Final answer:
Nefertiti and Akhenaten placed themselves as chief priests and intermediaries in a new monotheistic religion that worshipped Aten, representing a significant shift from traditional Egyptian polytheism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Eventually, Nefertiti and Akhenaten placed themselves as intermediaries between the people and the god Aten. By doing so, they assumed roles as the chief priests of a new religious cult that worshipped Aten as the sole god. This move by Akhenaten, also known as Amenhotep IV before his name change, was radical as it shifted traditional polytheistic religious practices to a monotheistic form of worship where he and Queen Nefertiti became divine figures themselves. The intention behind this religious transformation may have been to curtail the power of the existing priesthood and re-establish the pharaoh's central religious authority in line with earlier traditions where the king was the primary state deity.