Biography nefertiti

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Several different theories about her origins exist today.

© Damian Entwistle - Nefertiti worshiping Aten

One theory put forth by early Egyptologists was that Nefertiti was a foreigner, possibly having brought the ideas of Monotheism with her from another country. Later pharaohs destroyed all these temples and used their blocks as fillers for some of the great temple pylons at Karnak.

biography nefertiti

Modern viewers should not think that the images and statues were portraits of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. The reason for her disappearance is unknown. It has been stated that the couple may have had a genuine romantic connection, a dynamic not generally seen in depictions of ancient pharaohs.

Worship of the Sun God

Nefertiti and the pharaoh took an active role in establishing the Aten cult, a religious mythology which defined Aten, the sun, as the most important god and the only one worthy of worship in Egypt's polytheistic canon.

Only one person who was not a member of the royal family claimed familial ties with her, Mutnodjmet, her younger sister. He first built temples at Karnak in Thebes. During the Amarna period, the pharaoh and other people were not idealized with perfect features and bodies. It is believed that the king and queen were priests and that it was only through them that ordinary citizens could obtain access to Aten.

If this proves true, it would be an astounding archaeological discovery and the most significant since Howard Carter's 1922 uncovering of Tutankhamun.

  • Name: Nefertiti
  • Birth Year: 1370
  • Birth Country: Egypt
  • Gender: Female
  • Best Known For: An Egyptian queen renowned for her beauty, Nefertiti ruled alongside her husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten, during the mid-1300s B.C.
  • Industries
  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1330
  • Death Country: Egypt

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  • Article Title: Nefertiti Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/royalty/nefertiti
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: April 14, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung

One detail from the family altar which supports the hypothesis that Nefertiti had at least the same political status as Akhenaten, if not higher, is the decoration of the chair on which she sits.

The grave of Yuya, Tiy’s father demonstrates this fact.

The last theory suggests that Nefertiti went into semi-retirement. It is believed she was 15 when they wed, which may have been before Akhenaten assumed the throne. This is comprised of the creator god (Aten) and his two children Shu (Akhenaten) and Tefnut (Nefertiti), who pass the creator god’s blessings on to humanity.

Three of their daughters were born in Thebes: Meritaten, Meketaten and Ankhesenpaaten. But despite this great power, Nefertiti disappears from all depictions after 12 years. Most modern scholars reject this theory because there is no archaeological evidence to support it.

Another theory speculates that Nefertiti was the daughter of Amenhotep III and one of his lesser wives.

Discovering the identity of Nefertiti’s parents has proven difficult. The restored images imply that the worship at this site was conducted by women.

© tutincommon - Depiction of Nefertiti at Amarna

The Egyptians were used to Triads of deities that often consisted of a god, a goddess and their child.

Throughout the 20th century’s upheavals, the bust remained in German hands. Their daughter Ankhesenamun would eventually marry her half brother Tutankhamun, the future ruler of Egypt. They apparently ruled together from 1353 to 1336 B.C. and had six daughters, with speculation that they may have also had a son.