about Queen Nefertiti

Little info on Queen Nefertiti and her early life is known. There is some speculation as to her parentage. When Nefertiti married a pharaoh, akhnaton she became Queen Nefertiti Akhenaton. Although her husband also had several other wives, it is apparent from the autobiography of Queen Nefertiti found in ancient depictions that the pharaoh was completely enamored of her. It is not hard to imagine why, when even in modern times, Nefertiti is celebrated for her incomparable beauty. The couple is known to have had six daughters, although none of the daughters inherited the throne of Egypt. That role was reserved for a son born to the Pharaoh by a minor wife.

It is widely believed that Nefertiti was influential in her husband's attempts to convert the nation of Egypt from a polytheistic religion to a monotheistic religion, dedicated to the worship of the deity Aten. The number of reliefs and artwork that were eventually found bearing the likeness and info on Queen Nefertiti indicate that she was much beloved by the people of Egypt.
When a small bust of Queen Nefertiti, absent the now infamous and modern Nefertiti costume, was finally discovered in almost perfect condition the world rejoiced. The queen had long been celebrated for her beauty and now lovers of Egyptian history would be able to personally view the features of the queen up close. The statue was placed on display in Berlin and quickly became one of the most easily recognized and famous pieces of Egyptian art. For several decades the bust was enjoyed by visitors from around the world; however it would eventually become the subject of much outrage and controversy, when a Nefertiti costume was added to the bust.
The almost perfectly preserved bust reveals an extremely beautiful woman wearing a tall headdress and ornate jewelry. There is no clothing of Nefertiti traditionally included on the bust and it actually ends with the jewelry. The Egyptian public became outraged when the bust was lowered onto a supposed Nefertiti costume that consisted of little more than low cut sheer fabric. The new Nefertiti costume was considered to be vulgar by most Egyptians, who are quite conservative, and dangerous to the antique bust by many historians who were concerned for the safety of the precious artifact. There was so much controversy over the Nefertiti costume that the bust was almost immediately removed. Today the Nefertiti costume that is most remembered is the regal headdress that adorned the most beautiful woman in the world.

Posted in: Legends and tales of the Pharaohs