Historians have gleaned that Nefertiti was a major proponent of Akhenaten’s religious and cultural movement.
The limestone sculpture was believed to have been completed by the artist Thutmose in 1345 BCE.
To gain a more in-depth understanding of queen Nefertiti, read on to learn 11 facts about her life.
Bust of Nefertiti, Queen Consort of Akhenaten, 18th Dynasty, Egypt (Photo: Public domain viaWikimedia Commons)
Here are 11 facts about the Ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti.
Unsurprisingly for the era, Nefertiti was fifteen when she married sixteen-year-oldAmunhotep IVand assumed the throne as queen consort.
In his fifth regnal year, the pharaoh began his religious movement and renamed himselfAkhenaten.
Late Amarna-era relief depicting Nefertiti (Photo: Keith Schengili-Roberts viaWikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 3.0)
Akhenaten and Nefertiti built a new city.
(Photo:Stock Photosfrom Vladimir Wrangel/Shutterstock)
Nefertiti might have been of royal heritage.
Nefertiti’s parentage is mostly conjectured with two prevailing theories.
Bust of Nefertiti. (Photo:Stock Photosfrom Vladimir Wrangel/Shutterstock)
(Ay even became pharaoh himself after King Tut’s death in 1323 BCE.)
Other academics speculate that Nefertiti was a princess from theMitanni kingdomin northern Syria.
Statuette of Nefertiti and Akhenaten, c. 1345 BCE.
Statuette of Nefertiti and Akhenaten, c. 1345 BCE. (Photo: Rama viaWikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 3.0)
(Photo: Rama viaWikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 3.0)
She held many titles.
Nefertiti was born in 1370 BCE in the Egyptian city of Thebes.
Her name in English means the beautiful woman has come.
Standing-striding figure of Nefertiti (Photo: Andreas Praefcke viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Altogether, her full name means beautiful are the beauties of Aten, a beautiful woman has come.
According to surviving images of Nefertiti, she had beauty in spades.
Akhenaten and Nefertiti ruled over the possiblywealthiest periodin Ancient Egyptian history.
Nefertiti worshipping Aten (Photo: Jon Bodsworth viaWikimedia Commons)
TheAmarna styleshowed movement and figures of more exaggerated proportions, with elongated hands and feet.
The depictions of Akhenaten during this time give him distinctly feminine attributes with wide hips and prominent breasts.
She was a powerful wife.
A house altar showing Akhenaten, Nefertiti and three of their daughters. (Photo: Public domain viaWikimedia Commons)
Nefertiti was the favored consort, orGreat Royal Wife, of Akhenaten from the very start of his reign.
A house altar showing Akhenaten, Nefertiti and three of their daughters.
(Photo: Public domain viaWikimedia Commons)
She was both loved and loathed.
A relief of a royal couple in the Amarna style. Figures have variously been attributed as Akhenaten and Nefertiti, Smenkhkare and Meritaten, or Tutankhamen and Ankhesenamun. Relief dates to after the former king’s death, c. 1335 BCE. (Photo: Public Domain viaWikimedia Commons)
As queen, Nefertiti was loved by some for her charisma and grace.
However, she was also largely hated because of herimportant religious rolein the Aten cult.
Nefertiti possibly ruled as pharaoh after her husband’s death.
Funerary mask of Tutankhamun (Photo: Roland Unger viaWikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 3.0)
Two of her daughters became Egyptian queens.
A relief of a royal couple in the Amarna style.
Figures have variously been attributed as Akhenaten and Nefertiti, Smenkhkare and Meritaten, or Tutankhamen and Ankhesenamun.
Relief dates to after the former king’s death, c. 1335 BCE.
Nefertiti’s other daughter, Ankesenenpaaten becameAnkhesanamunafter her father’s death, reflecting Egypt’s return to polytheism.
She is related to King Tut (but not by blood).
Historians have gleaned that Nefertiti was a major proponent of Akhenaten’s religious and cultural movement.
How did Nefertiti rise to power?
Nefertiti was fifteen when she married sixteen-year-oldAmunhotep IVand assumed the throne as queen consort.
In his fifth regnal year, the pharaoh began his religious movement and renamed himselfAkhenaten.
