Her husband's name is Nefertiti. Note

Nefertiti (Nefer-Neferu-Aton Nefertiti, Ancient Egyptian. Nfr-nfr.w-Jtn-Nfr.t-jty, “The most beautiful [of] the beauties of Aten, the Beauty Has Come”) - 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.

Opinions about the origin of Nefertiti still vary. Some consider her a foreign princess, others - an Egyptian. It is difficult to say what origin it was. Of course, Egyptologists believe that since she is the main wife of the pharaoh, she must be an Egyptian and of royal blood. In any case, there are as many opinions as there are people. Nefertiti became the main wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, contrary to all the canons and traditions of ancient Egypt. Perhaps this is where the answer to the question is stored: how for such short period Nefertiti captured the heart of the powerful pharaoh. By the way, the reign of Amenhotep IV is remembered as a time of “religious reforms.” The pharaoh was not afraid to oppose one of the most powerful castes in Egypt - the priests. This caste kept almost all the inhabitants of the country in fear, as they possessed “mysterious knowledge.” They used complex cult rituals of numerous gods and thus seized power in Egypt. Amenhotep IV was far from the man who would give up his power. After some thought, he declares war on the priests.

The pharaoh moved the capital of Egypt from Thebes to a new location. He built new temples there and crowned them with sculptures of a new god. He abolished Amon and appointed a new god - Aten. The pharaoh even renamed himself Akhenaten, which means “pleasing to Aten.” It is difficult to imagine how much effort the pharaoh spent to break and change the consciousness of Egypt and win the war with the priests. Of course, this could not have happened without a reliable and faithful ally. And who was he? Of course, his faithful wife Nefertiti. There is no information about how the queen helped her husband, but you can take a risk and rely on knowledge of human psychology.

After his wedding with Nefertiti, the pharaoh completely forgot about his harem. He didn't let his wife go anywhere. Contrary to all the rules, a woman began to attend diplomatic meetings and receptions for the first time. Akhenaten consulted his wife without hesitation and in public. When he simply went out to check the outposts of the city, he took young Nefertiti with him. The guard reported everything not only to the pharaoh, but also to his wife. Majestic statues of the queen decorated every temple. Worship of Akhenaten's wife crossed all boundaries. It is not a fact that only thanks to love and beauty the queen could influence the pharaoh so much. Perhaps witchcraft? It is unlikely that among the more realistic versions there is one - her wisdom, incredible devotion to her husband and youth. This is what most likely affected Akhenaten. Of course, many plotted, were envious and did not understand: how can a woman rule the state and turn the pharaoh around as she wants?
As in all times, the nobles decided not to quarrel with the queen and mountains of various gifts and other things fell on Nefertiti. However, the girl only worked for those who, in her opinion, could benefit the country and her husband.

It seemed that Nefertiti had everything for happiness. Alas, trouble came from the direction from which it was least expected. Nefertiti gave birth to six daughters, but there was no son. This is where the queen’s envious people rejoiced. The life expectancy of Egyptians at that time was very short. They lived up to a maximum of thirty years. Death could have sneaked up on Akhenaten, and then there would have been no direct heir. There were people who introduced the pharaoh to a rather beautiful concubine named Kia. It seems that at this moment Nefertiti’s power should have come to an end. However, it is not so easy to forget your former love. Akhenaten runs back and forth, now to his concubine, now to Nefertiti. And every time he comes to Nefertiti, a warm welcome awaits him. Queen Nefertiti turned out to be a very proud and strong-willed woman. She was never able to forgive Akhenaten. One fine day, chatting about nothing with the concubine Kia infuriated the pharaoh. She was returned to the harem. She, of course, was furious and fell into hysterics typical of women. Unfortunately, Akhenaten and Nefertiti were no longer in such good relations. Love could not be glued together.

Nefertiti, as a smart woman, solved the problem of the lack of an heir. Of course, now such actions seem wild to us, but still this was Ancient Egypt. So, Nefertiti offers Akhenaten her third daughter as a wife. She taught her the art of love, precisely the love that ignited the pharaoh. Alas, three years later Ankhesenamun (third daughter) was widowed. She was only eleven years old, but she was married off again. This time for Tutankhamun. The capital was returned to Thebes. Egypt again returned the cult of worship of Amun-Ra. Nefertiti remained in Akhenaten, former capital, from which life was slowly leaving. The queen died and the city was completely deserted. Nefertiti was buried next to Akhenaten. Only thirty-three centuries later, her image rose from the ashes, like a phoenix, and made us think about what real beauty is?

In 1912, during excavations at Amarna, archaeologists found a perfectly preserved painted sculpture of Nefertiti, an Egyptian queen from the 18th dynasty of the New Kingdom. Slender neck, almond-shaped eyes, dreamily smiling lips... Since then, the opinion has been established that this woman is the undoubted standard of beauty and femininity of the ancient world.

Her husband Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton) went down in history as a reformer pharaoh who rebelled against domination old nobility and priests closely associated with the cult of the Theban god Amon-Ra. There was nothing majestic about him; his appearance was ugly, which was especially striking next to Nefertiti. If you believe ancient sculptors, then the frail and stooped body of Amenhotep IV was crowned by an excessively large head with pointed ears, a drooping jaw and a long nose.

From a very early age he was plagued by illnesses. Amenhotep was only twelve when he was placed on the throne after the death of his father. He was a shy and impressionable child who still played with dolls. He inherited almost nothing from the warlike and despotic character of Amenhotep III. He succeeded everywhere: he was both a politician and a military leader, loved wine and lavish festivities, and adored women. His harem numbered more than a hundred concubines - daughters of nobles, foreign princesses and simply beautiful captives. The government of the country during this period was in the hands of high-ranking nobles and Tia (or Theya), the first legal wife of the pharaoh, the mother of Amenhotep IV (according to other sources, his wet nurse).

Tia came from Mesopotamia. It was there, at the court of King Tushrat, who ruled the state of Mitanni, that the future pharaoh met the young princess Taduchepa (according to some historians, her mother’s cousin), who went down in history under the name Nefertiti. She received a brilliant education for those times in special school, where boys and girls studied together, which was then perceived as almost a revolutionary method of educating the younger generation.

It is difficult to say what the true plans of the first wife of Amenhotep III were, but when she brought the princess from Mitanni, the country of the Aryans (by paying, by the way, a considerable ransom in gold, silver and ivory), then at first she placed her in the harem of the reigning pharaoh.

When the fifteen-year-old princess arrived with her retinue in Thebes, her extraordinary bright appearance immediately captivated the townspeople - it was then that she received the new name Nefertiti (“The Beautiful One Has Came!”). The prematurely aged pharaoh could hardly enjoy the delights of his new concubine (she simply might not get her turn). Two years after her arrival, he died. His rightful heir, the boy pharaoh, was on the throne.

A few weeks after the death of the old pharaoh, Tia married her son to Nefertiti. Immediately, a struggle began between these women for influence over the young pharaoh. The forces turned out to be unequal - youth and beauty slowly but surely won. Amenhotep, according to some reports, dissolved his father’s huge harem, which he inherited, and this was Nefertiti’s first victory.

Gradually she became her husband's main adviser on almost all issues. And his admiration for his wife sometimes went beyond all limits: taking oaths to the god Aten at the founding of the new capital, Akhenaten swore to the supreme deity not only his God the father, but also his love for his wife and children. When going out to check the outposts around the city, Akhenaten took Nefertiti with him, and the guard reported on his service not only to the ruler and commander-in-chief of the army, but also to his wife.

She was also present when dignitaries were awarded gifts and honors and thanked her subordinates for their good service. The nobles more than once humbly asked Nefertiti to put in the right word with the pharaoh.

The mystery of Nefertiti's spell, real or imaginary, continues to excite people's minds thousands of years later. Already today, a doctor at the Moscow Institute of Beauty, while visiting, saw a copy of the sculpted head of the Egyptian queen, and asked the hostess of the house: “Well, what does everyone see in her? An ideally correct face, but cold, even boring...” The hostess, who was an artist, silently took out a thin brush, dipped it in water and made a few strokes on the yellow sandstone. Lips appeared on the stony face, then eyebrows, pupils... “I couldn’t take my eyes off,” the surgeon recalled, “a woman of amazing beauty was looking at me, as if alive.”

There are many blank spots in Nefertiti’s biography. It is still unclear, for example, how many children she gave birth to. In any case, these were only daughters (according to some sources, three, according to others, six). The royal spouses were consoled by one thing: the absence of a son would not affect the future of the dynasty in any way, since according to tradition, power could be transferred through a daughter if she married a high dignitary. In addition, Akhenaten had sons from other wives, one of them was the famous Tutankhamun. And yet, according to historians, Nefertiti’s power over Akhenaten would never have wavered if the gods had sent her a son. After all, whatever you say, men in all centuries dream of an heir, a continuer of their deeds.

Inscriptions and drawings restored by scientists say that the young reigning couple initially led a luxurious and happy life. family life. But is it possible to fully trust the sincerity of the official chroniclers of that time? Akhenaten was a sick man, which undoubtedly affected his personal life. Judging by some inscriptions, Nefertiti sought the company of other men, whom, however, she did not keep around her for a long time.

Maybe it all started after “well-wishers” literally put the lovely Kia, the most beautiful and graceful woman in the royal harem, into bed with her bored husband? Less than a month had passed before Akhenaten declared that he recognized her as his side wife. By the way, many found that the new wife resembles Nefertiti in her fragility and grace of lines. But, as practice shows, a copy is often worse than the original.

Hope seems to have dawned again on half of the disgraced queen. Having demoted the annoying Kia to an ordinary concubine, the pharaoh returned to the queen in order, as historians write, to take his third daughter, Ankhesenamun, as his wife,” and therefore asked Nefertiti to prepare her for such a serious step, to teach her the art that she knows. The girl is already eight years old, she has long been ripe for the marriage bed. God Aten himself allegedly showed him his new chosen one.

In Egypt and some other countries Ancient world in such marriages they did not see anything illegal; on the contrary, they were considered ideal, since they preserved the “divine essence” of the reigning house and did not allow its representatives to mix with plebeians or foreigners.

An unexpected drama in the palace strengthened the position of the priests of the “old” god Amun. Despite the care of nannies and court doctors, for some unknown reason, Pharaoh’s beloved daughter Maktaton died at the age of ten. Egyptologists came to the conclusion that several years before Akhenaten’s death, his family fell apart: Nefertiti, expelled from the palace, was raised in country house the boy appointed as her daughter's husband - Tutankhamun.

In the eighteenth year of his reign, Amenhotep-Akhenaton left this world. The cause, apparently, was a progressive serious illness: the pharaoh’s spine became increasingly deformed, his body became covered with non-healing ulcers, and at the age of twenty-nine his earthly journey ended. The religion he propagated went away with him.

After the death of Amenhotep IV, the throne was taken by his son-in-law, the husband of Smenkhkare’s eldest daughter, who immediately restored the cult of the “rejected” god Amun. According to some historians, under this male name Nefertiti herself could well have reigned... Soon Tutankhamun appeared on the throne, to whom the queen married her unfortunate Ankhesenamun. Under him, the capital was firmly established in Thebes. Nefertiti also returned there. And what could she do in an abandoned and partially destroyed city?

Many sought the hand of the seductive widow, but she did not marry for the third time. Although from scattered records it can be understood that Nefertiti did not become a recluse. Apparently, she did not fall into disgrace and retained her influence at court. In the records she is called wise and perspicacious.

She died at thirty-seven years old. She was solemnly buried, as she had requested, in a tomb next to Akhenaten.

XIV century BC e. V Ancient Egypt notable for the reform activities of the 18th dynasty pharaoh Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton). This man ascended the throne around 1354-1352 BC. e. The time of his reign is characterized by the proclamation of the cult of the single god Aten. Before this, Amon (the sun god) was considered the highest deity. Besides him, there were many other gods. The Egyptians worshiped all of them. The new pharaoh ordered to forget the old gods and give honor to only one god, who personified the divine power of heaven in a single person.

The reformer pharaoh had a wife of extraordinary beauty. She went down in history as Queen Nefertiti of Egypt. This woman was not limited to just fulfilling marital duties. She was like-minded with her husband and warmly supported him in all his endeavors.

The queen was called "Perfect". Her face was depicted on the walls of temples that were erected in honor of the new god Aten. She accompanied her husband everywhere and together with him personified the new cult of a single deity. It is quite natural that historians have developed a great interest in this beautiful and mysterious woman who lived in the days of fabulous antiquity.

Mysteries of Queen Nefertiti

Origin

The first mystery is the origin of the reigning person. There are 2 opinions on this issue. Some experts believe that the beauty was a purebred Egyptian. Other scientists are of the opinion that the pharaoh took a foreign princess as his wife.

The woman was considered the main wife of the pharaoh, and, therefore, the noble blood of the Egyptian rulers should flow in her veins. Therefore, we can assume that the beauty was the daughter of Amenhotep III (father of Amenhotep IV). It follows that she was her husband’s full or half-sister. However, Amenhotep III did not have a daughter with that name. At least not one was found ancient list, in which this name would appear.

It can be assumed that the Perfect One was her husband’s cousin. In this case, the prevailing version is that she was the daughter of the royal nobleman Eya. This is a prominent historical figure that time. The nobleman was considered Akhenaten's closest associate. Subsequently, he himself became a pharaoh. His family connection with the reigning dynasty is quite distant. He is considered the brother of the main wife of Amenhotep III. Therefore, he was Akhenaten’s uncle, and his daughter was his cousin.

Computer reconstruction of Queen Nefertiti's face

But Nefertiti could also have had foreign origin. Some experts consider her a Mitannian princess. Ancient state Mitanni existed in the northern regions of Mesopotamia, and arose as a result of the fall of the Babylonian kingdom. In the XIV century BC. e. it was a strong power. An alliance with her was desirable for Ancient Egypt. At that time Tushratta reigned in Mitanni. He maintained friendly relations with Amenhotep III. The king sent his 2 daughters to the court of Pharaoh. One was called Giluhippa, the second was named Taduhippa.

It was the second daughter who was to become the wife of the ruler of Egypt. But he soon died, and the young woman married Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton). Some scientists identify this woman with Kiya, the second wife of the pharaoh. Other historians are of the opinion that she was the perfect beauty. After all, Nefertiti is translated as “the beautiful one has come.” That is, the name already indicates that the queen could well have been of foreign origin.

As for Tushratta's other daughter Giluhippa, she later became the wife of the first pharaoh of the 19th dynasty, Horembekh. He sat on the royal throne around 1320 BC. e. However, some historians believe that Taduhippa still married Amenhotep III, and it was Giluhippa who became Akhenaten’s wife. After becoming the pharaoh's wife, she changed her name, which was considered common practice at the time. Another woman tied herself in marriage with Horembekh.

Opal

At first, the beautiful wife accompanies her husband everywhere and plays a huge role in the political and religious life of Ancient Egypt. At large-scale religious festivals, she is the center of attention. She is personified with the goddess of moisture and the daughter of the Sun. A woman's power is limitless. Her beautiful face is depicted in all temples. By order of Akhenaten, a new city was built, which was called Akhetaten. It replaced the former capital of Thebes. In it, the Queen of Egypt Nefertiti became the sovereign mistress.

But 12 years pass, and for some reason the woman falls into disgrace. She disappears from the political arena of the country, and her second wife Kiya takes her place. What caused such a rapid decline? It can be assumed that the crowned husband was disappointed in his wife for a completely trivial reason. She gave birth to 6 daughters, but did not produce a single boy. That is, the ruler of a mighty country did not have an heir.

This was a serious reason for disgrace. But there could be other reasons. The husband lost interest in his beautiful wife. This happens, and quite often. Pharaoh was far from the first in this matter, and certainly not the last. There could have been some other reason related to palace intrigues, ambitions and claims. The fact is obvious. All mention of the queen completely disappeared in the 13th year of Akhenaten's reign.

Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton)

The fate of Nefertiti after the death of her husband

The reformer ruler ruled for 17 years. The last 5 years of his reign passed without his beautiful wife. After the death of Pharaoh, he sat on the throne younger brother or son. It is known that he married Ankhesenamun - the 3rd daughter from the marriage of Akhenaten and his dazzlingly beautiful wife. But the new pharaoh gained power at the age of 10. Therefore, the country was actually ruled by the nobleman Ey. He became the ruler of Ancient Egypt after the death of the crowned youth, who died at the age of 19.

What has the dowager queen been doing all this time? Information about this period of her life is very scarce. She no longer played any political role. Her life passed within the walls of the palace, but it was a boring and monotonous existence for a far from young woman who gave birth to 6 children. It is unknown when the ruler, powerful in former times, died. Whether she survived Tutankhamun or not is also unclear. The memory of her faded over the years, and many residents of the country could no longer remember this name.

Queen's Tomb

The tomb of Queen Nefertiti of Egypt has not been found to this day.. Consequently, there is no mummy from which the original appearance could be restored. However, many female mummies were found at one time. Some of them considered the mummy to be Perfect. But genetic testing put everything in its place and did not live up to the researchers’ hopes.

There is a legend that says that in last years In the 19th century, some people found a golden coffin in the area of ​​the Great Pyramids. After this, relics made of pure gold appeared in antique shops. The name of the beautiful queen was clearly visible on them. But this information looks more like a fairy tale than serious information. At the very least, no facts confirming the authenticity of this find have been recorded.

The article was written by Maxim Shipunov

MENSBY

4.6

Nefertiti was one of hundreds of princesses brought to give birth to sons and face old age alone... But fate gave her a unique chance...

Plastic surgeons copy the shape of her eyes, the shape of her lips and nose, fashionistas repeat the makeup of the famous queen, and designers create flowing dresses, sandals and ethnic jewelry, just like in her portraits...

The mystery of the royal origin of the “coming beauty”

Figure of Nefertiti, Limestone; Amarna; New Kingdom, 18th dynasty; c. 1345 BC

As it became known, Nefertiti was born in 1370 BC. e., but Egyptologists cannot come to a single answer to the question of where and into what family she was born.

Most are sure that the queen’s very name contains the secret of her origin. Nefertiti is translated from Egyptian as “the beauty who came,” which means that she came to Egypt from another region. A version arose that Nefertiti was the daughter of King Tushratta and Queen Juni from neighboring Mitania, a kingdom in Mesopotamia where the legendary Aryans lived. Her parents named the princess Tadukhipa and raised her in the traditions of the monotheistic Aryan religion, which taught to worship the sun as the only deity.

Probably, 12-year-old Taduchepa was sent by her father to Egypt as a gift for Pharaoh Amenhotep III to the “House of Ornaments” (harem) and became one of hundreds of foreign princesses brought to give birth to sons to the ruler and meet old age alone...

But fate gave her a unique chance...

The secret of Nefertiti's brilliant marriage.

Shortly after Nefertiti's arrival, Amenhotep III departed for the next world, and according to tradition, all of the pharaoh's wives had to be sacrificed and buried with the ruler. But the son of the deceased, young Amenhotep IV, saved Nefertiti from death and made him his wife. It is not difficult to guess that the young man was pushed to take such a bold step strong love. He signed every state order with an oath eternal love to God and Nefertiti.

The husband called the queen “the lady of joy, pacifying heaven and earth with a sweet voice and kindness” and “the delight of the heart.”

The secret of the queen's ideal beauty.

The famous bust of Nefertiti, which German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt excavated in the desert in 1912, is considered a real miracle of world art. Borchard secretly took the artifact to Germany and gave it to the Berlin Museum. Egyptian authorities demanded the return of the find, threatening Nefertiti with a deadly curse. The Germans rudely refused, and then the fascist leader took the figurine into his bunker and, they say, looked at the silent beauty day and night.

These days, the sculpture is still kept in the Berlin Museum, but the German authorities have begun to gradually give Egypt cultural heritage, and perhaps Nefertiti will return home soon!

So, how did the ancient master portray his queen: charming brown-green eyes, thick black eyebrows, sensual full lips, an elegant nose, strong-willed cheekbones, a swan neck and a miniature figure - Nefertiti looks simply flawless.

But, like any fashionista, the queen knew ways to become even more attractive: she painted her nails with henna or liquid gold, took baths with sea salt, rubbed aromatic oils into her skin, powdered herself with powder from crushed minerals, lined her eyes with antimony, smeared her lips with berry lipstick, wore translucent linen kalaziris and statement dresses Jewelry(each lobe has two earrings). The pharaoh's wife loved wigs with pigtails, multi-colored strands and shiny clips, having hundreds of hair in her collection.

The secret of Nefertiti's limitless power.

Queen Nefertiti. Schengili-Roberts.

Nefertiti was a virtuoso in politics and the ability to persuade: she renamed herself Nefer Nefer Aten (“beautiful with the beauty of Aten”), advised her husband to abandon the gods of his ancestors and accept her religion, proclaiming the only God - the solar Aten, after which Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten ("pleasing to Aten") and built Akhetaten - new capital in the Sahara. The pharaoh declared his wife a co-ruler and ordered that any of her orders be carried out. Nefertiti decided to destroy the ancient temples and begin persecution of the priests of the old faith.

The people silently accepted the new religion and prayed in every dawn. sun rays. The queen often went out onto the palace balcony and showered the Egyptians with gold coins, convincing them that these were gifts from Aten, and in holidays artistically performed in front of her subjects, literally hypnotizing the crowd with her speeches.

But in her personal life, Nefertiti became a victim of circumstances: the ruling spouses had daughters one after another, and when the sixth baby was born, Akhenaten made the difficult decision to take a new wife. She became the young Kiya, who gave birth to the pharaoh’s “golden boy” Tutankhamun, thereby ensuring the continuation of the 18th dynasty. And Nefertiti had to leave the palace and live outside the city, raising Tutankhamun as the heir to the throne. A year later, the yearning pharaoh returned his first wife to his chambers, but they were destined to live in the palace for only a short time...

The mystery of the early death and immortal glory of the beautiful queen.

Soon the exiled priests united and carried out a religious revolution. 40-year-old Akhenaten was blinded and then executed, 35-year-old Nefertiti managed to rule for some more time as pharaoh under the name Smenkhkare, but in the end the queen was still killed. The rebel priests destroyed the temples of Aten, destroyed the city of Akhetaten and all the bas-reliefs found royal family. Nefertiti's tomb was plundered, and her body was mercilessly mutilated, consigned to oblivion for millennia.

And suddenly in 2003, British archaeologist Dr. Joann Fletcher announced to the whole world that she had found the mummy of Nefertiti. Scientists conducted a series of digital studies and found that the appearance of the mummified stranger completely coincides with the image of Nefertiti on ancient sculptures!...

The amazing story of the fate of Queen Nefertiti does not leave indifferent many people interested in the history of Ancient Egypt. 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 was able to decipher the ancient writings of Egypt.

In the 20th century, the world learned about Nefertiti something that could have remained forgotten forever.

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 has been 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 government affairs, her strong character influenced many of her husband’s actions. Nefertiti was also influential in the foreign relations of 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 a simple family, 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 the death were different, scientists would be able to provide more accurate information about the queen to modern people.

The beauty of Queen Nefertiti

The queen's appearance can be described from existing evidence 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 would make many girls jealous 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 Nefertiti’s grace and humility, 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 about 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 Queen Nefertiti

Bust of Nefertiti 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 actual image of the sculpture lacks 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.

Legends about Queen Nefertiti.

1. Scientists in England recently discovered a mummy that external description similar to the supposed appearance of Nefertiti. In this case, the theory about the girl’s mutilated body is erroneous.

2. Queen Nefertiti, despite the origin of her name, which means “foreigner,” was the sister of her future husband.

3. The union of Pharaoh and Nefertiti was planned and had nothing to do with love. Their relationship was strictly political. There is an opinion about gay Pharaoh Akhenaten, who chose Kiya as his new wife only because of her masculine appearance.

4. The queen was not a calm and obedient wife, her influence on the pharaoh was great, she skillfully used her charm and wisdom, taking advantage of Akhenaten’s weak character. Many of the husband's relatives were exterminated at the request of the beauty.

Of course, the above hypotheses may not be facts, because they do not have scientific evidence. One way or another, the personality of the legendary beauty will remain in the public memory, undoubtedly, for many centuries. And we hope that researchers will be able to please us with new discoveries and facts about the life of this great queen.

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