Important Names from Amarna
Amarna - Capital CitiesThe Royal Family
Obviously, the Royal Family must be the first to be considered as the important names to history from the Amarna Period
Pharaoh Akhenaten – “Effective spirit of the Aten”
Great Royal Wife Nefertiti – Who added the name Neferneferuaten to honour the Aten
Queen Tiye – Mother of Pharaoh Akhenaten
Princess Beketaten –
“Handmaid of the Aten“ : Sister to Akhenaten, daughter of Amenhotep III and Great Royal Wife Tiye
Royal Wife Kiya – Mother of Tutankhaten
Princess Meritaten –
“She who is beloved of the Aten” Eldest daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti
Princess Meketaten – “Protected by Aten” Daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti
Princess Neferneferuaten –
“Beautiful are the beauties of Aten” Daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti
Princess Ankhesenpaaten –
“Her life is of the Aten” Daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti
Prince Tutankhaten –
“Living image of the Aten“. Son of Akhenaten and Royal Wife Kiya
Other Names
Parennefer – “Royal craftsman, Washer of hands of His Majesty”
Tutu – “Chamberlain, Chief servitor of Pharaoh, Overseer of all works of His Majesty, Overseer of silver and gold of the Lord of the Two Lands, Chief Servitor at the Window of Appearance”. Tutu’s titles prove him to be one of the most prominent men at Pharaoh’s court – It may be that he was the official in the Amarna Letters with whom foreign princes wrote as an intermediary with Pharaoh
Mahu – “Chief of Medjay police of Akhetaten”. Inside Mahu’s Amarna Tomb there are several interesting scenes that may have been from Mahu’s own life: 1.) Mahu stands beside a pottery brazier talking to two senior officials; one of whom is the Vizier; 2.) Mahu stands in front of a building with Officials and Army Commanders. Behind Mahu stand 3 manacled prisoners; 3.) Mahu watches as the Royal Family drives a Chariot from the Temple with his trained Medjay Police running ahead; 4.) A reward scene where Mahu is pictured in front receiving the reward with the Medjay police watching on;5.) The Royal Family worships the Aten with Mahu kneeling before the hymn to the Aten spoken by Pharaoh
Ipy – “Royal scribe, Steward”
Ramose – “Royal scribe, Commander of the soldiers of the Lord of the Two Lands, Steward of the Estate of Amenhotep III”
May – “Fan-bearer on the right hand of the King, Royal scribe, Scribe of recruits, Steward of the house of Sehetep-Aten, Steward of the house of Waenra in Heliopolis, Overseer of cattle of the estate of Ra in Heliopolis, Overseer of all the works of the King, General of the Lord of the Two Lands.” May was a very high Official within the earlier part of Pharaoh Akhenaten’s reign but seems to have fallen from grace before Pharaoh’s death as his name has been carefully erased. His Tomb at Amarna emphasises his promotion from humble origins
Any – “Royal scribe, Scribe of the offering-table of the Aten, Steward of the estate of Amenhotep III
Ay – “God’s father, Fan-bearer on the right hand of the King, Overseer of all the Horses of His Majesty”. Probability suggests that this Ay is closely related to the Amarna Royal Family. Egyptologists have the suggestion that “God’s father” can be taken in its literal form and means that Ay was the Father-in-law of Akhenaten. So Great Royal Wife Nefertiti was Ay’s daughter. The sticking points commences when we come to Ay’s wife’s title within the Amarna Court, Lady Tiye “Nurse of the Queen”, for if she had been the Queen’s mother, then this would have been clearly represented. This would mean that if Ay was Nefertiti’s father, then he would have to have been married twice and there is no other name of a wife associated with him, including at his Amarna Tomb which would have been the logical place to confirm Nefertiti’s mothers presence, even if she had died in childbirth
Image Above: Ay on right in Tutankhamun’s Tomb; completing Opening of the Mouth Ceremony
Image Left: Reliefs from Ay’s Amarna Tomb
