Stela of Adoration of Aten

Here we see a traditional scene of adoration of the god Aten by the royal family.

King Akhenaten is represented with his physical deformities, offering two bouquets of lotus flowers to the Aten who is represented as a sun disk with rays dominating the scene. The rays terminate in hands holding the ankh sign, symbol of life, in front of the nostrils of the king and the queen.

Akhenaten is followed by his wife Queen Nefertiti who performs the same act of adoration and offering to Aten. Their eldest daughters are shown behind Meritaten and Mekitaten, who died young, as is touchingly shown on the reliefs that are still visible in the tomb of the royal family from which this slab was taken.