Tomb of Meryra - Meryra

Meryra

Meryra served as the high priest of the cult of Aten, a new religious tradition instituted by King Akhenaten. This belief system placed exclusive emphasis on sun worship in the form of Aten, or the solar disc, a deity encapsulating the idea of many gods into the essence of the sun. The tomb provides little information regarding the personal life of Merya. Familial references are limited to depictions of his wife, Tenre, who is described as “a great favorite of the Lady of the two Lands.” Lady of the two Lands refers to Nefertiti, the queen of Akhenaten. Not all officials at Amarna had tombs. Having a tomb at Amarna reflected closeness with Akhenaten, due, in part, to demonstrating a commitment to Akhenaten’s institution of Atenism.