Nefertiti, Queen of Egypt: biography and interesting stories from life. Wives of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. Akhenaten and Nefertiti

Ancient Egyptian queen, wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, known in history as Akhenaten. In 1912, poetic, delicate sculptural portraits of Nefertiti created by the master Thutmes were found in Amarna. Kept in museums in Cairo and Berlin.

One can only marvel at the unusual historical fate of Queen Nefertiti. For thirty-three centuries her name was forgotten, and when the brilliant French scientist F. Champollion deciphered ancient Egyptian writings at the beginning of the last century, she was mentioned quite rarely and only in special academic works.

The 20th century, as if demonstrating the quirkiness of human memory, raised Nefertiti to the pinnacle of fame. Initially, her bust was discovered by the team of Egyptologist L. Borchard and taken to Germany (where it is now kept); to hide it from Egyptian customs they specially smeared it with plaster. In his archaeological diary, opposite the sketch of the monument, Borchardt wrote only one phrase: “There is no purpose in describing, you have to look.”

Later in 1933, the Egyptian Ministry of Culture requested it back to Egypt, but Germany refused to return it, and then German Egyptologists were prohibited from archaeological excavations. Second World War and the persecution of Borchard's wife because of her Jewish origin prevented the archaeologist from continuing his research to the fullest extent. Egypt officially demands that Germany return the exported bust of Nefertiti.

Nefertiti plays senet.

Recently it was discovered that the bust of the beautiful Nefertiti has a late " plastic surgery» plaster. Initially molded with a “potato” nose, etc., it was later corrected and began to be considered the standard of Egyptian beauty. It is not yet known whether the original image of Nefertiti was closer to the original and later embellished, or, on the contrary, subsequent completion improved the inaccuracies of the original work... This can only be proven by studying the mummy of Nefertiti herself, if she is discovered. Before genetic research in February 2010, Egyptologists speculated that Nefertiti's mummy may be one of two female mummies found in tomb KV35. However, in light new information this hypothesis is rejected.

Bust of a standing Nefertiti.

One of the archaeologists, who led excavations in Akhetaten for a number of years, writes about the legend local residents. Allegedly, at the end of the 19th century, a group of people came down from the mountains carrying a golden coffin; soon after this, several gold objects with the name Nefertiti appeared among antique dealers. This information could not be verified.

Who really was the famous Nefertiti - “The Beauty Who Came” (as her name is translated)? From the beginning of research and excavations in the ruins of Akhetaten (modern Tel el-Amarna) in the 80s of the 19th century until now, not a single clear evidence of the origin of Nefertiti has been found. Only mentions on the walls of the tombs of the pharaoh's family and nobles provide some information about it. It was the inscriptions in the tombs and the cuneiform tablets of the Amarna archive that helped Egyptologists build several hypotheses about where the queen was born. In modern Egyptology there are several versions, each of which claims to be true, but is not sufficiently confirmed by sources to take a leading position.

Arthur Braginsky.

In general, the views of Egyptologists can be divided into 2 versions: some consider Nefertiti an Egyptian, others - a foreign princess. The hypothesis that the queen was not of noble birth and accidentally appeared at the throne is now rejected by most Egyptologists. Legends say that Egypt has never before given birth to such a beauty. She was called "Perfect"; her face adorned temples throughout the country.

Akhenaten and Nefertiti.

According to the social status of her time, she was the “main wife” (Ancient Egyptian himet-uaret (ḥjm.t-wr.t)) of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty Akhenaten (c. 1351-1334 BC), whose reign was marked by large-scale religious reform. The role of the queen herself in carrying out the “sun-worshipping coup” is controversial.

Akhenaten and Nefertiti.

Egyptian women possessed the secrets of unusual cosmetic recipes, which were secretly passed on from mother to daughter; they were also skilled in matters of love, especially considering that they began to study at a very young age - six or seven years old. In short, there is a lack of beautiful women ah, there was no such thing in Egypt; on the contrary, the entire ancient elite knew that a worthy wife should be looked for on the banks of the Nile. One day, a Babylonian ruler who wooed the pharaoh’s daughter was refused. Frustrated, he wrote an offended letter to his would-be father-in-law: “Why are you doing this to me? There are enough beautiful daughters. Find me a beauty to suit your taste. Here (meaning Babylonia) no one will notice that she is not of royal blood."

Among so many worthy contenders, Nefertiti’s ascent seems incredible, almost fabulous. She, of course, came from a noble family, was (possibly) a close relative of her husband's wet nurse, and the wet nurse's rank in the Egyptian hierarchy was quite high. Possibly the daughter of the nobleman Aye, one of Akhenaten’s associates, later pharaoh, and probably cousin Akhenaten. In the royal palace, they preferred to take the closest relatives - nieces, sisters and even their own daughters - into harems in order to preserve the “purity of the blood.”

It must be said that Nefertiti’s husband stood out from the long line royal dynasty. The reign of Amenhotep IV went down in Egyptian history as a time of “religious reforms.” This extraordinary man was not afraid to fight the most powerful force of his state - the priestly caste, which, through its mystical, mysterious knowledge, kept both the elite and the people of Egypt in fear. The priests, using complex cult rituals of numerous gods, gradually seized a leading position in the country. But Amenhotep IV turned out to be not at all the kind of ruler who gives up his power. And he declared war on the priestly caste.

By a single order, he, no less, abolished the former god Amun and appointed a new one - Aten, and at the same time moved the capital of Egypt from Thebes to a new place, built new temples, crowning them with sculptural colossi of Aten-Ra, and renamed himself Akhenaten, which meant "pleasing to Aten." One can only imagine what enormous efforts were required for the new pharaoh to change the consciousness of an entire country in order to win this dangerous war with clergy. And, of course, as in any battle, Akhenaten needed a reliable ally. Apparently, he found such an ally - loyal, smart, strong - in the person of his wife - Nefertiti.

After marrying Nefertiti, the king forgot his harem; he did not let go of his young wife. Contrary to all rules of decency, a woman began to attend diplomatic receptions for the first time; Akhenaten did not hesitate to publicly consult with Nefertiti. Even when he went to check the outposts around the city, the pharaoh took his wife with him, and the guard now reported not only to the ruler, but also to his wife. The worship of Nefertiti has surpassed all limits. Her huge, majestic statues adorned every Egyptian city.

Temple of Nefertiti, Abu Simbel, Aswan, Egypt.

It is unlikely that Nefertiti’s immense influence on the pharaoh can be explained only by the art of love and irresistible beauty. One can, of course, assume witchcraft. But we will prefer a more realistic explanation of the success of the Egyptian queen - her truly royal wisdom and fanatical devotion to her husband, while we note that according to our concepts, the all-powerful Nefertiti was very young in age, or, more simply, just a girl.

Nefertiti with the gods and Amenhotep IV.

There were, of course, intrigues, envy, and intrigues of those who could not understand why a woman ruled the state and replaced high-ranking advisers to the pharaoh. However, the majority of nobles, as in all times, preferred not to quarrel with the ruler’s wife, and Nefertiti was showered with gifts and offerings from petitioners as if from a cornucopia. But even here the beautiful woman showed wisdom and dignity. She worked only for those who, in her opinion, could benefit her beloved husband, who could justify the trust of the pharaoh.

It seemed that Nefertiti’s happiness was immeasurable, but fate did not endlessly favor even the rare chosen ones. Trouble came from the direction from which it was not expected. An ancient Egyptian woman gave birth while sitting on two bricks. The midwives held her back. It was believed that birthing bricks would help ease childbirth and bring happiness. On each of them was carved the head of the goddess Meshenit, who helped the baby to be born. Every time, sitting down on the bricks, Nefertiti prayed to Aten to give them an heir. But in such a matter, unfortunately, neither ardent love for her husband, nor wisdom, nor the all-powerful gods could help. Nefertiti gave birth to six daughters, and long-awaited son everything was not.

Akhenaten, Nefertiti and three daughters. Cairo Museum.

It was then that the envious people and enemies of the unfortunate queen raised their heads. The human age in Ancient Egypt was short - 28-30 years. Death could take the pharaoh away at any moment, and the state was then left without a direct heir to power. Well-wishers were found who introduced Akhenaten to a beautiful concubine, Kia. It seemed that Nefertiti's power had come to an end. But it’s not so easy to forget your former love, even if you want something new, more intense sensations. Akhenaten rushes from one woman to another: every now and then he goes from Kia’s chambers to his former beloved and every time a warm welcome awaits him. But Nefertiti, apparently being a strong-willed, proud woman, could not forgive the betrayal. External courtesy could not deceive the pharaoh, he knew what it was capable of. true love. And he returned to Kia again. This did not last long. The chatter of the new concubine finally drove Akhenaten crazy - he had someone to compare his rival with.

Kia was returned to the harem. She tried to resist, called on her husband to return, and apparently fell into ordinary female hysterics. Only after the eunuch severely punished her with whips did she calm down, realizing that the royal favors had come to an end. They will never again be in the same relationship - Nefertiti and Akhenaten. Past love It was not possible to glue it together, but even in this situation, Nefertiti came up with a way out, demonstrating a truly statesmanlike mind. Nefertiti's act will seem wild to us, of course, but do not forget that we're talking about about Ancient Egypt. Nefertiti offered Akhenaten their third daughter, young Ankhesenamun, as his wife and she herself taught her the art of love, the love that always fired the pharaoh so much.

Daughters of Akhenaten and Nefertiti.

The story is, of course, sad, but the circumstances turn out to be stronger than man. Three years later, Ankhesenamun was widowed. She was eleven years old, and she was again married to the great Tutankhamun. The capital was again returned to Thebes, the country again began to worship the god Amun-Ra. And only Nefertiti, faithful to her former passions, remained in Akhenaten, from which life was slowly and gradually leaving. It is known for certain that Nefertiti’s lips smelled of rust. Indeed, in the times of the pharaohs, beauties used a mixture of beeswax and red lead. And red lead is nothing more than iron oxide! The color turned out beautiful, but the kiss became poisonous.

The queen died, the city was completely empty, and they buried her, as she asked, in the tomb with Akhenaten. And after thirty centuries, her image seemed to rise from the ashes, disturbing our imagination and forcing us to think again and again about the mystery of beauty: what is it - “she is a vessel in which there is emptiness, or a fire flickering in the vessel?”

Tomb of Nefertiti. Lobby

Nefertiti and Akhenaten are historical figures who lived about 3400 years ago in Ancient Egypt. Archaeologists first learned about the existence of Amenhotep, better known as Pharaoh Akhenaten, and his main wife Nefertiti thanks to a discovery made during the excavations of Akhetaten.

The found tablets with records led scientists to believe that the description of the ceremonies in these artifacts reliably confirms the marriage between the pharaoh and the queen. The enthusiastic epithets that described the beauty of the young girl made scientists doubt this statement, but the bust found later fully confirmed the truth of what was written in the ancient tablets.

Who is she?

Scientists are still arguing about who the Egyptian queen Nefertiti was; her origins have not been clarified for certain. Many questions remain: when exactly did the queen die, was Nefertiti’s separate tomb erected or was she buried near Akhenaten, and was Nefertiti’s mummy preserved. The tablets found during excavations in the 20th century allow us to put forward several versions of where the young beauty came from:

1. The girl was a simple Egyptian, and she ended up in the pharaoh’s harem completely by accident. Nefertiti's beauty impressed the ruler so much that he made her his main wife. Most Egyptologists oppose this version, because the story of the girl’s appearance at court points to festivities in her honor.

2. The young maiden belonged to the highest nobility and arrived at the court to become one of the favorites of the pharaoh. The ceremony of her receiving the title “Nefertiti, Queen of Egypt”, the biography set out in ancient tablets - all this confirms this version and indicates the high origin of the beauty.

3. Latest version is the most wealthy and says that Taduhepa (or Taduchepa) was the second daughter of the Mitannian king Tushratta, and she arrived in Egypt following her older sister. As was customary at that time, the girl changed her name and began to be called Nefertiti, which meant “perfect.” Disputes between scientists that Nefertiti was, after all, Geluhepa’s older sister were resolved after the discovery of a historical archive that contained information about her age.

Disputes about the beauty of the queen

It is known for certain that in those days Egyptian women were considered one of the most beautiful women, and the historical evidence found confirms the existence of a cult of beauty.

Images on columns often depict scenes of bathing, and jugs in the tomb of the pharaohs or just small clay boxes in the burials of ordinary Egyptians contain a lot of aromatic creams and rubs. Cosmetics were used by both men and women; winged lines on the upper eyelid, applied with a special brush, were considered especially fashionable.

The ancient Egyptians were truly virtuoso cosmetologists: the number of recipes for moisturizing, nourishing, and anti-aging creams numbered in the hundreds. All of them were made on the basis of aromatic oils, medicinal herbs, milk or clay. At the same time, the prototype of a modern deodorant appeared - small bags with fragrant herbs that were attached to the armpits. Special attention was given to the body: there are known recipes for ointments for peeling and redness, as well as products for massage and bathing.

So what did the young queen look like in life? Disputes about this ceased after the discovery of a bust of Nefertiti by Ludwig Borchardt during excavations near a small Egyptian village. The bust was made by the famous ancient sculptor Thutmose.

The archaeologist was so amazed by the beauty of the queen that he made the following entry in his diary: “Look and admire.” Borchardt disguised the find as an ordinary stone containing insignificant notes, and then secretly took it abroad. Now this artifact is in the Berlin museum dedicated to history Ancient Egypt.

We must pay tribute to the beauty of Nefertiti; she had a very elegant, sophisticated appearance and used cosmetics very skillfully. There is several evidence that Nefertiti took a bath at least five times a day, changed her outfits and makeup, and did it on a grand scale.

Over a hundred subjects could be present at the ablution ceremony, offering incense, ointments and creams, clothes and jewelry, as well as light snacks. The queen took a special bath of milk and aromatic infusions every evening, thanks to which her skin was supposed to remain smooth and soft.

Appearance in the harem and the struggle for power

It is known for certain that Nefertiti appeared at the court of Pharaoh Amenhotep III at the age of 12-15 years, and a huge ransom was paid for her in pure gold. The girl received an excellent education in special school, where classes were not divided by gender. By the time of her arrival, the old pharaoh had fallen ill and died, and power was to be inherited by his twelve-year-old son, who was completely unprepared for this. In fact, the country was ruled by his mother Tia, who was helped by numerous advisers.

Some people became known by chance Interesting Facts: Akhenaten was still playing with dolls when he received the throne and his father's huge harem. Tia, without any doubt, of all the girls chose Nefertiti as her son’s wife and married them. The perfection of the girl's features, her impeccable figure and sharp mind so impressed the young pharaoh that he was not interested in the other women of the harem.

Immediately, a fierce confrontation began between Tia and Nefertiti for influence over Akhenaten - thanks to her cunning and intelligence, Nefertiti won. The mother was immediately removed from power, and her supporters were removed from important positions.

Scholars argue about the role of the young queen in the religious reforms carried out by Akhenaten, but most researchers agree that she supported the initiatives of her husband. Long years she was Akhenaten's most devoted assistant, for which he ordered that temples and palaces be decorated with images glorifying the beauty and life of Nefertiti.

The queen always accompanied her husband: they went for walks together, supervised the construction of the temple in honor of Aten, and received important guests. They also checked the posts around the city together, and the guard had to give a brief report to both spouses. This idyll lasted for many years; during the marriage, Nefertiti had six children, but all of them were girls, which greatly saddened Akhenaten.

last years of life

It is known from historical records that the enormous influence that Nefertiti had on Akhenaten irritated many. Their marriage began to crumble after it became clear that the queen would not be able to give birth to a boy. Disagreements between the spouses intensified when Nefertiti’s middle daughter, Maketaten, died. Ill-wishers did not fail to take advantage of the chance and presented the pharaoh with young beauty Kiyu.

After the death of her daughter, Nefertiti retired to another palace, and the new favorite completely captured Akhenaten’s heart. Vows about eternal love To ex-wife were forgotten, and to emphasize the status of the new chosen one, Kiya was given the title of junior pharaoh. All images of Nefertiti begin to be destroyed, and tablets with records are removed from the palace archives. However, Kiya was not able to stay in power for long; after a few years she was expelled from the palace.

The next wife of the pharaoh is the daughter of Nefertiti and Akhenaten - Ankhesenamun. Incestuous marriages between close relatives were the absolute norm at that time, because the harmful consequences of such unions became known much later. The pharaoh lived relatively short by our standards and died at the age of 29, becoming an absolute old man. Scientists believe that the cause of this was a serious illness that affected the spine and bones of the pharaoh.

Nefertiti was survived by her husband; papyri have survived to this day confirming the queen’s participation in government. In the chronicles she is described as “insightful and omniscient,” and a fragment of a document has also been preserved confirming the courtship of a noble nobleman to her.

Unfortunately, Nefertiti’s grave has not been found, and scientists are still arguing about who was buried in the tomb at Akhenaten’s feet. The legend that a golden coffin with the remains of the queen was found in the 19th century has no reliable evidence. Author: Natalya Ivanova

And legends.

Knows very little about her. It is known that she was considered one of the most beautiful women of her time. But who was she really and why did mention of her suddenly disappear?

Find answers to these interesting questions we will try in this article.

Queen of Egypt

Queen Nefertiti was the “main wife” of Pharaoh Amenhotep 4, better known as Akhenaten. She ruled together with her husband in the period 1370-1330. BC e.

It is worth noting that we know very little about Nefertiti. So far, no reliable evidence of its true origin has been discovered.

Mention of the queen can only be found on the walls of the tombs of members of the pharaoh's family and some of his associates.

In 1912, Ludwig Borchardt, during archaeological excavations, discovered the workshop of the sculptor Thutmes.

This conclusion was made due to the fact that in this place there were many different rocks, plaster masks, unfinished sculptures and several artifacts with the name of Thutmes himself.

When a life-size bust of a girl was found in one of the premises, Borchardt decided to illegally take it out of Egypt.

He managed to achieve his goal, and in 1920 the find ended up in the Berlin Museum. This was the bust of Queen Nefertiti.

Since the world learned about this mysterious historical figure, there have been debates about her to this day.

Origin of Nefertiti

There are several versions of the origin of Nefertiti.

• Most Egyptologists think that Nefertiti was an Egyptian.
• Another group of scientists is convinced that she was a foreign princess.
• Some researchers believe that the queen was the daughter of Tushratta, the ruler of Mitanni.

Nefertiti deliberately changed her real name Taduhippa when she married Amenhotep 3.

According to the information received, she became a widow in early age. Her next husband was Amenhotep 4, who was the son of her late husband. He agreed to marry the queen because of her incredible beauty.

In many ways, this story confirms the hypothesis that Nefertiti was indeed an Egyptian, since the pharaohs usually married girls royal blood.

Moreover, she could be the daughter of a pharaoh or one of the high-ranking officials.

Besides her attractiveness, Queen Nefertiti was a kind and merciful woman. She knew how to win over ordinary people, as a result of which the Egyptians worshiped her and sang her in poems and myths.

Nefertiti and Akhenaten

After carefully studying the artifacts found, scientists came to the conclusion that the marriage of Nefertiti and Akhenaten was very strong. The pharaoh became famous for carrying out serious religious reforms.

Instead of polytheism, he introduced monotheism (monotheism), building new temples to worship the only “correct” god - Amon-Ra.

But having decided to worship one deity, he had to persuade the entire people to do so, which was very difficult.

For this, Akhenaten needed an intelligent and reliable like-minded person, whom the pharaoh acquired in the person of the beautiful Nefertiti.

The queen helped her husband change the consciousness of the population of Ancient Egypt. Akhenaten did not hesitate to publicly consult with his wife on various issues.

It is not surprising that sculptures of this woman could be seen in any Egyptian city.

Of course, Nefertiti had many opponents, but none of them dared to openly oppose her.

On the contrary, those who approached her with any requests preferred to give her expensive gifts.

But since the queen had wisdom and insight, she helped only those whom her husband trusted.

Concubine for husband

Despite political successes, V family life the queen was experiencing serious problems. She managed to give birth to her husband six children, but all of them were female.

Naturally, Akhenaten, like any ruler ancient world, dreamed of an heir, so he soon had a concubine Kia. And although no enmity arose between the pharaoh and Nefertiti because of this, the previous relationship between them never existed.

Some Egyptologists suggest that it was Nefertiti who suggested that Amenhotep take Kiu as his concubine so that she would bear him a boy.

If this is truly the case, then the queen deserves even more respect. Because, caring for the future of her state, she sacrificed her personal life.

Exile and death

When Akhenaten died, one of their daughters was married to young Tutankhamun. Soon he canceled all the religious reforms of the previous pharaoh, and the people again returned to their previous religious customs.

However, Nefertiti remained devoted to the ideas of her late husband, and until the end of her days she was in exile. IN last years She asked for her life to be buried in Akhenaten’s tomb, but her mummy was not discovered there.

Today it is not known for certain where exactly Queen Nefertiti was buried.

The name of this great woman has gone down in history forever, and is still associated with something beautiful and pure. In German and Egyptian museums you can see sculptural portraits of Nefertiti, found in Amarna in 1912.

In 1995, a landmark exhibition took place in Berlin, dedicated to history Egypt. It featured sculptures of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, who met again after thousands of years.

The image of the queen has become one of the most popular in the history of art. Beautiful Nefertiti left behind many secrets that may be revealed in the future.

Archaeological excavations are still underway in Egypt, and who knows what other surprises await us ahead.

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From the beginning of research and excavations in the ruins of Akhetaten (modern Tel el-Amarna) in the 80s of the 19th century until now, not a single clear evidence of the origin of Nefertiti has been found. Only mentions on the walls of the tombs of the pharaoh's family and nobles provide some information about it. It was the inscriptions in the tombs and the cuneiform tablets of the Amarna archive that helped Egyptologists build several hypotheses about where the queen was born. In modern Egyptology there are several versions, each of which claims to be true, but is not sufficiently confirmed by sources to take a leading position.

In 1912, the German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt discovered a unique bust of Queen Nefertiti in the sculptor’s workshop in el-Amarna, which has since become one of the symbols of the beauty and sophistication of ancient Egyptian culture.

Initially, her bust was discovered by the team of Egyptologist L. Borchard and taken to Germany (where it is now kept); to hide it from Egyptian customs they specially smeared it with plaster. In his archaeological diary, opposite the sketch of the monument, Borchardt wrote only one phrase: “There is no purpose in describing, you have to look.” Exported to Germany in 1913, the unique bust of the queen is kept in the collection of the Egyptian Museum in Berlin. Later in 1933, the Egyptian Ministry of Culture requested it back to Egypt, but Germany refused to return it, and then German Egyptologists were prohibited from archaeological excavations. The Second World War and the persecution of Borchard's wife because of her Jewish origin prevented the archaeologist from continuing his research to the fullest extent. Egypt officially demands that Germany return the exported bust of Nefertiti.

Recently it was discovered that the bust of the beauty Nefertiti has late “plastic surgery” with plaster. Initially molded with a “potato” nose, etc., it was later corrected and began to be considered the standard of Egyptian beauty. It is not yet known whether the original image of Nefertiti was closer to the original and later embellished, or, on the contrary, subsequent completion improved the inaccuracies of the original work... This can only be proven by studying the mummy of Nefertiti herself, if she is discovered.

Tomb

Nefertiti was not discovered or identified among the mummies already found.

Prior to genetic research in February 2010, Egyptologists had speculated that Nefertiti's mummy might be one of two women found in tomb KV35, such as mummy KV35YL. However, in the light of new information, this hypothesis is rejected.

One of the archaeologists, who headed excavations in Akhetaten for a number of years, writes about the legend of the local residents. Allegedly, at the end of the 19th century, a group of people came down from the mountains carrying a golden coffin; soon after this, several gold objects with the name Nefertiti appeared among antique dealers. This information could not be verified.

Busts and figures of Nefertiti, Berlin, Egyptian Museum

Literature

• Mathieu M. E. During the time of Nefertiti. - M., 1965.
• Perepelkin Yu. Ya. The mystery of the golden coffin. - M., 1968.
• Aldred C. Akhenaten: king of Egypt. - London, 1988.
• Anthes R. Die Büste der Königin Nofretete. - Berlin, 1968.
• Arnold D. The royal woman of Amarna. - New York, 1996.
• Ertman E. The Search for the Significance and Origin of Nefertiti’s Tall Blue Crown. // Sesto Congresso Internazionale di Egittologia. Atti. Vol. I. - Torino, 1992, pp. 189-193.
• Müller M. Die Kunst Amenophis’III. und Echnatons. - Basel, 1988.
• Pharaohs of the Sun: Akhenaten, Nefertiti, Tutankhamen. - Boston, 1999.
• Samson J. Nefertiti and Cleopatra: queen-monarchs of Ancient Egypt. - London, 1985.
• Tyldesley J. Nefertiti: Egypt’s sun queen. - London, 1998.
• Solkin V.V. Nefertiti // Ancient Egypt. Encyclopedia. - M., 2005.
• Solkin V.V. Nefertiti: journey through the sands of eternity // New Acropolis. - 2000. - No. 3. - P. 12-18.
• Solkin V.V. Egypt: the universe of the pharaohs. - M., 2001.

Links

• Queen Nefertiti - “The Beautiful One Has Came.” Program “Echo of Moscow” from the cycle “Everything is so”

Filmography

• “Mysteries of history. Nefertiti: The Mummy Returns" Mysteries of History. Nefertiti: The Mummy Returns ) is a popular science film filmed in 2010.

Prominent figures of Ancient Egypt
Pharaohs of the Early Kingdom	Narmer Menes Khor Aha Jer Den Khasekhemui
Pharaohs of the Old Kingdom	Djoser Snofru Khufu Khafre Menkaura Sahura Piopi II
Pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom	Mentuhotep II Amenemhet I Senusret I Senusret III Amenemhet III
Pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom	Ahmose I Amenhotep II Amenhotep III Akhenaten Horemheb
Pharaohs of the 19th and 20th dynasties of the New Kingdom	Ramesses I Seti I Ramesses II Merneptah Setnakht Ramesses III
Rulers of the Late Period	Shoshenq I Piankhi Taharqa Psammetichus I Necho II Amasis II Ptolemy I
Queens	Neithotep Merneit Hetepheres I Nephret Meretites Henutsen Hetepheres II Meresankh III Hamerernebti II Khentkaus Iput Ankhnesmerira Ankhnesmerira II Nitocris Ashait Khentkaus II Neferu Menet Ita Nefrusobek Tetisheri Yahhotep Ahmose-Nefertari Ahmes Hatshepsut Menkhet, Menui and Merti Tiaa Mutemuya T iya Taduhepa Kiluhepa Sitamon Isis (queen) Nefertiti Kiya Ankhesenamon Nefertari Merenmut Cleopatra VII
Cultural and scientific figures	Imhotep Hemiun Ineni Senmut Manetho Horapollon Amenhotep, son of Hapu Tanini
Military leaders, priests and courtiers	Ahmes, son of Ebana Rekhmir Amenemheb Amenhotep, son of Hapu Ujagorresent Potin Horemheb Djedhonsuefankh Masakharta Menkheperra Osorkon III Piankh Pinedjem I Pinedjem II Psusennes II Psusennes III Smendes II Takelot II Herihor Shoshenq II Shoshonq III Merira Ptahduauu Tefnakht I Haemuas Kagemni Ra -Mose Rekhmira Chai Eye Amenemhet ( nomarch of Antinopolis) Amirteus Amirteus I Ankhtifi Irsu

In ancient Egyptian history, Queen Nefertiti is portrayed as an independent, ambitious woman who strives for power. Her bust, on display in the Egyptian collection of the New Museum in Berlin, is one of the world's best-known works representing the era of ancient civilization. As part of a program of study of the history of Ancient Egypt and the role of women in the management of empires in the Middle East, scientific institute Harvard (USA) conducted research in this area. Scientists have come to the conclusion that Nefertiti was perceived by the ancient Egyptians not only as the powerful co-ruler of the pharaoh. But also as a kind of living religious cult of beauty.

Nefertiti "is often presented in history as an independent figure with a reputation as a strong queen," explained Professor Williamson, a member of the Harvard University Middle Eastern History Conference. “However, I came across a completely different image of Nefertiti in the drawings of the tombs in Amarna, often hidden from the king. She is depicted on a hill next to her husband. As is known in Ancient Egypt, the pharaoh had unlimited power granted by heaven." Amenhotep IV inherited the throne at a time when Egypt was rich and military power The empire extended as far north as Syria and south as far as Sudan. He worshiped the sun cult of Ra, whose manifestation was known as Aten. When he became pharaoh, he received the name Akhenaten, which translated from ancient Egyptian means “he who comes into power for the Aten.”

He married Nefertiti, the daughter of a noble official, during the early years of his reign. Akhenaten introduced a new religion of worship of the only Aten in Ancient Egypt, banning all other cults. The funeral rites also changed. His policy was aimed at destroying the name and image of the cult of Amun. The Supreme Aten was represented as a man with the head of a hawk and the sun above his crown. Akhenaten added to this image the solar disk with rays emanating from it. The pharaoh built a new city for his family and the worship of the Aten cult at Tell el-Amarna in the south of the state. Traditionally, the queen's role was to provide support to her majestic husband. Their status was also associated with the cult of Maat - the progenitor of the entire universe. And Hathor, personifying beauty, fertility and joy, the patroness of lovers and mothers. “Through her magical power fertility, she filled the king’s life with energy from space, thereby providing him eternal life", says the scientist. “Religious ceremonies in honor of women were carried out for the rebirth of the Universe, which the ancient Egyptians believed happened every day at dawn.”

Under the reign of Akhenaten, Nefertiti and their daughters took center stage in the rites of religious worship in Ancient Egypt. Nefertiti wore the crown of Hathor, a symbol of eternal beauty, youth and fertility. The image of Nefertiti was placed on the pharaoh's sarcophagus in place of Isis. Traditionally, Isis adorned the tombs of representatives of the royal dynasty, but at that time she was replaced by Nefertiti. Thus, the queen became the embodiment of the magical abilities of the cult of Isis.

According to a group of Egyptologists from Harvard University, the temple at Kom el-Nana, discovered in the 1980s, was dedicated to the cult of Nefertiti. During the research, thousands of sandstone fragments were found engraved with hieroglyphs of Ancient Egypt. Records confirm the fact that the temple next to the house of Aten was built for the queen. The size of the sculptures and drawings of Nefertiti is of great importance. In her temple at el-Nana, her image is significantly inferior to that of Akhenaten, demonstrating his superiority and subordination. Thus, the importance of the figure of the king in the political and religious life of ancient Egyptian society was emphasized.

After the reign of Akhenaten and Nefertiti ended, this city was deserted, the cult of worship of Aten alone was abandoned, and the buildings turned into ruins. The amazing story of the fate of Queen Nefertiti does not leave many people interested in the history of Ancient Egypt indifferent. For more than three thousand years she was not remembered, and her name was lost in history. However, in the last millennium, one of the French scientists F. Champoln managed to decipher the ancient writings of Egypt.

In the 20th century, the world learned about Nefertiti something that could have remained forever forgotten. An expedition of scientists from Germany in the early 40s of the last century, after excavations in Egypt, handed over the found objects for inspection by inspectors of the Antiquities Service. Among all the objects found, experts discovered an ordinary-looking stone block, in which experts eventually recognized the head of the queen. There is an opinion that several unscrupulous archaeologists tried to hide the ancient masterpiece from society, for which they were deprived of the right to participate in excavations in Egypt.

The name Nefertiti was rapidly gaining popularity, legends were formed about her beauty, and her personality became very famous. For centuries, no one except her contemporaries knew about her, and now, after 33 centuries, her name was recognized and discussed. There are not enough accurate facts preserved about Queen Nefertiti herself to speak about her biography with one hundred percent certainty. However, it is believed that Nefertiti was born in Mitania, where the famous Aryans lived, into a family of poor people. The year of her birth according to some sources is 1370 BC. Initially, her name was Taduchela and as a twelve-year-old girl she ended up in the harem of Amenhotep III for a considerable fee to her father. After the death of the pharaoh, according to ancient Egyptian principles, the entire harem was inherited by his successor Amentohep IV. The splendor of the girl did not leave the young ruler indifferent, who became known as Akhenaten, and he took her as his legal wife and she was able to rule Egypt together with her husband.

Queen Nefertiti actively helped her lover in state affairs; her strong character influenced many of her husband’s actions. Nefertiti was influential in external relations other states with Egypt. In her marriage to Akhenaten, the beauty gave birth to six daughters. The couple waited for a long time and in vain for an heir, and in the end the pharaoh decides to enter into a new marriage with a girl from simple kind, whose name was Kiya. The new wife pleased Akhenaten with a son, who is known to us as Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Queen Nefertiti was practically expelled; little Tutankhamun was given to her to raise. Soon, a year later, Akhenaten decides to bring Nefertiti back. Their relationship, as history knows, was not as warm and reverent as it was before. Soon Nefertiti decides to teach her daughter the secrets of love and introduced her to Akhenaten as his wife, that is, the father married his own daughter. Such traditions certainly seem unusual to modern man, but we are talking about ancient Egyptian traditions that were acceptable in their time. The practice of marriage between siblings in Ancient Egypt was popular; noble individuals did not want incest, but their family, naturally, could not last long.

After the death of the pharaoh, Nefertiti began to rule Egypt independently, her royal name became Smenkhkare. Her reign lasted about 5 years and was tragically cut short by murderous conspirators. There is an assumption that the queen's body was disfigured, Nefertiti's tomb was destroyed and devastated by thieves. Surely, if the circumstances of death were different, scientists would be able to provide more accurate information about the queen to modern man. The queen's appearance can be described from existing data, such as sculptures and drawings. According to them, Nefertiti was small in stature with a well-proportioned figure, her grace remaining unchanged even after the birth of six children. Her face was extraordinary for most Egyptian women; she had neat arched bright black eyebrows, her lips were full, and her eyes were colorfully expressive. The beauty of Queen Nefertiti could cause envy among many girls in modern times. There are also controversial rumors about the beauty’s character. Some argue that she had a tough and obstinate character, her disposition was more similar to that of a man. Others, on the contrary, insist on the grace and humility of Nefertiti, on the fact that the queen was unusually prudent and educated for that time, her intelligent speeches helped her husband in governing the state. There is also an opinion that what attracted the great pharaoh to this amazing woman : her pleasant appearance, her sound mind and wisdom or ability to love. Akhenaten could not forget about the beauty even after the appearance of his young wife and did not part with her almost until his death. Bust of Nefertiti, this famous work art has been studied many times by scientists. More recently, researchers discovered that many of the queen's facial features did not correspond to reality. Researchers from Germany decide to unveil the queen’s new appearance. Using computer technology, scientists examined the hidden features of the girl’s face under the retouching paint that was applied to the legendary bust.

As it turned out, the bust of Queen Nefertiti had a hump on her nose, her lips were not as large as depicted, her cheekbones were not as expressive and she had dimples on her cheeks. The invited specialist corrected the queen’s bust, namely: he made her gaze deeper, the cheekbone area became less protruding. As is obvious, the changes that occurred to the face of the sculpture were more negative than positive. The image of the sculpture itself is missing an eye. It is assumed that the ancient Egyptians believed that when creating a sculpture, the image of both eyes meant that the soul of the person depicted was moving to another world. There is also an opinion that when depicting the pharaohs, their second eye was missing for the possibility of their rebirth.