Ancient Egyptian Forum

tnrees · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:26 am Post subject: Akhetaten

Our local egypt society had a talk on Saturday. 2 things struck me.
Akhenaten says there was nothing there when he built the city. There were quarries - on was in use in the 4th dynasty or earlier.
It is usualy thought the city was abandoned soon after Akhenatens death but in the worlmans village Tuts name turns up more often that Akhenaten (but no one later)

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Guest · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 2:56 pm Post subject:

The area where the city was built has no quarries. There is one, at Gebel el-Silsila, close by. Granite from there was used in the Karnak temple.
The city was not completely razed after Akhnaten, but most of the residents left at that time. Actually, the distroying of the city wasn't until around the reign of Horemheb, Ramese I and Seti.

tnrees · Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 11:27 am Post subject:

There are about 10 limestone quarries and 3 travertine (often incorrectly called alabaster) quarries.
I did not see a map of where they were. Presumably most of them date from the time the city was built.

Guest · Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 2:55 pm Post subject:

You can get a map of the quarries in ancient Egypt here:
http://www.eeescience.utoledo.edu/Faculty/Harrell/Egypt/Quarries/North_Map.gif
It's not a very good quality, but the area of Amarna is visible, between Cairo and Beni Suef As you can see, there are no quarries there.

tnrees · Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 6:47 am Post subject:

I did see a photo of 1 limestone quarry where they had been cutting talatat blocks.