Figure
Nefertiti
Great Royal Wife of Akhenaten
c. 1352 BCE
Her life dates are unknown; how her role ended is debated.
Biography
She appears in official art beside Akhenaten in an almost unprecedented role for a queen, offering to the Aten and even smiting enemies. Her bust in Berlin is one of the most famous works of Egyptian art.
Key facts
Certainty: Debated
What became of Nefertiti late in Akhenaten’s reign is unknown; some scholars think she ruled after him under another name.
Scholarly note: This hypothesis rests on readings of obscure royal names from the end of the Amarna period.
- Barry Kemp (2012) “The City of Akhenaten and Nefertiti: Amarna and Its People” Thames & Hudson, London
- Ian Shaw (ed.) (2000) “The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt” Oxford University Press