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Primary sourceDocumentc. 1350 BC

Great Hymn to the Aten

Akhenaten · c. 1350 BC

A hymn-poem to the sun-god Aten, inscribed in the tomb of the courtier Ay, which names Nefertiti as the Great Royal Wife living beside the king.

The hymn names Nefertiti as the Great Royal Wife who lives and rejoices beside Akhenaten within the new Atenist religion.

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Black-and-white line drawing of columns of Egyptian hieroglyphic text arranged in vertical lines, with cartouches visible, copied from a wall inscription. This is a facsimile of the Great Hymn to the Aten.
Great Hymn to the Aten, inscribed in the tomb of Ay, c. 1350 BC. Facsimile drawing.

About this source

What it is

The Great Hymn to the Aten is a long hymn-poem to the sun-disc deity Aten, composed in the mid-14th century BC and attributed either to Pharaoh Akhenaten or his courtiers. It survives inscribed in the rock tomb of the courtier (and later pharaoh) Ay at Amarna.

Why it matters

The hymn is a key text of Atenism, the religion that Akhenaten made central to Egyptian worship. It names Nefertiti as the Great Royal Wife who lives and rejoices beside the king, placing her formally within the new theology alongside her husband. Some scholars have compared it to Psalm 104 in the Bible, though this is debated.

Look closer

  • Why might Nefertiti be named directly in a religious hymn to a god?
  • What does it tell you that this hymn was carved in a courtier's tomb rather than a royal one?
  • Why do some scholars compare this text to the biblical Psalm 104, and why might others disagree?

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Painted limestone bust of an Egyptian queen wearing a tall blue crown with a red and green band and a gold-colored brow band. The eyes are inlaid with dark outlines, and the bust rests on a dark base against a black background.Sculpture

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Bust of Queen Nefertiti

Thutmose · c. 1345 BC

Black-and-white photograph of a painted bust of a woman with a tall flat-topped crown, side-facing, on a dark rectangular pedestal set on a pale plinth. The collar has striped and patterned bands.Sculpture

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Figure of Nefertiti

Close-up detail of an Amarna limestone relief. A seated woman wearing a tall flat-topped crown is at right, with a sun disc and rays above. At left, a smaller figure with a child's head is seated near her, and carved hieroglyphs fill the background.Sculpture

Primary source

Akhenaten and His Family

c. 1352 BC

Photo of a curved, blue glazed ceramic fragment with white body edge, covered in raised concentric ring motifs with dots. Two holes pierce the piece near its center, with a scale bar along the bottom.Sculpture

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Relief Fragment Showing the Blue Crown of Nefertiti

Photo of a pale sandstone relief plaque showing two profile heads facing each other: an Egyptian ruler with a tall crown on the left and a figure with a headdress on the right. Both have carved eyes, ears, and chins. Mounted on a gray background with small white supports.Sculpture

Primary source

Wilbour Plaque

c. 1352-1336 BC

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