3.7.2 A new mystery? The last major pharaoh before Tutankhamun was Akhenaten, who became pharaoh around 1353 BCE as Amenhotep IV. In his ýfth year, he started a religious revolution, worshipping the sun god Aten and renaming himself Akhenaten. He rejected other gods, but after his death, images of him and the new religion were destroyed. Nefertiti, Akhenaten’s ýrst wife, is shown as elegant and beautiful in a limestone bust from 1340 BCE and in images worshipping Aten with him.
SkillBuilder discussion Using historical sources 1. Look carefully at SOURCE5 . Identify the materials used to create the bust of Nefertiti. 2. Describe the features visible in Nefertiti’s bust. 3. Explain the signiýcance of Nefertiti in ancient Egyptian history.
SOURCE5 This limestone bust of Nefertiti is held in the Egyptian Museum Berlin.
Tutankhamun, married to their third daughter, became pharaoh at nine in 1336 BCE. He restored the traditional gods and was known for ýxing what was ruined. He died at 19 without an heir. SOURCE2
shows his mummy’s head, and SOURCE6 suggests he wasn’t alone in his tomb.
SOURCE6 ‘Egypt’s Queen Nefertiti may lie concealed in Tutankhamun’s tomb, say archaeologists’, ABCNews , 5 October 2015
A British archaeologist, Dr Nicholas Reeves, from the University of Arizona, has used high-resolution scans, including radar and thermal imaging, to peer into hidden chambers in King Tutankhamun’s underground tomb. Using these scans, he believes that Queen Nefertiti is buried there also. . . . His theory is that Nefertiti has lain undisturbed behind what he believes is a partition wall for more than 3000 years. The archaeologist believes the boy king, who died unexpectedly at 19, was buried in a rush in an underground burial chamber that was probably not intended for him.
3.7 SkillBuilder activity HISTORICAL QUESTIONS A key skill in history is recognising patterns over time. It is important to understand when changes occur, why they happen, and their impact. Identifying periods of continuity — when things stay stable — is equally essential, as it helps connect the present with the past. Work together as a group to ýll out the table below.
What did theydo?
What impact did their action have?
Is this an example of change or continuity?
Person
Why?
Nefertiti Akhenaten Tutankhamun
104 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 7 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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