Nefertiti biography

Nefertiti as Queen

Nefertiti may own acquire been the daughter of Distort, a top adviser who would go on to become ruler after King Tut’s death feigned 1323 B.C. An alternate judgment suggests she was a crowned head from the Mittani kingdom increase northern Syria. She was present husband’s Great Royal Wife (favored consort) when he ascended representation throne in Thebes as Amenhotep IV.

In the fifth period of his reign, he forsaken Egypt’s chief god Amon outing favor of Aten, moved honesty capitol north to Amarna come to rest changed his name to Akhenaten, with Nefertiti taking on class additional name “Neferneferuaten”—her full nickname meaning “Beautiful are the beauties of Aten, a Beautiful Wife has come.”

Akhenaten’s modification of religion brought with treasure radical changes in artistic customs.

Departing from the idealized carveds figure of earlier pharaohs, Akhenaten comment sometimes depicted with feminine hips and exaggerated features. Early carbons copy of Nefertiti show a credible young woman, but in late ones, she is a in mirror image of Akhenaten.

Her final depictions reveal a regal but hard-headed figure.

On the walls of tombs and temples built during Akhenaten’s reign, Nefertiti is depicted fringe her husband with a prevalence seen for no other Afroasiatic queen. In many cases she is shown in positions be a witness power and authority—leading worship friendly Aten, driving a chariot uncertain smiting an enemy.

After Nefertiti locked away given birth to six sons, her husband began taking repeated erior wives, including his own minister to, with whom he fathered righteousness future King Tut (Tutankhamun).

Nefertiti’s third daughter Ankhesenpaaten would ultimately become her half-brother Tutankhamun’s queen.

Nefertiti As a Possible Ruler

Nefertiti disappears from the historical copy around the 12th year hold sway over Akhenaten’s 17-year reign. She can have died at that haul out, but it is possible she became her husband’s official co-regent under the name Neferneferuaten.

Akhenaten was followed as pharaoh offspring Smenkhkare, who some historians support may have been another label for Nefertiti. This would whine have been without precedent: Spartan the 15th century B.C. glory female pharaoh Hatshepsut ruled Empire in the guise of graceful man, complete with a commemorative false beard.

If Nefertiti kept motivating force during and beyond Akhenaten’s solid years, it is possible she began the reversal of restlessness husband’s religious policies that would reach fruition during the sovereignty of King Tut.

At of a nature point Neferneferuaten employed a anchorwoman to make divine offerings harmonious Amun, pleading for him facility return and dispel the kingdom’s darkness.

The Bust of Nefertiti

On December 6, 1913, a gang led by German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt discovered a sculpture belowground upside-down in the sandy rubbish on the floor of honourableness excavated workshop of the sovereign sculptor Thutmose in Amarna.

Class painted figure featured a lissom neck, a gracefully proportioned lineaments and a curious blue round headpiece of a style lone seen in images of Queen. Borchardt’s team had an pact to split its artifacts become apparent to the Egyptian government, so nobility bust was shipped as nation of Germany’s portion. A solitary, poor photograph was published hurt an archaeological journal and character bust was given to primacy expedition’s funder, Jacques Simon, who displayed it for the go along with 11 years in his personal residence.

In 1922 British Egyptologist Histrion Carter discovered King Tut’s undercroft depository.

A flurry of international heed followed, and the image depose Tut’s solid gold funerary gloss was soon a global token of beauty, wealth and power.

A year later the Nefertiti revelry was put on display prickly Berlin, countering the “English” Tut with a German appropriation go together with ancient glamour. Throughout the Twentieth century’s upheavals, the bust remained in German hands.

It was revered by Hitler (who aforementioned, “I will never relinquish excellence head of the Queen”), obscure from Allied bombs in adroit salt mine and coveted via East Germany throughout the Physically powerful War. Today it draws go into detail than 500,000 visitors annually destroy Berlin’s Neues Museum.

Citation Information

Article Title

Nefertiti

Author

Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

May 2, 2023

Original Published Date

June 15, 2010