13 - The New Kingdom Part I: Prophets and Pharaohs

"I have started an undertaking, and for this reason I write to my brother (Akhenaten). My brother should send me much gold, that I need for my work. But the gold that my brother sends me, do not leave it to some official. Let the eyes of my brother inspect it, and let my brother seal it and send it! Because as far as the previous gold is concerned, which my brother did not inspect personally, but which was sealed and sent by an official of my brother, of the 40 mines which I put in the furnace, there was barely anything of value left."
- Letter from King Burnaburiash of Babylon to Akhenaten 

source: SNL
King Tut was a wild and crazy guy HOW COULD I NOT INCLUDE THIS PICTURE

The New Kingdom! The newest of kingdoms! It doesn't get any newer than this!
Episode 13 is the first part of our look into this busy time in Egyptian history. If you want a detail dense episode, here you go!

MP3 Direct Link

Music Credits
John Gilliat - Sands of Egypt
Almanac Newsreels

Resources
The god Amun
Amenhotep I
Amenhotep I: Sarcophagus and Mummy
Relief of Thutmose I
Map of the Egyptian Empire
Family tree of the Thutmosids (yes it's a word!).
Temple of Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut 1
Hatshepsut 2
Thutmose III and Hatshepsut (note how he's on the left, FOLLOWING her)
Hatshepsut as a sphinx...look at her adorable ears!! Awwww
Hatshepsut's image has been chiseled out...
The head of Thutmose III
Thutmose III at Luxor Museum
Map of the nearby empires. Note the contested are of the Mitanni and Egyptians
Fanciful painting of Thutmose III in chariot
Nice aerial view of Megiddo

You're now going to look at the depictions of Akhenaten and wonder...whoa...why does he look like that? Many have wondered the same thing, and naturally they assume he was an alien emissary from Aten, who is really a space god or something. Or he had some horrible malformed disease.

The truth is that he is shown combining masculine and feminine features as a way to tell Egypt, I am father and mother. The creator is not of one gender but encompasses both. It's not unheard of, just look up Hapi for a reference.
He also has one of the coolest faces in history.

Akhenaten 1
Akhenaten 2
Akhenaten 3
Akhenaten 4
Worshiping the Aten
Akhenaten and the Aten
Nefertiti
King Tutankhamun's Mask
Tut's Mummy
Tut and his wife, Anhkesenamun...just gorgeous