| The
Talatat Wall |
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One of the most impressive exhibits in the Luxor
Museum is a reconstruction of a section of wall from a temple
of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten). When the
orthodox religions were restored many of the Aten monuments were
defaced or destroyed. At Karnak many of the small sandstone blocks,
known as Talatat or 'Two Hand Width' were later used as rubble
fill for the Pylons there. |
| In total over 40,000 stone blocks were recovered. Of these
only those found in the 9th Pylon were sufficiently ordered,
and carefully enough removed, to enable a reconstruction to be
attempted |
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There are Talatat bricks in collections all over the world,
but to date the Luxor example is the only comprehensive reassembly
which has been completed. The blocks were removed from the pylon
between 1968 and 1969 by The Center Franco-Egyptian. |
| The left half of the wall is dominated by scenes of
Akhenaten worshiping the Aten, such as those shown here. In some
scenes he is accompanied by Nefertiti. |
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The wall consists of several scenes displaying both worship
and daily life in the early years of Akhenaten's reign. On the
right of the wall the temple workers are shown, including people
tending to livestock as well as scenes of the temple workshops.
Amongst the more 'human' images on the wall, one scene shows
a peasant feeding a calf and two geese eating grain from an open
jar. |
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