Casting the Gods Adrift by Geraldine McCaughrean Page A
Authors: Geraldine McCaughrean
Tags: Casting the Gods Adrift
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1353 BC and was crowned Amenhotep IV, meaning âAmun is contentâ.
Soon after becoming pharaoh, Akhenaten rejected his royal name and his loyalty to Amun. He renamed himself Akhenaten, in honour of the sun-god Aten. The new pharaoh turned away from the old priests and forms of worship and began the cult of Aten the sun disc. Akhenaten declared that Aten was the only god. He banned the worship of the old gods and closed down sacred temples.
Akhenaten decided that the worship of Aten required a new location, away from places where traditional gods had been worshipped. He chose a site in Middle Egypt, along the Nile. There he build a new capital city which he called Akhetaten, âHorizon of the Atenâ, which today is known as el-Amarna. To the east of the city, the pharaoh started preparing tombs for the royal family. On the plain near the river, massive temples to Aten were constructed. Unlike traditional temples these were open to the sun.
There is much we still do not know about this remarkable period in Egyptian history, including Akhenatenâs reasons for his religious reforms. However, it is clear that Akhenatenâs ideas were not accepted by most Egyptians. This was partly due to the powerful influence of tradition, but also because people must have found it more difficult to relate to this impersonal abstract god than their traditional deities.
Akhenatenâs reign lasted 17 years and when he died the throne passed to young Tutankhaten, âthe living image of Atenâ. This âboy-kingâ later changed his name to the one he is known by today, Tutankhamun, âthe living image of Amunâ. As he was still only a child, regents ruled Egypt on his behalf and they encouraged him to abandon the sole worship of Aten. All across Egypt, temples to the traditional gods were restored. It was not long before the new pharaoh left the city of el-Amarna and returned to the old capital. His subjects shut up their houses and followed him.
Later pharaohs attempted to erase all memory of Akhenatenâs unorthodox reign.Throughout Egypt his image and name were removed from monuments, his temples were dismantled and the stone reused for new buildings. The names of Akhenaten and his immediate successors were left out of official king-lists. His city crumbled back into the desert, vanishing as quickly as it had risen.
A GHOST-LIGHT IN THE ATTIC
PAT THOMSON
These are the 1650s and England is in a state of civil war â¦
When Elinor Bassingbourn steps out of a 17th-century painting, Tom and Bridget are terrified. But Elinor needs their help, so they follow her back in time on an exciting, terrifying adventure.
ISBN 0-7136-7453-9
£4.99
ACROSS THE ROMAN WALL
THERESA BRESLIN
The year is 397 AD and life in Roman Britain is getting dangerous â¦
Marinetta is a Briton, Lucius is the nephew of a Roman official. When they first meet they hate each other. But when marauders cross Hadrianâs Wall they are forced to work together.
ISBN 0-7136-7456-3
£4.99
A Candle in the Dark
ADÃLE GERAS
The year is 1938 and the world is poised on the brink of war â¦
Germany is a dangerous place for Jews. Clara and her little brother, Maxi, must leave behind everything they know and go to England to live with a family they have never met.
ISBN 0-7136-7454-7
£4.99
First published 2005 by
A & C Black
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP
www.acblack.com
This electronic edition published in April 2012 by
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Text copyright © 1998 Geraldine McCaughrean
The right of Geraldine McCaughrean to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital,
Soon after becoming pharaoh, Akhenaten rejected his royal name and his loyalty to Amun. He renamed himself Akhenaten, in honour of the sun-god Aten. The new pharaoh turned away from the old priests and forms of worship and began the cult of Aten the sun disc. Akhenaten declared that Aten was the only god. He banned the worship of the old gods and closed down sacred temples.
Akhenaten decided that the worship of Aten required a new location, away from places where traditional gods had been worshipped. He chose a site in Middle Egypt, along the Nile. There he build a new capital city which he called Akhetaten, âHorizon of the Atenâ, which today is known as el-Amarna. To the east of the city, the pharaoh started preparing tombs for the royal family. On the plain near the river, massive temples to Aten were constructed. Unlike traditional temples these were open to the sun.
There is much we still do not know about this remarkable period in Egyptian history, including Akhenatenâs reasons for his religious reforms. However, it is clear that Akhenatenâs ideas were not accepted by most Egyptians. This was partly due to the powerful influence of tradition, but also because people must have found it more difficult to relate to this impersonal abstract god than their traditional deities.
Akhenatenâs reign lasted 17 years and when he died the throne passed to young Tutankhaten, âthe living image of Atenâ. This âboy-kingâ later changed his name to the one he is known by today, Tutankhamun, âthe living image of Amunâ. As he was still only a child, regents ruled Egypt on his behalf and they encouraged him to abandon the sole worship of Aten. All across Egypt, temples to the traditional gods were restored. It was not long before the new pharaoh left the city of el-Amarna and returned to the old capital. His subjects shut up their houses and followed him.
Later pharaohs attempted to erase all memory of Akhenatenâs unorthodox reign.Throughout Egypt his image and name were removed from monuments, his temples were dismantled and the stone reused for new buildings. The names of Akhenaten and his immediate successors were left out of official king-lists. His city crumbled back into the desert, vanishing as quickly as it had risen.
A GHOST-LIGHT IN THE ATTIC
PAT THOMSON
These are the 1650s and England is in a state of civil war â¦
When Elinor Bassingbourn steps out of a 17th-century painting, Tom and Bridget are terrified. But Elinor needs their help, so they follow her back in time on an exciting, terrifying adventure.
ISBN 0-7136-7453-9
£4.99
ACROSS THE ROMAN WALL
THERESA BRESLIN
The year is 397 AD and life in Roman Britain is getting dangerous â¦
Marinetta is a Briton, Lucius is the nephew of a Roman official. When they first meet they hate each other. But when marauders cross Hadrianâs Wall they are forced to work together.
ISBN 0-7136-7456-3
£4.99
A Candle in the Dark
ADÃLE GERAS
The year is 1938 and the world is poised on the brink of war â¦
Germany is a dangerous place for Jews. Clara and her little brother, Maxi, must leave behind everything they know and go to England to live with a family they have never met.
ISBN 0-7136-7454-7
£4.99
First published 2005 by
A & C Black
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP
www.acblack.com
This electronic edition published in April 2012 by
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Text copyright © 1998 Geraldine McCaughrean
The right of Geraldine McCaughrean to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital,
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