The Wavy Wall (2020)
The excavation of Aten led to a particularly strange discovery: the city’s 10-foot, mud brick wall. The wall’s presence itself is not strange. Most cities of the time had a wall for defense or administrative purposes. Instead of a straight wall enclosing the city, the wall is wavy, also call crinkle crankle or serpentine. Egyptian wavy walls are usually found around houses, temples, and mortuaries. But Aten’s wavy wall encircles the whole city. This form uses fewer bricks than a straight wall without sacrificing the structural integrity or strength. The waves of the wall give it strength, even though it isn’t as thick as a straight wall. They also hold up against lateral force such as wind pressure or ancient military attack.