Random Facts You May Not Have Known About Queen Nefertiti (22 items)

• 

  (#20) New Findings May Dispute The Queen's Legendary Beauty

  Every bust and painting depicts Nefertiti as having the highly sought features of the time. But how realistic are those busts and murals? Some researchers believe they aren't accurate at all.

  Using CT scans of the famous 3,400-year-old bust of Nefertiti, scientists were able to see the original mask of the queen under all of the layers. This technology has allowed scientists and historians to see much deeper than prior scans done in 1992, showing them the inner facial cast is significantly different from the outside of the bust. There’s a bump on the ridge of the nose, wrinkles on the cheeks and around the corner of the mouth, less prominent cheekbones, and less depth at the corner of the eyelids.  

  Many believe that royal sculptor Thutmose simply created an ideal version of the queen. It's equally likely that Ahkenaten insisted his wife be portrayed as more beautiful. Regardless, the popular image of the queen may not match the reality of her appearance.
• 

  (#6) Her Husband Inherited A Wealthy And Open Egypt - Then Nearly Drove It To Ruin

  Amenhotep IV inherited a very wealthy Egypt from his father, the previous ruler. But the installation of the sun as the center of government and politics ruffled a lot of feathers. Once he became Akhenaten and established the new sun god, things slowly changed in Egypt.

  Eventually, the ruler lost all tolerance for other beliefs and began a campaign to destroy other religions. As a result, turmoil and debt began to plague the empire. Akhenaten retreated from his subjects and public life, but passed before things could truly spin out of control for the kingdom.
• 

  (#17) Nefertiti’s Mummy May Have Been Discovered

  During an excavation of the tomb of King Amenhotep II in 1898, three mummies were discovered behind a hidden wall. The tomb, located in the Valley of the Kings, held the king’s mummy as well as others. One of those mummies, The Younger Lady, might be Nefertiti.   

  In 2010, Zahi Hawass, who was Egypt’s Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, wrote in a National Geographic piece that the results of DNA from the three mummies prove The Younger Lady was the sister of Akhenaten, as well as King Tut’s mother.  

  In 2013, French Egyptologist Marc Gabolde’s DNA analysis disputed Hawass’s claim and revealed that Nefertiti was The Young Lady and not Akhenaten’s sister. Dr. Gabolde also maintained the mummy was Tut’s real mother.
• 

  (#8) Nefertiti And Akhenaten Constructed Their Own City

  The ruling couple had the city of Tell el-Amarna built to worship Aten. They also demanded the faithful move to the new city if they wanted to stay in the good graces of Queen Nefertiti and the pharaoh.

  Over time, the old gods were slowly removed from society, temples were closed, and priests had to conform to the new rule of law.
• 

  (#13) A Partial Tomb Figurine Of Nefertiti Offers Conflicting Clues About Her Role

  A partial shabti of Nefertiti found in Amarna has led experts to hold differing opinions as to whether the royal was buried as a queen or pharaoh. The item could have simply been a votive from another royal burial, but it may hold clues to Nefertiti's true power. The shabti is currently on display at the Louvre.
• 

  (#12) Despite Her Husband’s Philandering, Nefertiti Was Thought To Be Faithful

  Akhenaten was known to sire children with other women, one of whom might have been his sister - with the resulting birth being future king Tutankhamun. Some even suggest the king bedded his own daughters. Regardless, Nefertiti is believed to have been faithful to her husband, and some theories even suggest she may have been Tutankhamun's true mother. 

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking