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Epoch Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
The Enigmatic Nefertiti Bust
The ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti is a world-famous beauty, a style icon, and a timeless pop culture sensation. Her life fascinates the general public and confounds experienced scholars. Nefertiti's international celebrity in the modern era dates to the first part of the 20th century, with the discovery and display of a piece of artwork—the Nefertiti bust, from circa 1351 to 1334 B.C. The tale of this limestone and stucco statue complements its sitter's epic story. Nefertiti, whose name means 'the Beautiful One Is Here' in the Egyptian language, was the chief wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV. She was born into a non-royal family circa 1370 B.C. The lack of clarity about her parentage and birth year set the stage for a life that has remained enigmatic. Very few records about Nefertiti have survived. Some writings and artworks were deliberately destroyed by successors, and the hoped-for discovery of her tomb and mummy have been frustratingly elusive. As a result, almost every detail of her life is subject to speculation and conflicting theories. The Royal Couple and Aten House altar: Akhenaten, Nefertiti and three of their daughters under the rays from the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. Limestone; 13 3/16 inches by 15 1/2 inches by 1 3/8 inches. Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, State Museums of Berlin. Married as teenagers, Nefertiti and her husband were the Egyptian power couple of the 14th century B.C. They had six daughters together. One went on to marry the infamous Tutankhamun, who may have been the son of Amenhotep and a different wife. Amenhotep was a reforming leader, and Nefertiti was his integral partner. He moved the royal court from Thebes to an area named Akhetaten, meaning 'Horizon of the Aten,' near the present-day city of Amarna, Egypt. Furthermore, he established a new religion that replaced the polytheistic Egyptian deities with worship of Aten, the sun disk. This was perhaps an early form of monotheism, but assigning this definition is challenged by some in the field. The pharaoh changed his name to Akhenaten, which translates as 'pleasing to Aten.' Part of the collection of Berlin's Neues Museum is the limestone house altar featuring Akhenaten, Nefertiti and three of their daughters under the solar Aten. It dates likely to just after the royal court's move to its new city. It illustrates Nefertiti's power. She is depicted equal to her husband in several ways: Her figure's scale is the same as Akhenaten's; her name is of the same standing as his in the royal cartouche; and the sun god's rays extend the ankh symbol of 'life' in front of both of their noses. Related Stories 10/31/2023 4/21/2024 In the new religion, the royal couple and Aten form a divine trinity. There are political symbols in this family altar, too. Nefertiti's chair is decorated with a knot that binds together images of the papyrus and lotus. This symbolizes the historic unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. The children's heads are shown elongated to signify the life-giving power of the solar disk. Indeed, the Amarna art style is quite different from the status quo ancient Egyptian art marked by static and formal representations. Amarna art is characterized by elongated figures, including necks and high cheekbones, and incorporates elements of naturalism and dynamism. In addition, it is known for its portrayal of affectionate familial relationships, ranging from Akhenaten and Nefertiti holding hands to the queen tenderly embracing her children, such as in the intimate fragment 'Nefertiti and Her Daughter' at the Brooklyn Museum. "Nefertiti and Her Daughter," circa 1352–1336 B.C. Limestone, pigment; 8 3/4 inches by 1 5/16 inches by 17 1/2 inches. Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, Brooklyn Museum. Brooklyn Museum This piece is also representative of how Akhenaten's reforms were unpopular. The pharaoh and his principal wife were 'erased' by subsequent rulers after his death who reinstated the formerly upended traditions and abandoned the city of Akhetaten. This relief reflects deliberate damage done to Nefertiti's face and inscriptions. Akhenaten and Nefertiti from the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. Limestone; 8 3/4 inches by 4 4/5 inches by 3 4/5 inches. Department of Egyptian Antiquities, Louvre Museum. Public Domain The dynamic between the couple have also come under scrutiny. Sometime after the 12th year of Akhenaten's tenure, Nefertiti's name disappeared from the record. Longstanding theories range from her death to her disfavor for only producing daughters or renouncing Atenism. However, in early 2012, a rockface with an inscription dating to the 16th year of Akhenaten's reign was found north of Amarna. It includes Nefertiti's name and refers to her as the Great Royal Wife. Now, many experts believe it likely that she survived her husband, who died the following year. Some Egyptologists wonder whether she served as co-regent at one point, was one of Akhenaten's monarchical successors, or both. Uncovering her burial place and mummy would potentially answer many questions. There are Egyptologists who believe she may lie in the West Valley of the Kings, while others propose that her grave is within a hidden chamber of Tutankhamun's tomb. Borchardt's Team 'Strikes Gold' Early photograph of the Nefertiti bust, taken after its discovery in 1912. ( In 1907, German Egyptologist and architectural historian Ludwig Borchardt made a proposal to the German Oriental Society for extended excavations at the ancient city of Akhetaten, called Tell el-Amarna in Arabic. The long-term project was greenlit and solely funded by the Society's founder, the Berliner James Simon, who was a wealthy Jewish businessman and arts patron. Simon has been The Egyptian Council of Antiquities granted an excavation license to Borchardt and his team, and they began their work in the winter of 1911 to 1912. Initial finds included residential houses, villas, and other complexes. Every area was numbered and every find was documented in sketches and a diary. The greatest treasures were found in 'P 47.2.' On Dec. 5, 1912, it became clear that 'P 47.2' was likely an artist's workshop and was determined to be that of the sculptor Thutmose. The following day, the team 'struck gold.' They uncovered a remarkably lifelike, colorful, and well-preserved bust of Nefertiti. Ludwig Borchardt's famous excavation diary entry states evocatively, 'Colours as if paint was just applied. Work absolutely exceptional. Description is useless, must be seen.' Bust of King Akhenaten, 18th Dynasty of Egypt. Limestone; 22 1/2 inches by 17 3/4 inches by 13 3/4 inches. Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, State Museums of Berlin. Thutmose's workshop was a font of incredible art. In the same room as Nefertiti's sculpture was a bust of Akhenaten. Unfortunately, this life-size colored sculpture was not in as good condition as its counterpart. The pharaoh's face had been smashed purposefully. Its original state would have been majestic, and traces of paint and gilding are still visible. Busts are found throughout much of the classical world, but are rare in Egyptian art, which preferred the depiction of figures in full. It is possible that both busts would have been used in a temple or palace setting for veneration of the couple. The third major find was 'Stele of Akhenaten and his family.' Toward the end of the expedition, the required division of finds took place between the German team and the Egyptians. Egypt requested the stele, which is now in Cairo's Egyptian Museum. The Germans were allowed to export both busts of the royal couple along with other finds. "Stele of Akhenaten and his family" from the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. The ethics and legalities of this decision are debated to this day. The German share became the property of Simon as per the terms of the expedition. In 1920, Simon bequeathed all of the Amarna finds, including Nefertiti bust to Berlin's Egyptian Museum, which is housed today in the Neues Museum. A Pop Culture Phenomenon Bust of Queen Nefertiti from circa 1351–1334 B.C. Limestone, painted; Stucco; Beeswax, black; Rock crystal; 19 3/10 inches by 9 3/5 inches by 13 3/4 inches. Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, State Museums of Berlin. For the past 16 years, the vivacious bust of Nefertiti has been dramatically displayed in its own gallery, the North Dome Room, at the Neues Museum. At 19 inches tall, it weighs approximately 44 pounds. It first went on public view in 1924 and immediately caused a sensation. Visitors from near and far were awestruck by the bust's aesthetics: symmetrical beauty with swanlike neck and high cheekbones, confident gaze, and realistic details, such as delicate neck muscles. This image of Nefertiti quickly became iconic, comparable to Leonardo's 'Mona Lisa.' It was featured in all manner of media, including beauty columns, fashion designs, advertisements, and even a Mickey Mouse comic. One of the bust's greatest style influences was its kohl rimmed almond-shaped eyes. Women have imitated the cat-eye makeup look since the bust's museum debut. In 'Eyeliner: A Cultural History' by Zahra Hankir, the author writes, 'All features considered, the allure of the queen's eyes—framed with thick black lines—is unparalleled. The lines are perfectly symmetrical, meeting at the edges of the eyes to form her trademark flicks. From a strictly aesthetic perspective, the tracing defines and widens the windows into Nefertiti's soul, lending them a fresh-looking yet sultry appearance.' Limestone piece showing head of Nefertiti from Amarna, Egypt. The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London. Fashions mimicking the bust's wide collar and hats and hairstyles resembling her flat-topped crown have also been popular in the 20th and 21st centuries. Most ancient Egyptian art lacks expressive emotion, making Nefertiti's poised visage with its suggestions of an inner life a rarity. The fact that it was found whole with damage confined only to a missing left eye and some fragmentation to the ears and crown is remarkable. The artist took great care to depict her face with total precision, which can be appreciated when viewing the individual cross-hatched eyebrow hairs. The natural pigments used include carbon black, green frit, red ochre, and yellow orpiment, as well as the synthetic 'Egyptian blue'—the oldest known man-made pigment. The crown is encircled by a gold band and adorned with a uraeus, a sacred symbol of an Egyptian cobra signifying supreme power. The iris and pupil of the extant right eye consist of beeswax dyed black covered with a slender bit of polished rock crystal as the cornea. The left eye is missing a corresponding inlay. Borchardt and his team found no sign of it, though they carried out an in-depth search, and the bust's socket itself does not show any trace of having once had one. That begs the question of why. No answer has produced a consensus among experts. The Berlin State Museums expounds upon the importance of Nefertiti bust, writing: 'The sheer variety of appropriations of the image and the transformation of the bust from an archaeological artefact to a phenomenon of pop culture attest to its universal significance. Independently of all these uses, the bust of Nefertiti speaks for itself. It truly is part of our world heritage.' Miraculously, it has survived the sands of time to stand the test of time. What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
The Independent
17-02-2025
- The Independent
A new cruise has opened up a whole new way to explore Egypt's ancient mysteries
I am floating peacefully high above the bustle of Luxor's dusty streets, only the occasional burst from the burner of the hot air balloon breaking the silence. Our pilot, captain Mahmoud, gently turns us around so we get an unbeatable God's eye view reaching from the lush green corridor of the Nile to the rocky hills where the world famous Valley of the Kings is tucked away. I turn around to face the magical spectacle of a dozen balloons silhouetted against the golden orange of the sun, shimmering as it too rises up from the horizon. As Mahmoud lowers the balloon back to Earth, the support crew scramble into action, holding on to the basket to ensure a gentle touchdown before calling to each other as they grab the fabric as it deflates, making sure it does not get damaged on the rocky desert ground. The captain tells me: 'Look at us Egyptians at work, this is how the pyramids were made.' My aerial adventure is one of several land-based activities available on a new cruise down Egypt 's main aquatic artery, the Nile. For the first time, tour operator Tui has expanded its river cruise offerings outside of Europe with its five-star all-inclusive Al Horeya (meaning freedom), which has 72 cabins, a rooftop swimming pool and two hot tubs. A second ship will join the operation in November 2025. Ahead of our voyage, I have time to explore Luxor. Having glimpsed the Valley of the Kings from 1,500ft high, I later visit with a sense of bewilderment that these secret wonders hidden deep in the hills were ever uncovered. I approach a black hole in the rock and my eyes take a moment to adjust from the glaring sun to the muted light of the tunnel that burrows down to the underground tomb of Ramses VI. The lines of finely crafted images depicting the life of the God-king lead my eye down the corridor, my skin bristling with the sense of excitement the original excavators must have experienced as they discovered these time capsules from ancient history. As I explore some of the tunnels of the 62 pharaohs buried in the valley, the fantastical images from jackal-headed gods to the ankh symbol of life strike me as out of this world, as alien as if they had been painted on the walls by visitors in flying saucers. Saving the tomb of Tutankhamen to last, I enter the short tunnel to the burial chamber where the boy king was placed when he died at just 19 years old in 1,323BC having reigned for only 10 years. His early death led to him being buried in a spare chamber which was discovered by accident by the English Egyptologist Howard Carter in November 1922, as he was excavating the tomb of Ramses VI which lies directly above. Although the thousands of items found in the tomb, including Tutankhamen's magnificent golden death mask, are waiting to be rehoused in a newly-opened $1 billion museum, his mummified body remains in the tomb inside a glass case. Far from feeling I have suffered King Tut's curse by entering his tomb, I feel blessed to have the opportunity to have a glimpse of his face, frozen in time, as it looks out on his chamber decorated in a warm orange with wall paintings depicting his arrival in the underworld which, amazingly, have barely faded. Luckily my guide, Sarwat, one of two Egyptologists travelling with us, had advised an early 6am start to avoid the crowds, allowing us to enjoy the tomb and its images almost completely alone. Sarwat explains to me that the artists used stone powder and vegetable paste mixed with egg white to create a plaster-layer to preserve the drawings. He adds: 'They were telling the story of the kings for the gods to read, so their stories would last for all eternity.' I return to the Nile and climb on board a felucca sailboat similar to those used by traders for thousands of years for a sedate crossing back to the Al Horeya for a lunch of delicious chicken and hot sauce wraps at the appropriately-named Felucca rooftop restaurant. The next morning it is the turn of the temples of Karnak and Luxor to confound me with their scale and grandiosity. Entering the main hall, I am dwarfed by the 134 columns that form the centrepiece of Karnak and are so memorable from The Spy Who Loved Me as Roger Moore's Bond battles Jaws before making the rather unfair quip: 'Egyptian builders' as some scaffolding collapses. But Karnak is somewhere where the ancient architects have left a clue to their engineering genius as huge mud brick ramps remain next to the unfinished outer walls, showing how the huge stones were originally put in place. The temple is linked to its Luxor counterpart by the 5,000-year-old Avenue of the Sphinxes, which is lined by hundreds of human and ram-headed sphinxes and was used for a festival procession of the gods carried on their boats by the high priests celebrating the sun god, Amun-Re. The main entrance at Luxor was created by Ramses II whose domineering statue overlooks the site. It is a short hop back on the boat moored alongside the temple and time for our departure on our journey up the Nile. I sit under the shade of the ship's top deck bar, a gentle breeze from the river acting as natural air conditioning, watching as the city landscape gives way to the green farmlands that the river creates all the way down this desert country. The relaxed pace of life onboard means that I am fully refreshed in the morning, ready to experience the most complete temple in Egypt. The final stop is Aswan where we visit the famous dam, which is Egypt's modern marvel of engineering, as well as a Nubian village to gain an insight into how people have lived in country's south for generations. Sitting with a drink in hand, watching a farmer at the green riverside with sandy mountains looming behind, I get a renewed sense of the importance of this life-giving river to all the inhabitants of this country, from the ordinary worker to the iconic gods of ancient myth. As the ancient Greek historian Herodotus said: 'Egypt is the gift of the Nile' and my journey on the Tui Al Horeya has been the perfect way to unwrap it. How to plan your trip TUI ( offers a seven-night Legends of the Nile cruise on Al Horeya from £1,799 per person (two sharing) on an all-inclusive basis, including tips. Transfers and flights from London Gatwick or Manchester to Luxor, Egypt, on April 17, 2025.
