns to Re the Sun god written on papyrus, and texts on stelae and obelisks. I believe the texts cited below enhance my idea that Aten is an eclipse phenomenon, particularly the shadow bands. In the New Kingdom Aten appears frequently in the religious texts, e.g., the text on the base of the standing obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut (1479-1458 BC). The text describes the obelisks as: Their rays flood the Two Lands with light when Aten rises between them as its appearance on the horizon of heaven. Another text describes Aten as: Thou risest in heaven's horizon and Aten is adored when it resteth on the mountain to give life unto the world. (Source: W. Budge, The Egyptian Religion, p. 148, University Books, NY, 1959.) According to my interpretation of heaven's horizon as 'solar eclipse', it seems that Aten is an eclipse phenomenon that is present at just the end of totality.

The Great Hymn to Aten:

Your appearance is charming in the horizon of heaven, O Aten Beginner of life It is clear that King Akhenaten was fascinated by the eclipse, and Aten is manifested through the eclipse. A text from the short Hymn to Aten: When you set in the western horizon of the sky, they sleep in the manner of the dead, their head swathed, their noses stopped, until you shine forth from the eastern horizon of the sky. (Source: S. Quirke, Ancient Egyptian Religion, p. 42, The British Museum Press, 1992.) According to my interpretation of Akhet, the above text describes a solar eclipse, and Aten is an eclipse phenomenon. From the above texts, I conclude that Aten is an eclipse phenomenon that becomes visible just at the beginning, and at the end of totality and was depicted (by King Akhenaten) as a disc that has many arms . . . I guess Aten is the shadow bands phenomenon...

A TRANSFIGURATION!!!

The totality path of the eclipse passed quite close to the site of Akhetaten, yet it did not enjoy a total eclipse. According to my eclipse-software, the shadow bands phenomenon must have occurred. I believe the king and the queen were already there and the king in particular was quite fascinated by the wonderful sight! The reasons are: 1. The Great Hymn to Aten, which I have shown to be an impression of the eclipse, is ascribed to the king himself. 2. The king declared that it was the Aten alone who guided him to that spot. 3. The king chose the spot after a visit in Year 4, which I have argued, was the year of the eclipse. 4. The king claimed the city to be a habitation and a sanctuary for Aten "Akhet-Aten". 5. The king so admired the place that he swore not to leave it, and decided to be buried there. 6. The king is credited with developing the raying solar orb which has been much reminiscent to me of the shadow bands phenomenon. Thus, it is reasonable to think the king actually observed the eclipse at the site of Amarna, and enjoyed the spectacular phenomenon of shadow bands. At the primordial moment under the shadow bands, the king must have thought that the rays of the Sun were the arms of Aten stretching down to Earth, granting him and the queen, and them alone, life and prosperity. To a fervent Atenist, it must have been a graceful moment, the greatest in the king's life . . . In a virgin site, not sacred to any other god, the king was destined to experience the transfiguration of his admired deity, in a glorious manifestation: a slender, dazzling crescent suspended high in the sky, beaming millions of rays unto him, and touching the ground everywhere. This may explain a phrase that appears frequently in the New Kingdom literature: "what the Aten has swayed" expressing the vast domain of the Sun god, which was whole world. I believe the solar crescent may explain the connection between Aten and circular shining objects (e.g. the circular ancient Egyptian mirrors), but the name Aten does not mean literally "Sun Disc". Thus, I believe the god Aten is the solar crescent, and its arms are Sunbeams through the shadow bands phase. It was a "primordial moment" in which his god created himself and began life. It was natural then that the king believed himself to be an incarnation of Aten, its unique prophet, and the sole intermediary between the god and populace. I believe Akhenaten means 'Beams of Aten' (arguments are presented below).

A REVELATION

Professor Redford (1984) drew attention to an Amarna text (40) that yields two startling revelations: 1. The king believed that the other gods had somehow failed to be operative. 2. His newly adopted god is absolutely unique and located in the sky. I believe that my eclipse-theory of Amarna may even enable us to understand why the king believed all the solar gods but Aten vanished. At the moment of maximum eclipse, the dark New Moon consumed most of the Sun, leaving only a slender solar crescent enabling the shadow bands to occur. All the solar gods then disappeared! Only Aten endured, who was reborn in heaven and created life anew. If the common interpretations of the solar gods (i.e. Khepri as the morning Sun, Re as the Sun at noon, Atum as the setting Sun, and Horakhty as the Sun on the horizon) were correct, then the king would not have claimed their extinction, simply because they are manifested every day, from sunrise to sunset! However, I am pleased that my interpretation of the solar gods as various eclipse phenomena is consistent with king's declaration! It's a triumph!

EGYPTIAN NAMES

We can now appreciate the extreme influence of eclipse phenomena on some ancient Egyptian names. Let's dissect the name of the king: Akh - en - Aten The name reads: Akh - of - Aten. What does Akh mean? Akh! A term that appears frequently throughout the secular and religious texts, represented by the crested ibis, the association with the bird appears only to be phonetic (41). The fundamental meaning of Akh was "effectiveness", whether in daily affairs in the world or in the Netherworld (42). In the world, Akh commonly referred the effectiveness of pharaoh, the nomarchs, officials, etc. Members of all the levels of the society could be Akh-effective or perform Akhu-effective deeds (43). In the world, a king is Akh-effective for gods or his deceased predecessor by building temples and providing offerings (44). The Akh-deceased was often identified with light (45). King Akhenaten named himself "son of eternity who came forth from the Aten [his father], Akh for him who is Akh for him." (46) The Akh has also solar aspects, which I believe to be its primary feature...

POWER OF LIGHT

Cosmic primordial notion of luminous power were allied to the concept of Akh. G. Englund (1978) found that the primary meaning of Akh to be a form of primordial creative power related to the birth of light (47). Englund's conclusion is enhanced by occurrences of Akh as forms of effective light such as the circumpolar stars, the solar Eye, and the sunbeams, all intensified forms of celestial effectiveness; sunlight is effectiveness par excellence, since light in the mortuary texts brings forth and maintains creation (48). In the Coffin Texts, Atum created Shu and Tefnut by his Akhu-power (49). That is, through the eclipse according to my interpretation of the Egyptian cosmogony. Again, my eclipse-theory of Amarna can explain the close association of Akhenaten and Aten; clarify an important Egyptian religious concept, the Akh; and provides a translation for Akh-en-aten. My research has shown that the primordial moment in which light was born was at the appearance of the Diamond Ring past the totality phase of a solar eclipse. Thus the power of Akh is effective and manifested at the third contact of a solar eclipse, when the Sun starts to shine as the "Diamond Ring". The Akh is therefore sunbeams that exclusively appear at the primordial moment, in eclipses (the third contact). In the Book of the Dead Re looks on his Akh as himself, so the Akh-deceased can be seen as the very beams of Re (50). The Akh can be conceived as Re and the emanation of light, thus at once creation and the creator (51). Thus, I think, by analogy we can now consider King Akhenaten (who was destined to witness the primordial moment in which Aten was born - the eclipse) as the very beams (of creation) of Aten. Thus Akhenaten means "Beams of Aten". Thus the Akh is Aten and its beams too, and it stems immediately that Akh-en-Aten denotes the birth of the light of Aten (through the eclipse), and means the 'Primordial Beams of Aten'. (King Akhenaten). We can now understand why King Akhenaten claimed to have come forth from his father Aten, and to be his unique prophet and sole intermediary, since he was there at the primordial spot, that received the very first beams of Aten (through the eclipse).

THE ILLUMINATED SPOT

In an earlier study I have shown that one of the meanings of Akhet is the illuminated spot, i.e., the spot on the sky globe that receives the first beams of the child Re (when totality just ends). Now, with my interpretation of Akh as 'primordial (eclipse) sunbeams' we can translate the hieroglyph Akh-et literally as the Illuminated Spot.

ISLAND OF CREATION

Since the hieroglyph Akh-et takes the determinative of a sandy island, and Akh is a creative effectiveness, we can translate Akh-et as the Island of Creation: The island in the celestial ocean in which the Sun god began the creation of the Universe.

THE PRIMORDIAL ISLAND

Still, we can understand Akh-et even further. Akh-et is not only the birthplace of light, on Akh-et time began too. Now if we apply Einstein's theory of relativity which combines space and time in the fused entity "spacetime", Akh-et becomes the Primordial Island.

ISLANDS OF RESURRECTION

It has been noted that Aten had no cult statues (52). Why was not there statues of Aten? I believe the eclipse again provides a good answer! I think the most suitable way to depict the shadow bands (Aten) is the raying Sun disc of Amarna. Also, a huge Benben Stone (pyramidion) is a three dimensional representation of the rays of Aten (shadow bands)! And actually King Akhenaten established gigantic Benben Stones in Thebes and Akhetaten. These may be regarded as statues of Aten. Similarly, we can now understand the geometry of the pyramids. An Egyptian royal tomb is pyramidal to represent the Diamond Ring (the pyramidion capstone) and shadow bands (the body of the pyramid). This explains why King Khufu (c. 2580 BC) wanted his pyramid to be so tall, a 3-D image of the shadow bands terminating into the Benben at the top of the pyramid. The Benben is a representation of the king himself. I conceive the pyramid to be the king's island of resurrection. Thus, the shadow bands could have inspired the geometry of pyramids!

THE LIVING IMAGE

It was a most thrilling moment when the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti talked to me. The living masterpiece told me: Oh! It was a hot day in the season of the inundation! Amenhotep [King Akhenaten], decided to take me and the children on a boat trip to Memphis. Suddenly, at a place close to Khmnu [Hermopolis city], the Lord [the Sun disk], disappeared high in the sky behind the Mountain of West [the eastern lunar limb], to rest in his heavenly habitation [Akhet]. Darkness prevailed, time stood still. We both (the royal pair) fell . . . We fell forever! The Beginner of Life [the Sun Disk] stretched his innumerable, gracious hands [the shadow bands] donning life to all creatures that lied in darkness like dead bodies. Aten looked so dazzling, so charming, how pleasing it was to see him. We both stood up, and raised our arms in praise and adoration, accepting His Majesty's gifts. I am blessed that His Majesty [Aten] even touched the Uraeus of my crown and I offered to hima bouquet of flowers. Aten chose [by the shadow bands] that glorious spot to build an Akhet [a city and a temple] for him. Charmed Amenhotep obeyed the orders, and established the city, exactly at the area the Lord [ by the shadow bands] marked. Amenhotep changed his name to Akhenaten and my name became Nefernefruaten. We both swore to live there forever. We swore, for beautiful Aten we would fight Amun and his priests.

A TALE OF THREE CITIES

There are many similarities between the three principal solar domains Heliopolis, Thebes, and Akhetaten. The three cities were claimed to be the birth place of the Sun god, and the primordial islands which witnessed the creation of space and the beginning of time. The three cities contained massive structures for the solar deities. The hwt bnbn 'Mansion of the Benben' is of particular interest to me. The Benben, I have argued, is a figure in stone of the primordial rays of the Sun, shining on the primeval hill (the western lunar limb). To me, the three cities seem to have been built through the totality paths of three ancient solar eclipses. The eclipse of Amarna is now dated, but the other two may be immemorial!

THE FALL OF AMARNA

One of my readers posed to me an insightful question: "Why was the city of Akhetaten abandoned though its name means, according to your interpretation, 'Eclipse of Aten'". I believe the answer is: For the same reason for which King Tutankhaten changed his name to Tutankhamun. Also, it is important to note that, though total eclipses of the Sun are often rare, the totality path of another solar eclipse passed quite close to Akhetaten in 1338 BC, around the death of King Akhenaten (according to my chronology). Thus, the fall of Akhetaten could be (even apparently) coincident with a solar eclipse too!

THE COSMOLOGIST PHARAOH!

I believe we can now decisively answer the most important question regarding the Amarna Period: Was the Amarna Religion a heresy or a revolution? As we saw earlier, King Akhenaten is the most controversial pharaoh. Some historians regard him a heretic king, or a zealot. Others dubbed him the "Philosopher Pharaoh". Certainly we should evaluate a historic character by the standards of his or her era... My research shows clearly that the Amarna Religion was neither a heresy nor a philosopher's doctrine . . . The Amarna Religion was inspired by an epic celestial spectacle, the shadow bands phenomenon. The perceptive sunlover formulated a new cosmology according to what he actually witnessed. A modern astronomer would appreciate the king's feelings if he/she were to witness the Big Bang, the mighty primordial explosion proposed by modern cosmologists to theorize the creation of the Universe. He saw the death of all the gods but Re who endured, shining as Aten. Aten began life anew. Thus, Amarna was truly a reform of the old cosmogony, myths and traditions, according to what the Sunbeams dictated. Thus, King Akhenaten was neither a philosopher nor a heretic, he was a genius cosmologist! The oldest known cosmologist in history, since we do not know the observer(s) who put forward the immemorial Heliopolitan Cosmogony! King Akhenaten was faithful to his revolution and people. He told no lies, he did not fabricate any political moves, and he was not fanatic. He gave up the old traditions and challenged the power of Amun and its priests. He struggled for what he had personally observed.

THE HERO OF AMARNA!

I wholeheartedly appreciate His Majesty's prowess, loyalty and luminous will. He was a great man, a hero whose shoulders are as high as Thutmose III's and Ramesses II's.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

No human is credited with the discovery of the Sun disc, or even the dimmest naked-eye star. Aten must be a spectacular solar eclipse phenomenon. The radiant presentation of Aten strongly suggests that it had been inspired by the shadow bands. Thus, the sacred image of the royal (divine) family adoring the raying disc may have been inspired by the king's august encounter with his beloved deity through the eclipse of 08/15/-1351. I find it clear that Aten is not the "Sun disc". The belief in the solar god Aten (as a radiant orb) had been, more likely, inspired by a solar-eclipse spectacle, the shadow bands. The fall of Akhetaten could be (even apparently) associated with a solar eclipse too. King Akhenaten was no heretic, was no fanatic. He was not a philosopher, he was a skillful observer, a fervent eclipse-lover. He was a genius cosmologist who formulated a new, revolutionary cosmology according to his own unique experience (eclipse observation). The king saw all the gods vanishing, but Re shone as Aten. Hence, the belief in the uniqueness of Aten as a primordial, creator god is an immediate consequence. It becomes easy to conceive the close relationship between King Akhenaten and his beloved Aten when we consider the strong possibility that the king observed the eclipse of 08/15/-1351 at the location of Akhetaten. It was natural then that King Akhenaten regarded himself the closest individual to Aten and its beloved son. We can also understand why the name and epithets of Aten were written in cartouches. According to the reformed cosmology of King Akhenaten, the god Aten reigned since its transfiguration that occurred on "Akhet net Pet". This is much similar to the age when Re reigned over Earth at the beginning of time in the traditional mythology. The choice of the location of Amarna was not the fruit of an intended hard search. If the eclipse did not occur, I think the king would not have even considered such a search. Since Thebes and Heliopolis were both considered by the Egyptian solar cosmologists to be 'primeval mounds', i.e., birth places of the Sun gods, I guess, if the eclipse did not occur, the king would have completed his Theban building program for Re-Horakhty, or drift to Heliopolis the leading solar cult center. It was the inspiration of the graceful moment (beneath the shadow bands) in which the king's admired deity transfigured for him and the queen. A glorious heavenly sign that determined the site of the god's residence. I believe that the radiant Sun disc, a depiction of the shadow bands phenomenon, was introduced by the king into the Egyptian cult after he witnessed the eclipse in Year 4. I believe the many armed orb was added (in the Amarna style) to the decoration of the Karnak temple of Aten in Year 4 or 5. Thus, I find it more likely that the temple of Aten at Karnak was completed through the first five years of King Akhenaten's reign, not by Year 3. The radiant Sun disc appears on stelae depicting King Amenhotep III and Queen Tye, I believe this is evidence that the elder king was alive beyond Year 4 of King Akhenaten. This is consistent with my research that demonstrated the coregency between the two kings and gave its length as 6 to 8 years. The theology of King Akhenaten did not lack myths. The mythology is already present in the Great Hymn. It essentially describes the august moment in which Aten was born and created life in the "Akhet net Pet" (through the eclipse). My translation and interpretation of the titulary of Aten is tackled in a coming study. Why was not there statues of Aten? I believe the eclipse again provides a good answer! I think the most suitable way to depict the shadow bands (Aten) as the raying disc. A huge Benben Stone is a 3-D representation of the rays of Aten (shadow bands)! And actually King Akhenaten established gigantic Benbens in Thebes and Akhetaten. Probably Sir Paul McCartney composed his lovely song 'Hope of Deliverance' while watching the eclipse of 08/15/-1351 with King Akhenaten. And the Amarna Revolution was a saga for deliverance. The study is dedicated to the souls of King Akhenaten and Beatle George Harrison, two great singers whose songs are quite Akh! Now, I think, King Akhenaten, who has been labeled many things, should receive a new title: the Beatle of Amarna. Aymen Mohamed Ibrahem Aymen Mohamed Ibrahem (1971- ) is a young professional astronomer from Egypt, who graduated from Cairo University, and makes research in astrophysics and archaeoastronomy. He is a dedicated skylover and a fervent astrophotographer. If not at the eyepiece of his telescope, Aymen is most likely in an antiquities area. Email: aymen_ibrahem@hotmail.com Website: http://www.geocities.com/aymen_ibrahem Copy rights: Aymen Ibrahem, February 8, 2002. Please do not reproduce without permission!

REFERENCES

1. Donald Redford, The Oxford University Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, p. 46, The AUC Press, 2001. 2. Ibid., p. 49. 3. Ibid. 4. H. Wilkinson, The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt, p. 164, Thames & Hudson, 2000. 5. C. Aldred, Akhenaten King of Egypt, p. 269, Thames and Hudson LTD, 1991. 6. Donald Redford, The Oxford University Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, p. 157, The AUC Press, 2001. 7. P. Clayton, Chronicle of the Pharaohs, p. 121, Thames & Hudson, 1994. 8. Ibid. 9. B. Watterson, The Gods of Ancient Egypt, p. 157, Sutton Publishing, 1996. 10. Ibid. 11. Donald Redford, The Oxford University Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Oxford University Press, p. 157, 2001. 12. B. Watterson, The Gods of Ancient Egypt, p. 153, Sutton Publications, 1996. 13. Ibid., p. 154. 14. Ibid. 15. Ibid., p. 159. 16. Donald Redford, Akhenaten the Heretic King, p. 170, The AUC Press, 1992. 17. Ibid. 18. Watterson, The Gods of Ancient Egypt, p. 154, Sutton Publications, 1996. 19. Ibid. 20. Ibid. 21. Ibid. 22. C. Aldred, Akhenaten King of Egypt, p. 239, Thames & Hudson, 1988. 23. Watterson, The Gods of Ancient Egypt, p. 154, Sutton Publications, 1996. 24. Ibid., 156. 25. Donald Redford, Akhenaten the Heretic King, p. 171, The AUC Press, 1992. 26. B. Watterson, The Gods of Ancient Egypt, p. 155, Sutton Publishing, 1996. 27. Ibid. 28. Ibid., p. 156. 29. Ibid. 30. The Religion of Ancient Egypt, Edited by B. Shafer, p. 83, Routledge, 1991. 31. Donald Redford, The Oxford University Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, p. 50, The AUC Press, 2001. 32. Ibid. 33. Ibid. 34. The Religion of Ancient Egypt, Edited by B. Shafer, p. 85, Routledge, 1991. 35. Ibid., p. 83. 36. Ibid., p. 85. 37. Donald Redford, The Oxford University Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, p. 49, The AUC Press, 2001. 38. Ibid. 39. Watterson, The Gods of Ancient Egypt, p. 159, Sutton Publications, 1996. 40. Donald Redford, Akhenaten the Heretic King, p. 172, The AUC Press, 1992. 41. Donald Redford, The Oxford University Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, p. 47, The AUC Press, 2001. 42. Ibid. 43. Ibid. 44. Ibid. 45. Ibid. 46. Ibid. 47. Ibid. 48. Ibid. 49. Ibid., p. 48. 50. Ibid. 51. Ibid. 52. The Religion of Ancient Egypt, Edited by B. Shafer, p. 83, Routledge, 1991.

Other references include:

Ahmed Fakhry, Pharaonic Egypt, the Angloegyptian Publishing, 1995. Ahmed Fakhry, The Pyramids, Chicago University Press, 1962. Seleem Hassan, The Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Vol. V., The EGBO, 2000. Labib Habachi, The Obelisks of Egypt, The AUC Press, 1988. Gay Robins, The Art of Ancient Egypt, The British Museum Press, 2000. The British Museum Dictionary of Ancient Egypt, The AUC Press, 1995. Munfred Lurker, Gods and Symbols of Ancient Egypt, Thames and Hudson, 1995. Mark Lehner, The Complete Pyramids, The AUC Press, 1997. A. Siliotti, Guide to the Pyramids of Egypt, The AUC Press, 1998.