Many New Kingdom texts would not have existed had monotheism gained popular support after the Amarna period; and I feel that the work of the New Kingdom Order of the Benu/ Phoenix must be

about continuing the GREAT RESTORATION of Amoun, Horus, and all the deities. Ma'at's cosmic rule was restored then - it can be so again.

 

"With the death of it's despotic leader, Atenism really had no future." The Great Restoration Stele paints a sorry picture of neglect and wanton destruction of the Temples of the Great Gods during the

reign of the heretic, Akhenaton; and the subsequent famines and disasters that befell the population.

 

From http://www.geocities.com/debunkinglc/home.html Ian Alex Blease's site:

The Temples and shrines of the Great Gods had been either neglected or attacked, as was the Temple of Amun, Ipet-Sut. Ahkenaten had a particular hatred of Amun, and his agents, no doubt backed up by military force, carried out a concentrated attempt to remove the images and names of Amun. They even went to the extent of scaling the Great Obelisks of Hatsheput, Thuthmose I and Thuthmose III

to remove the names and images of Amun. This can still be clearly seen on the Pyramidion of the Fallen Hatshepsut Obelisk, note that this damage had to wait until the reign of Seti I for repair.

It is no coincidence that the real backlash against Akhenaten occurs from the Reign of Seti onwards. All the preceeding Kings, ie, Tut-Ankh-Amun, Ay, Horemheb and Ramesses I were connected with the Armarna Heresy.

 

(This version THE RESTORATION STELE is extracted from B.G. Davies, 1995 Translation.)

May he be given Life, like Re forever and ever, Beloved of Amun Lord of the Two Lands, Foremost in Karnak, beloved of Atum Lord of the Two Lands of Heliopolis; of Re-Horakhte and

Ptah-south-of-his-wall, Lord of Memphis; and of Thoth, Lord of Hieroglyphs, the one who appeared upon

the throne of the living Horus, like his father Re.

 

The good god, son of Amun, son of Kamutef, Bull-of-his-Mother, the good son, the holy egg whom

Amun created, father of the Two Lands, the one who makes the one who made him, the ba's of Heliopolis united in order to form him, to be King forever and ever, as Horus, living immortally. He is the effective King who did what was good for his father and all the gods. He restored everything that was ruined, to be his monument forever and ever. He has vanquished chaos from the whole land and has restored

Ma'at to her place. He has made lying a crime, the whole land being made as it was at the time of creation.

 

Now when His Majesty was crowned King the temples and the estates of the gods and goddesses from Elephantine as far as the swamps of Lower Egypt had fallen into ruin. Their shrines had fallen down, turned into piles of rubble and overgrown with weeds. Their sanctuaries were as if they had never existed at all. Their temples had become footpaths. The world was in chaos and the gods had turned their backs on this land. If an army was sent to Djahy to extend the boundaries if Egypt, it would have no success. If you asked a god for advice, he would not attend; and if one spoke to a goddess likewise she would not attend.

Hearts were faint in bodies because everything that had been, was destroyed.

 

Now some days after His Majesty appeared upon the throne of his father and he ruled the Two Banks of Horus, the Black Land and the Red Land being under his authority and every land bowed down before

his might. How His Majesty was in his palace which was in the House of Aakheperkare, being like the Sun in the sky, and His Majesty carried out the works of this land and everything the Two Lands needed every

day. Then His Majesty considered in his heart and looked for something which would be effective for his father Amun. He made the holy statue out of genuine electrum, giving to it more than he had done before.

 

He made his father Amun 13 poles long, the holy statue being made of electrum, lapis lazuli, turquoise and every noble and precious stone, although the majesty of this noble god had been only 7 poles long

before. His Majesty made monuments for the gods, making their statues from electrum from the tribute of the foreign lands. He renewed their sanctuaries as his monuments forever and ever, endowing them with

offerings forever, laying aside for them divine offerings daily, laying aside bread from the earth. He added great wealth on top of that which existed before, doing more than his predecessors had ever done. He allocated waab-priests, God's Servants and the heirs of the Chiefs of the Cities to be the sons of wise men whose reputation is established. He has enriched their tables with gold and silver, bronze and copper without limit. He has filled their storehouses with male and female workers and with His Majesty's booty. He has added to the wealth of every temple, doubling, trebling and quadrupling the silver, gold, lapis lazuli, turquoise and every noble precious stone, together with byssus, white linen, ordinary linen, oil, fat, resin, incense, perfumes and myrrh without limit.

 

His Majesty, Life Prosperity Health, has made quays for the river from new wood from the hill-slopes from the pick of Negau, inlaid with gold, the tribute of foreign countries, so that they might decorate

the river. His Majesty, Life Prosperity Health, picked male and female servants, musicians and dancers who had been women of the palace, their cost being charged to the palace and to the treasury of the Two

Lands. I shall have them protected and guarded for my ancestors, the gods, in the hope that they will be contented, by doing what their ka's wish while they protect Egypt.

 

Now the gods and goddesses of this land are rejoicing in their hearts, the Lords of the temples are in joy, the provinces all rejoice and celebrate throughout this whole land because good has come back into

existence. The Ennead [the nine gods of creation] in the temple, their arms are raised in adoration, their hands are filled with jubilees forever and ever. All life and might is with them, and it is for the nose of the mighty King Horus, repeater of births, beloved son of his father Amun Lord of the gods, who made the one who made him, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, his eldest son, the true and beloved one who

protects his father who begot him. His Kingship is that of his father Osiris son of Re, the son who is good to the one who begot him, plentiful in monuments, rich in wonders, the one who makes an accurate

monument for his father Amun, fair of births, the King who has established Egypt.

 

The above text is an extract from the Restoration Stela of Tutankhamun

at Karnak.From: Egyptian Historical Records of the Later Eighteenth Dynasty

Dynasty, Fascicle VI - B. G. Davies / 1995

 

Alternative translation:

1)[...] Fourth month of the inundation season, day 19, under the

Majesty of Horus ' Strong bull,' Beautiful of Birth', Two Ladies {

Goodly of Laws, he who pacifies the Two Lands, Horus of Gold, 'Exalted

of Crowns, Who placates the Gods,'King of Upper and Lower Egypt,'

Nebkheperure, 'Son of Re, ' Tutankhamun, Ruler of Hermonthis', Given

Life like Re, Forever]

 

2) Beloved of [Amun-Ra] Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, Chief of

Ipet-Sut; Atum, Lord of the Two lands and Iunu; Re-Harakhte; Ptah,

South of his Wall, Lord of [Ankhtawy] and Thoth, Lord of the Gods

speech; He who ap[pears on]The Horus [Throne of the liv]ing like his

father Re, everyday;

 

3) The Good [God], Son of Amun; image of Kamphis, Glorious

Seed,[Splendid offspring], Scion of Amun Himself; [Father of the Two

Lands] who moulds his moulder, who fashions his fashioner;

 

4)For whom the Souls of Iunu assembled, in order that he might be

fashioned to act as King of Eternity, as the everlasting Horus; The

Good God who does things beneficial to his father and all the Gods,

 

5)He has made that which was in ruins to flourish as a monument of

Eternal age; he has suppressed wrongdoing throughout the Two Lands;

truth is established, she (Maat) causes falsehood to be the

abomination of the Land, as in its First Time.

 

6)The Temples of the Gods and Goddesses, beginning from Elephantine

[down] to the marshes of the delta,[their?----had] fallen into neglect

 

7)Their shrines had fallen into desolation and become tracts overgrown

with k[3t?]-plants,their sanctuaries were as if they had never

been.Their halls were a trodden path.

 

8)The land was in confusion, the Gods forsook this land.

 

9)If an [army] was sent to Djahy to widen the frontiers of Egypt, it

met with no success at all, if one prayed to a God to ask things of

him {in no sense] did he come.

If one made supplication to a Goddess in like manner, in no sense did

she come.

 

10)Their hearts were weak of themselves (with anger) They destroyed

what had been done. After some days had passed by this [his Majesty

app]eared on the throne of his father; He ruled the countries of

Horus, The Black Land and the Red Land were under his

11) dominion and every Land was in obeisance to his might, Behold his

Majesty was in his palace which is in the estate of 'Ankheperkare'

like Re in the heavens and his Majesty was administering this land and

making daily governance of the Two-River banks,

 

12)then his Majesty took council with his heart, searching out every

excellent occasion, seeking what was beneficial to his father Amun for

fashioning his August image of real fine-gold. He has added to what

was done in former times,

 

13)He has fashioned (an image of)his father Amun upon Thirteen

carrying poles, his Holy image being of fine gold, lapis lazuli and

every rare and costly stone,

 

14)where as formerly, the Majesty of the August God had been upon

Eleven carrying poles.

He has fashioned ( an image of) Ptah, South of his Wall, Lord of

Ankhtawe, his August image being of fine gold [upon eleven carryi]ng

poles, his holy image being of fine gold, lapis lazuli, turquoise and

every rare and costly stone.

 

15) Where as formerly the Majesty of this August God had been upon

[six?] carrying poles and his Majesty has made monuments for the Gods

[fashioning] their statues of real fine gold, the best of foreign lands,

 

16) Building anew their sanctuaries as monuments of eternal age, they

being endowed with property forever, establishing for them divine

gifts as a lasting daily sacrifice and supplying them with

food-offerings upon earth.

 

17) He has added to what was done since the time of the ancestors,he

has inducted priests and prophets, children of the notables of their

towns, each the son of a noted man and one whose name is known;

 

18)He has multiplied their [wealth?] with gold, silver, bronze and

copper without limit of [all things?]; He has filled their storehouses

with men and women, the fruits of his Majesty's plundering.

 

19) All the [possessions?] of the Temples are doubled, trebled and

quadrupled with silver,gold,lapis lazuli,turquoise,all rare and costly

stones,royal linen, white cloth, fine linen, olive oil,gum,fat [...],

 

20) incense, ihmt incense and myrrh without limit of all good things.

His Majesty ( may he live, prosper and be in health) has hewn their

barques which are on the

 

21) river of fresh cedar, the best of the hill slope,the pick of

Negau, worked with fine gold, the best of foreign lands; and they

illume the river. His Majesty (may he live, prosper and be in health

has consecrated men and women servants,

 

22) singers and dancers who are servants in the house of the King; and

their wages are to the [....] palace of the Lord of the Two Lands.

 

23) I cause them to be protected and preserved for my fathers, the

Gods, in the desire to placate then by doing what which their Ka's

love so that they may protect [Ta-meny]

The Gods and Goddesses who are in this land, their hearts are joyful,

 

24) The possessors of shrines are glad, lands are in a state of

jubilation and merry making,exaltation is throughout [the whole land];

a goodly state has come to pass.

The Ennead of Gods who are in the Temple,their arms are raised up in

adoration,

 

25) Their hands are full of jubilees [of] eternity and

everlastingness, all Life and Prosperity with them (are placed) to the

beak of Horus who is born again, beloved son [of his father, Amun-Re,

Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands-]

He (Amun) has fashioned him that he (himself) may be fashioned, King

of Upper and Lower Egypt, Nebkhperure, Beloved of Amun.

 

26)His Beloved, real Eldest Son, who protects the Father who fashioned

him that he may excercise the Kingship over K[ings in all Lands], Son

of Re, ' Tut-Ankh-Amun, Ruler of Hermonthis, a Son who is profitable

to him who fashioned him, wealthy in monuments, Rich in Wonders,

 

27) Who makes monuments in righteousness of heart for his Father,

Amun; Beautiful of Birth, Sovereign [ who assumed the Crowns in

Khemmis].On this day, one was in the goodly palace, which is in the

estate of Ankhkheperkare, Justified;

 

28) Behold, [his Majesty] was rejuvenated, he who seizes (?) hastened

of himself, Khnum has moulded him[........................]

He is Mighty of Arm, Great of Strength, One distinguished more than

the mighty, vast of strength like the son of [Nut].

 

29) Mighty of Arm like Horus, there exists no equal to him among the

mighty ones of all lands together; He who knows like Re, who[...s]

like Ptah, who understands like Thoth, who ordains excellent laws, who

commands [........],

 

30) Excellent of Utterance;

King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands, Lord of Rites,

Lord of the Strong Arm, Nebkheperure, He who placates the Gods,

beloved Son of Re of his Body, Lord of every Foreign Land, Lord of

Crowns, Tut-Ankh-Amun, Ruler of Hermonthis, Given Life, Stability and

Prosperity like Re [for all time}.

http://www.geocities.com/debunkinglc/Stela.html