The Royal Tomb at Amarna

Where is the royal tomb of Akhenaten located?

• Adjacent to the Met-Nub Quarry

• On the West Bank at Deir Mawas

• In the heart of Akhetaten

• The royal wadi east of the city of Akhetaten

Why is the royal tomb problematic as a historical source?

• It was never used as a tomb

• It has suffered significant damage from vandalism

• It is an example of royal propaganda

• It contained multiple burials

Why is the significant that the tomb was vandalised?

• It is an example of “damnatio memoriae’ meaning “condemnation of memory”.

• It shows the tomb was never used

• It shows the tomb was the target of iconoclasts

• It denies Akhenaten a place in the afterlife

What is distinctive about the layout of the royal tomb?

• There is a ramp down the centre of the tomb, between the entrance and burial chamber

• The burial chamber was to the right of the entrance

• It contains a straight axis

• Bent layout and additional burial chambers

Who was buried in the burial chamber of the royal tomb?

• Akhenaten

• Nefertiti

• Tiye

• Ay

What is unusual about the decoration of the royal tomb?

• There is evidence the Book of the Dead was used

• Nefertiti is absent

• There is no reference to funerary texts

• They focus on the worship of the Aten through the royal family

Why are the mourning scenes of princess Meketaten, and the associated infant, controversial?

• They appear to suggest that Akhenaten fathered a child with his daughter, Meketaten

• They appear to show that Tutankhamun fathered a child at Akhetaten

• Scholars suggest that Meketaten appears to have died from childbirth

• Despite the association with the infant, Meketaten may have been too young to bear a child and thus the infant must belong to someone else.

Why does Aidan Dodson argue that Meketaten did not die in childbirth?

• Meketaten was not married to Akhenaten

• Space next to the infant in the scene can only hold the name of Nefertiti, not Meketaten

• Meketaten was likely too young to bear a child

• Egyptian tomb decoration never hints at the cause of death

How many shabtis were found in the royal tomb?

• Over 200 fragments and one complete shabti

• Over 100 fragments and one complete shabtis

• 50 complete shabtis and 50 fragments

• Over 150 fragments

How many other royal tombs are there?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4