How did Nefertiti become Queen of the Nile?
- Davit Grigoryan
- Jul 1, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Jan 10
Surely, everyone has seen the sculptural portrait of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti at least once. She has become the embodiment and symbol of femininity and beauty. However, this perception is somewhat unjust. Nefertiti was not just a symbol of beauty but also a captivating figure with a complex and challenging life story.
The Bust of Nefertiti
Large almond-shaped eyes of a dark pistachio hue, thick black eyebrows, sensual full lips, strong cheekbones, delicate facial features, a refined nose, and a swan-like neck—this is how Queen Nefertiti is depicted. She was regarded as the epitome of beauty in Ancient Egypt, and her name translates to "the beautiful one has come."
The world-famous bust of Queen Nefertiti considered one of the wonders of world art, was discovered during excavations in the desert in 1912 by German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt. This magnificent statue had been buried in the sands for 3,500 years and provides a vivid depiction of the queen's appearance. The bust was found in the workshop of the ancient Egyptian sculptor Thutmose, who also created numerous other sculptures of Pharaoh Akhenaten and his court.
One striking detail of the sculpture is its empty left eye, which has sparked debate among experts. Some believe that the artist ran out of materials, while others think it might have been a mistake during the detailing process. The truth remains a mystery. However, experts agree on one point—Queen Nefertiti's appearance was truly extraordinary. The symmetry of her face serves as undeniable proof of her beauty.
Ludwig Borchardt secretly transported the bust to Germany, where it was handed over to the Berlin Museum. The Egyptians demanded its return, even resorting to threats, including invoking Nefertiti’s fabled death curse. However, neither Borchardt nor the German authorities yielded to their appeals.
Rumors later emerged that Adolf Hitler, the Führer of the Third Reich, kept the bust in his private quarters within a bunker, where he reportedly admired it frequently. Today, the sculpture remains on display at the Berlin Museum.
How did Nefertiti become queen?
The future queen of Egypt, Nefertiti, was born in 1370 BC in the city of Thebes. Historians propose two primary theories regarding her lineage. According to one theory, she was the daughter of Pharaoh Ay, who served as an adviser to several rulers, including Nefertiti’s future husband, before ascending to the throne himself.
The other theory suggests that she was a princess from the kingdom of Mitanni in northern Syria, sent to the court of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Later, his son and successor, Akhenaten, chose Nefertiti as his chief wife.
Despite these theories, neither can be definitively proven, leaving Nefertiti's origins shrouded in mystery.
At the age of 15, Nefertiti married Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, who later took the name Akhenaten. He was an intelligent and visionary ruler determined to transform Egypt into a powerful state capable of resisting its adversaries. The Assyrians, Hittites, and Libyans were Egypt's primary foes, frequently raiding the land and enslaving its people.
Five years into his marriage, Pharaoh Akhenaten established a new religion centered around the worship of the sun god Aten. Nefertiti became an ardent supporter of his religious reforms, and the pharaoh elevated her to the status of co-ruler. From that point forward, she shared equal influence and power with him. Nefertiti received political delegations, participated in ceremonies, and personally organized events to glorify the new deity.
The people silently accepted the new religion, offering prayers to the sun’s rays at each dawn. Queen Nefertiti often appeared on the palace balcony, scattering gold coins among the crowd, claiming they were gifts from Aten. During festivals, she captivated her subjects with artistic performances and mesmerizing speeches, seemingly hypnotizing the crowd with her charisma.
Following the introduction of their new religion, Akhenaten and Nefertiti relocated the capital and built a new city, Akhetaton. Today, this city is known as Amarna and lies on the eastern bank of the Nile, approximately 287 kilometers south of Cairo. It remains one of Egypt’s most significant historical sites, with ongoing excavations continuing to reveal its secrets.
Life in the Palace
Alongside her daughters and crowned husband, Nefertiti resided in a luxurious palace on the eastern bank of the Nile. Contrary to popular belief, the royal residence was not vast—measuring around 160 square meters on average. The palace was surrounded by lush gardens with alleys and pools, which the Egyptians cherished. The floors were adorned with colorful mosaics, while the ceilings, walls, and columns were decorated with vivid paintings. These often depicted scenes from the pharaoh's and his family's lives or showcased the ruler surrounded by concubines. The queen's home was filled with opulent furniture and household items crafted from gold or decorated with precious stones.
Nefertiti was a delicate and petite woman with a graceful figure. To remain the cherished wife of the pharaoh, she devoted considerable time to personal care. She bathed in sea salt, while slaves massaged her skin with fragrant oils and painted her nails with henna or liquid gold. The queen used crushed mineral powder as a form of foundation, lined her eyes with antimony, and applied balm to her lips.
Nefertiti’s wardrobe featured a variety of luxurious, translucent dresses—narrow, sundress-style garments that reached from the chest to mid-ankle, with one or two straps. Members of the upper class had such dresses sewn from fine, expensive fabrics, while the poorer people wore garments made from coarser materials.
The pharaoh's wife had a deep fondness for jewelry, particularly large, statement necklaces. While most people were permitted to wear only a single pair of earrings, an exception was made for Nefertiti and one of her six daughters—they were allowed to wear two earrings in each ear. Since it was forbidden for subjects to see the hair of the monarch and his wife, the queen often wore elaborate wigs adorned with multicolored strands, braids, and sparkling hairpins. Her collection included hundreds of such wigs.
To fund the lavish palaces, expensive clothes, and exquisite meals served at the pharaoh's table, the treasury required significant wealth, often accumulated through military campaigns. The spoils not only benefited the ruler and his family but also enriched the nobility and priests, whom the monarch generously rewarded to win the favor of the gods. In Ancient Egypt, being a priest was a highly prestigious position. Priests lived like royalty, owning vast estates, thousands of slaves, hundreds of villages, and sometimes even entire cities.
Nefertiti was Tutankhamun's stepmother and mother-in-law
Nefertiti bore six daughters to the pharaoh, which marked the beginning of marital tensions. Like any ruler, Akhenaten desired a male heir. Accusing his wife of being unable to provide one, he expelled Nefertiti from the palace. Her place was taken by his second wife, Kiya, who gave the pharaoh a son—Tutankhamun.
Nefertiti lived separately from her husband in a palace specially built for her. She was a strong and shrewd woman, always calculating her actions several steps ahead. As a result, she took in the young Tutankhamun, raising him alongside her daughters. After the pharaoh’s death, she worked quickly to secure her influence by arranging for her daughter to marry the heir to the Egyptian throne, Tutankhamun. In doing so, she not only strengthened her dynasty but also became the boy king’s stepmother—and, later, his mother-in-law.
Mysteries of Nefertiti's death
The queen is believed to have died around 1330 BC, with Egyptologists estimating she was approximately 40 years old at the time of her death. This is the only aspect of her passing that researchers are certain about. Nefertiti's mummy has yet to be discovered, making it impossible to determine the exact cause of death of Amenhotep IV's beloved wife.
One theory suggests that after the pharaoh's death, dissatisfied priests, opposed to the new order, conspired to kill the queen. Another theory posits that Nefertiti may have succumbed to an unknown disease that went unnoticed by the doctors of the time.
Nefertiti’s burial place remained a mystery for thousands of years. In 2015, British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves proposed the theory that she might be buried in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Five years later, a team of scientists led by former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh Eldamati supported this theory. Using radar technology, the researchers discovered an unexplored chamber near Tutankhamun's burial site. However, the discovery has yet to lead to further action, as fierce debates continue over whether or not to break down the wall concealing the hidden room. The mystery of Nefertiti’s final resting place remains unresolved to this day.
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