nefertiti

     

Nefertiti (pronounce at the time something like *nafratiːta) (c. 1370 BC - c. 1330 BC) was the Great Royal Wife (or chief consort/wife) of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. She was the mother-in-law and probable stepmother of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Nefertiti may have also ruled as pharaoh in her own right under the name Neferneferuaten briefly after her husband's death and before the accession of Tutankhamun, although this identification is called into doubt by the latest research. Her name roughly translates to "the beautiful (or perfect) one has arrived". She also shares her name with a type of elongated gold bead, called nefer, that she was often portrayed as wearing. She was made famous by her bust, now in Berlin's Altes Museum, shown to the right. The bust is one of the most copied works of ancient Egypt. It was attributed to the sculptor Thutmose, and was found in his workshop. The bust itself is notable for exemplifying the understanding Ancient Egyptians had regarding realistic facial proportions. She had many titles; for example, at Karnak there are inscriptions that read Heiress, Great of Favours, Possessed of Charm, Exuding Happiness, Mistress of Sweetness, beloved one, soothing the king's heart in his house, soft-spoken in all, Mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt, Great King's Wife, whom he loves, Lady of the Two Lands, Nefertiti'. Nefertiti and her husband were known for changing Egypt's religion. They changed it from a polytheistic religion, to a monotheistic religion. They believed only in the sun god, Aten. Nefertiti was known throughout Egypt for her beauty. She was very proud of her long, swan like neck. She even invented her own makeup using the Galena plant.

Trivia about nefertiti

  • You need a mezzo to play this beautiful queen in Phillip Glass's opera "Akhenaton"
  • Wife of Akhenaton & mother of 6, she wasn't just another pretty bust
  • This 18th dynasty queen's painted limestone bust is in a museum, but her real body has never been found
  • This famous queen was replaced by her daughter as Akhenaten's principal wife
  • She may have been a cousin of her husband Akhenaton; you can see the resemblance in her bust
  • The body of this wife of Akhenaten has never been found, but her bust is in Berlin
  • A highlight of Berlin's Egyptian Museum is the 3300-year-old bust of this queen
  • One of the most beautiful women in Antiquity, this gal's "bust" can be seen in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin
  • This great beauty, the wife of Akhenaton, had 6 daughters; 2 of them became queens of Egypt, like their mom
  • The Egyptian Museum in Berlin has the world-famous painted bust of this queen & wife of Akhenaton
  • The Berlin museum is home to the famous bust of this Egyptian queen
  • Some scholars believe that this wife of Akhenaton was not Egyptian but an Asian princess from Syria
  • Wife of Akhenaton, she's best known for her bust, seen here
  • Aptly, her name translates as "a beautiful woman has come"--check out her bust
  • This queen & wife of Akhenaton was the subject of numerous sculptures during her life, many of which survive
  • It's Luxor or bust for this royal wife, known for her painted bust since the 18th dynasty
  • Busted, she's the prominent Egyptian queen seen here
  • In an opera based on history, the pharaoh Akhenaten gives up polygamy for this beautiful queen