SAEDNEWS: Nefertiti is regarded as one of the most powerful and beautiful women of the ancient world. Although her bust is world-famous, little is known about this queen of ancient Egypt.
According to the Saed News Society Service, citing Fararu, Nefertiti appears to have gazed into the distance, exuding an air of pride and reserve. Little is known about the woman who lived roughly 3,500 years ago in ancient Egypt. Her name translates as “Beautiful One Has Come.”
Yet whether she was tall or short, harsh or generous, proud or humble remains a mystery. All details of her personality and character have been lost to history. No papyri recount her life, and no contemporary historians documented her story. Only a few reliefs and inscriptions offer glimpses of the enigmatic queen.
It is widely believed that she became the wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV at a young age, likely between 12 and 15. He earned the title of “heretic pharaoh” for abolishing the worship of multiple gods and promoting Aten, the sun disk deity, as the sole god. Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten, meaning “He who serves Aten,” while Nefertiti became Neferneferuaten, meaning “Beautiful is the beauty of Aten.”
According to Olivia Zorn, deputy director of the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, part of the Neues Museum, Nefertiti held the title of Great Royal Wife and was Akhenaten’s equal. “They formed a triad with the god Aten,” she explains. “Aten, Akhenaten, and Nefertiti effectively functioned as a single unit of governance.”
A New City for Aten
Around 1350 BCE, the royal couple left Thebes, the capital of Egypt at the time, and established a new city called Akhetaten (Horizon of Aten), which housed roughly 50,000 people and served as the royal residence. The city was located in the Amarna plain, a valley protected by steep cliffs. Akhenaten also built a temple dedicated to Aten.
However, their promotion of monotheism created powerful enemies among displaced priests. Akhenaten died in his seventeenth year of rule, and Nefertiti’s fate is uncertain. One theory suggests she may have ruled briefly under the name Smenkhkare, though Zorn notes she might have died before her husband.
Egyptian Art Preserved
Historical records of later pharaohs, especially under the legendary Tutankhamun, are more detailed. They restored the old gods, demolished Akhenaten’s monuments, and repurposed the ruins as building material. Akhetaten, the new capital, fell into ruin.
If Ludwig Borchardt, the German architect and Egyptologist, had not traveled to Amarna in the early 20th century, Nefertiti’s name might have remained obscure. Commissioned by Emperor Wilhelm II, Borchardt sought artifacts for Berlin’s royal museums. On December 6, 1912, his team discovered the workshop of a sculptor who likely worked for the royal court around 1300 BCE.
Beneath the debris lay several statues, including a bust of a queen wearing a blue crown. The sculpture’s ears were pierced, and its eyes adorned with kohl. Though the left iris was missing, the bust’s form was remarkably intact. Borchardt was thrilled: “We were holding the clearest example of Egyptian art in our hands.” The life-size bust measures 47 centimeters high, and Borchardt described it as “a masterpiece that cannot be fully captured in words—you must see it in person.”
The tall, flat-topped crown was a common headdress in ancient Egypt. It is likely that the queen’s head was shaved to facilitate wearing heavy garments and prevent lice infestations. Did she wear makeup to enhance her appearance? Zorn explains: “While modern cosmetics didn’t exist, people lined their eyes to accentuate them. It also had a disinfecting effect, protecting against bacteria that could cause blindness.”
Exchanged Artifacts
With support from the German Oriental Society, Borchardt transported the Nefertiti bust to Berlin. At the time, archaeological finds were divided equally between Egypt and the excavating nation. Gaston Camille Charles Maspero, head of French-supervised antiquities services, instructed a colleague to handle the division. One part included Nefertiti’s bust, the other a shrine depicting Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their three daughters. Since the Egyptian Museum in Cairo did not yet have a shrine, the bust went to Berlin, though Borchardt was later criticized for removing it under less-than-ideal conditions.
A Timeless Ideal of Beauty
Thus, Egypt’s symbol of beauty traveled to Berlin, where it was publicly displayed in 1924, sparking worldwide fascination. The bust appeared on magazine covers and inspired advertising campaigns for cosmetics, perfume, jewelry, and even food and beverages. The sculpture, long buried in desert sands, became an iconic symbol of admiration—likely reflecting the esteem Nefertiti commanded in her own lifetime. Zorn notes, “Her elongated features and refined elegance aligned with modern beauty ideals in the early 20th century.” She adds that it is impossible to know whether 3,500 years ago her appearance was similarly idealized.
he Secrets of the Bust
The bust is carved from limestone, overlaid with a thin layer of plaster that allowed the sculptor to model Nefertiti’s features. CT scans of the face in 2006 revealed the incised lines of her visage. Zorn explains, “The artist applied a thin plaster layer that acted like makeup, smoothing the surface.”
Nefertiti likely had both eyes, though the famous bust has only one. Zorn theorizes that this was simply a model used as a template for other statues. The sculptor may have experimented with different materials for the iris.
Challenges of Reconstruction
To reconstruct Nefertiti’s true face, her mummy would be required. Zorn notes that her mummy has not been definitively identified, despite numerous attempts. Even if discovered, only bones and skin remain; reconstructing the nose is especially difficult. Scientists can estimate the flesh beneath the skin, but a faithful reconstruction remains elusive. Most reconstructions are influenced by the famous bust rather than objective evidence.
Today, 3,500 years after her death, Nefertiti’s precise appearance remains unknown. Yet thanks to her iconic bust, a remarkable image of her beauty endures in our imagination.
