Nefertiti: Queen Of Egypt, the coming beauty

Nefertiti was a strong and well-respected Egyptian queen who made significant cultural and aesthetic achievements. She was the spouse of Akhenaten, a Pharaoh who ruled Egypt at a time of significant change and invention.

The introduction of monotheistic worship of the sun deity Aten was one of the religious and political changes that took place during Nefertiti’s husband’s rule. She is now regarded as a legendary figure in the history of ancient Egypt, and her memory is still honored today.

Meaning of Nefertiti

Nefertiti means “the coming beauty,” and this might be indicating that she was not Egyptian but had come from another country. The fact is that she seems to have shared the religious concerns of her royal husband and played a prominent role in it during the time they lived in the capital known today as tell-el-Amarna. By the way, it was among the ruins of that city that the famous bust of the queen was found.

Why is Nefertiti so famous?

Nefertiti is well-known for both her beauty and her position as Egypt’s monarch in the 14th century BCE. She was married to Pharaoh Akhenaten, who governed Egypt at a time of significant creative and cultural progress. The adoption of the monotheistic worship of the sun deity Aten was one of the key theological and political transformations that took place during this time thanks in large part to Nefertiti.

The iconic bust of Nefertiti, which was found in 1913 by German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt, is another reason for her notoriety. One of the most well-known pieces of ancient Egyptian art, the bust is now on display at the Neues Museum in Berlin. It is distinguished by the realistic and highly stylized representation of the queen’s face. It has been replicated innumerable times, notably as a well-liked tourist memento, and has come to represent the lasting culture of ancient Egypt.

What are 5 facts about Nefertiti?

1. Nefertiti was the queen of ancient Egypt during the 14th century BCE, and was the wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten.

2. She played a significant role in the religious and political changes that occurred during her husband’s reign, including the adoption of monotheistic worship of the sun god Aten.

3. Nefertiti is most famous for her beauty, as depicted in the iconic bust that was discovered in 1913 by German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt. The bust is now housed in the Neues Museum in Berlin.

4. Nefertiti was a highly influential figure in ancient Egyptian society and was known for her cultural contributions. She is thought to have encouraged the development of the arts and may have been involved in the construction of the new capital city, Akhetaten (modern-day Amarna).

5. Nefertiti’s reign came to an end around 1330 BCE, and the circumstances of her death are unknown. Some historians believe that she may have died in childbirth, while others speculate that she may have been deposed or killed. Despite the uncertainty surrounding her death, Nefertiti remains an important and respected figure in the history of ancient Egypt.

What Happened to Nefertiti

No one knows what happened to the mummy of the Pharaoh Akhenaton, but no one can say categorically what finally happened to Nefertiti.

Some say that after the death of her husband Akhenaten she returned to her native country with some of her daughters, others assume that she could have been killed without any evidence.

Others say that she survived her royal husband and ruled Egypt for a while, in reality nobody knows anything about her last days or whether she was buried in Egypt or elsewhere.

From the mid-nineteenth century to the present day have been found numerous mummies, some have been identified but many others not, although judging by the trousseau with which many of them were buried can be said that in general were noble characters or dedicated to the priesthood.

However, sometimes researchers encounter anonymous Egyptian mummies that provoke much controversy and not a few professional jealousies among Egyptologists themselves, such is the case of a mummy of a woman found in the tomb KV-35 of the famous Valley of the Kings.

Women’s Mummies in Burials for Men

In itself it is striking that in a burial place intended for men a woman was buried, although in this case it is not only a woman but two women in the same room of the tomb.

How could that be? Who can these two women be from ancient Egypt? Who put them there and when?

Let’s start by saying that the tomb KV-35 was the tomb built for the pharaoh Amenhotep II, grandfather of Akhenaten.

Inside a room of this tomb, which was then disguised so that no one knew what was there, three mummies were placed inside, side by side: the mummy of an older woman who could still be seen carrying a long hair, in the middle of a young boy’s mummy, and on the other side the mummy of a young woman with a completely shaved skull.

None of these three mummies had bandages, these had been removed by the tomb robbers looking for jewels and had left them piled up and without order at the feet of the mummies themselves.

We do not know for sure, but everything seems to indicate that the thieves of tombs managed to find these three mummies and entered to rob them, later someone, perhaps pious priests, discovered the crime and limited themselves to seal and disguise the entrance of this room.

The Rediscovery Of The Tomb

In 1898 this tomb was rediscovered by Victor Loret, and in it there were several hidden royal mummies and the three mummies mentioned above.

All but the three mummies mentioned were moved to other places, and there remained the three unknown mummies stripped of their identity and bandages but re-hidden behind a concealed door until that door was opened again in early 2000.

What follows are not conclusive proofs, what follows are the intuitions of the British Egyptologist who carried out the investigation supported by a competent scientific team who carried out all the tests in situ.

And a servant, for my part, I feel strongly urged to agree with Dr. Johan Flecher, because what I see are very reasonable and logical signs.

Unfortunately, both the one who was most responsible for the excavations in Egypt and a part of the international community rejected the conclusions of the British Egyptologist, perhaps because they were not forbidden to do more excavations in the Egyptian deserts.

Conclusion About Queen Nefertiti

In conclusion, Nefertiti was a powerful and influential queen who played a significant role in the history of ancient Egypt. She is most famous for her beauty, as depicted in the iconic bust that now resides in the Neues Museum in Berlin. However, her legacy goes far beyond her physical appearance.

Nefertiti, who was Pharaoh Akhenaten’s wife, played a role in the acceptance of monotheistic worship of the sun deity Aten as well as other political and theological reforms that took place under his rule. Even after all these years, Nefertiti is still regarded as a significant cultural icon, a well-known, and respected woman in the history of ancient Egypt.

F.A.Q About Nefertiti

How did Nefertiti lose her eye?

There is no historical evidence to suggest that Nefertiti lost an eye during her lifetime. The iconic bust of Nefertiti, which is housed in the Neues Museum in Berlin, depicts the queen with both of her eyes intact. The bust is a highly stylized representation of Nefertiti’s face, and it is not clear how closely it reflects her actual appearance.

It is possible that the myth of Nefertiti losing an eye may have originated from a misinterpretation of the bust, which shows the queen with a distinctively shaped eye and thin eyebrows. Some people may have assumed that the sculptor had intentionally depicted Nefertiti as having only one eye, when in fact the stylized depiction was meant to convey the queen’s beauty and status. There is no historical evidence to support the claim that Nefertiti lost an eye.

What is Nefertiti the goddess of?

Nefertiti was not a goddess in the traditional sense of ancient Egyptian religion, but rather a human queen who lived during the 14th century BCE. She was the wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten and played a significant role in the religious and political changes that occurred during his reign.

In ancient Egyptian religion, queens were often associated with the goddesses who represented the various aspects of the role of the queen. For example, the queen might be seen as a manifestation of the goddesses Hathor or Isis, who were associated with fertility, motherhood, and the protection of the family. Nefertiti may have been seen in this way by the ancient Egyptians, but she was not worshipped as a goddess in her own right.