Early Egyptian Reliefs and Akhenaten's Reforms

In the course of the New Kingdom of Egypt (from 1552 through 1069 B.C.), there came an extensive transformation in the religious configuration of the ancient Egyptian civilization. "The Hymn to the Aten" was created by Amenhotep IV, who ruled from 1369 to 1353 B.C., and began a shift towards monotheism instead of the polytheist religion, that had long since dominated Egypt. There was much that was different from the old views in "The Hymn to the …

…to Tutankhamen, demonstrating their renewed allegiance to Amen-Re. The king restored the old temples of the many gods, and reinstated the priesthoods. (David 158) The reforms, which Akhenaten brought to return the power once held by the Pharaoh in the Old Kingdom, were unable to be understood. The people who Akhenaten had to ensure comprehension of his reasoning did not, for they no longer were connected to the old order which he was trying to re-establish.