Barry Kemp (14 May 1940-15 May 2024) served something greater than himself, namely the study and conservation of King Akhenaten’s city at Amarna.

Professor Kemp, CBE, FBE, was an eminent scholar at the University of Cambridge. His book Ancient Egypt: An Anatomy of Civilisation was the main text used in ancient history courses for decades.

He will be remembered for his work on the city associated with Egypt’s most notorious pharaoh. Dubbed history’s first individual by James Henry Breasted, King Akhenaten (c. 1353-1336 BC) has had more written about him than any other Egyptian king.

Poet, artist, and religious revolutionary, Akhenaten waged war with the priests of Amun. Choosing to worship Aten in preference to any other god, he abandoned the city of Waset, (or Thebes, which is now Luxor) and took his court to the middle of Egypt where he proceeded to build a city in the desert.

From scratch.

This ancient city of Akhet-Aten (“The Horizon of Aten”) was built on virgin ground. After King Akhenaten’s death no one built another city in the same location.

Barry Kemp was not a self-promoter, but he did speak, lecture, and appear on television. Funds were required for his ongoing work at one of the world’s most important ancient sites, so it was necessary to keep public awareness focused on Amarna.

I met Professor Kemp a few years ago through Bob Brier. While Bob kept our group engaged in some ruins, Barry and I walked across the plain of Amarna. We made our way uphill and headlong into a biting and forceful wind. Buffeted, it was hard to push forward, let alone to talk, and hear! Nevertheless, it was one of those times when a day turned into a significant memory.

At lunch we “hung out” again. While others repaired to the lunchroom, Barry talked about how it was important to support the locals. He introduced a smiling lady in a black dress who held up a wicker basket. It still has pride of place on a bookshelf, and after several years still looks brand new!

While Professor Kemp did not like to talk about himself, here are a few questions and answers which might be of interest to you.

Tell me a bit about your education and qualifications?

I have been associated with the University of Cambridge for most of my life. I joined in 1962, was made Professor of Egyptology in 1990 and retired in 2007.

My understanding is you were made Professor Emeritus on your retirement.

Correct.

You also started a new position.

At the beginning of 2008 I became a senior fellow of the McDonald Insititute for Archaeological Research at Cambridge.

You have been excavating here since 1977. Tourists also visit. What have you found at Amarna which might be of interest to the visitor?

This morning you saw the remains of administration offices where the Amarna letters were discovered.

It’s astonishing! I didn’t expect the administration building to be so vast. Can you explain its importance, please?

It is the site where the diplomatic correspondence from the time of Akhenaten and his father was discovered. The archive consists of clay tablets which are inscribed in cuneiform, the writing system of ancient Mesopotamia. Most are in a type of Akkadian, although one is in Hurrian.

EA24?

Correct.

Where else can people visit?

There is, of course, the Great Aten Temple and the Smaller Aten Temple. There is also the Boundary Stela U. The North Palace is well preserved. The lower parts of the walls were rebuilt for its protection. Where are you going after lunch?

Bob’s taking us to the royal tomb.

Ah yes! You will enjoy that.

Akhenaten has been dubbed the world’s first monotheist. James Henry Breasted alluded to him as the first individual in history. What is your view? Do you think Akhenaten was a visionary?

He was. You can’t doubt there is a vision there. It is a limited form of monotheism. Amarna, known as Akhet-Aten, was the place Akhenaten chose for the worship of his god. There is a focus on the state’s religion, the building of temples in a new style. His building must have had an adverse effect on existing temples! He also changed his residence. Akhet-Aten was more than a city, it was a sacred place.

And there we must end. There are a multitude of interviews on this brilliant scholar, who has now passed.

However, the work at Amarna continues. Until it is funded in a similar way to the conservation of Rameses’ statues at Abu Simbel, you play a part.

Go do it!

www.gofundme.com/f/be-part-of-the-great-aten-temple

All photographs are courtesy of Sharon Janet Hague.

Below middle: Bob Brier and Barry Kemp walking in Amarna. Wearing the blue scarf is Bob Brier’s wife, Pat Remler.