Editing Iconoclasm (section)

==Early religious iconoclasm==

===Ancient era===
{{Main|Akhenaten}}
In the [[Bronze Age]], the most significant episode of iconoclasm occurred in Egypt during the [[Amarna Period]], when [[Akhenaten]], based in his new capital of [[Akhetaten]], instituted a significant shift in Egyptian artistic styles alongside a campaign of intolerance towards the traditional gods and a new emphasis on a state [[monolatry|monolatristic]] tradition [[Atenism|focused on the god]] [[Aten]], the Sun disk—many temples and monuments were destroyed as a result:<ref>H. James Birx, ''Encyclopedia of Anthropology, Vol. 1'', Sage Publications, US, 2006, p. 802</ref><ref>"[https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/akhenaten Akhenaten]." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 20 June 2020. via ''[[Encyclopedia.com]].''</ref>

<blockquote>In rebellion against [[Egyptian polytheism|the old religion]] and [[High Priest of Amun|the powerful priests]] of [[Amun]], Akhenaten ordered the eradication of all of Egypt's traditional gods. He sent royal officials to chisel out and destroy every reference to Amun and the names of other deities on tombs, temple walls, and cartouches to instill in the people that the [[Aten]] was the one true god.</blockquote>

Public references to Akhenaten were destroyed soon after his death. Comparing the [[ancient Egypt]]ians with the [[Israelites]], [[Jan Assmann]] writes:<ref>[[Jan Assmann|Assmann, Jan]]. 2014. ''From Akhenaten to Moses: Ancient Egypt and Religious Change''. [[American University in Cairo Press]], {{ISBN|977-416-631-0}}. p. 76.</ref>

<blockquote>For Egypt, the greatest horror was the destruction or abduction of the cult images. In the eyes of the Israelites, the erection of images meant the destruction of [[divine presence]]; in the eyes of the Egyptians, this same effect was attained by the destruction of images. In Egypt, iconoclasm was the most terrible religious crime; in [[Israel]], the most terrible religious crime was [[idolatry]]. In this respect [[Osarseph]] alias Akhenaten, the iconoclast, and the [[Golden Calf]], the paragon of idolatry, correspond to each other inversely, and it is strange that [[Aaron]] could so easily avoid the role of the religious criminal. It is more than probable that these traditions evolved under mutual influence. In this respect, [[Moses]] and Akhenaten became, after all, closely related.</blockquote>

=== Judaism ===
According to the [[Hebrew Bible]], God instructed the [[Israelites]] to "destroy all [the] engraved stones, destroy all [the] molded images, and demolish all [the] high places" of the indigenous [[Canaanites|Canaanite]] population as soon as they entered the [[Promised Land]].<ref>''Bible,'' {{bibleverse||Numbers|33:52|NKJV}} and similarly ''Bible'', {{bibleverse||Deuteronomy|7:5|NKJV}}</ref>

In [[Judaism]], King [[Hezekiah]] purged [[Solomon's Temple]] in [[Jerusalem]] and all figures were also destroyed in the [[Land of Israel]], including the [[Nehushtan]], as recorded in the [[Books of Kings|Second Book of Kings]]. His reforms were reversed in the reign of his son [[Manasseh of Judah|Manasseh]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=2 Kings 21 / Hebrew–English Bible / Mechon-Mamre|url=https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt09b21.htm#2|access-date=2022-02-21|website=mechon-mamre.org}}</ref>