Statue of the wife of Nakhtmin

This statue of Nakhtmin’s wife is one of the most beautifully sculpted female figures from Ancient Egypt. She is depicted wearing a sheer, finely pleated linen garment and a wig adorned with a band of petals, with a blooming lotus flower at its centre.

In her left hand, she holds a menat necklace, an emblem associated with the goddess Hathor. The back of the statue bears hieroglyphic inscriptions detailing the titles of her husband, General Nakhtmin, as the sculpture was originally created to depict them as a couple.

Nakhtmin served as a royal scribe and army general under Tutankhamun and his successor, Ay. He was designated as heir apparent and may have been Ay’s son, but he was ultimately displaced by Horemheb, who may have ordered the destruction of his statue.

The statue dates to the late 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom, during the reign of Tutankhamun (c. 1332–1323 B.C.). It is expertly carved from limestone, a material commonly used for elite and royal sculptures in Ancient Egypt. Despite significant damage, the craftsmanship remains evident in the delicate detailing of the figure’s pleated linen garment and refined facial features, reflecting the artistic influences of the period.

The statue has suffered extensive damage, with only two surviving fragments: the head and shoulders of Nakhtmin and the upper body and head of his wife.

Nakhtmin

Nakhtmin was a high-ranking military commander during the reign of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Eighteenth Dynasty. His titles included “the true servant who benefits his lord, the king’s scribe,” “the servant beloved of his lord,” “Fan-bearer on the Right Side of the King,” and “the servant who ensures the name of his lord endures.” These titles were inscribed on five ushabtis that Nakhtmin dedicated as funerary offerings for Tutankhamun.

The identity of Nakhtmin’s father remains uncertain. Some scholars suggest he was the son of Pharaoh Ay, with his mother identified as Iuy, known from a statue as the ‘Adoratrix of Min, Songstress of Isis’. Nakhtmin appears to have been Ay’s chosen successor but died before he could take the throne. A striking statue of Nakhtmin and his wife, now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, bears inscriptions identifying him as “Crown Prince” (jrj-pꜥt) and “King’s Son” (zꜣ-nswt). This title might indicate he was Ay’s biological son, though it could also mean “King’s Son of Kush.” However, as no viceroy of Kush named Nakhtmin is recorded—Paser I is thought to have held the position at the time—many believe Nakhtmin was either Ay’s son or his adopted heir.

Although he was designated heir to Pharaoh Ay, Nakhtmin never ruled. Scholars believe he died towards the end of Ay’s reign, as he disappears from all records. Instead, Horemheb, previously appointed as Tutankhamun’s heir, ascended the throne.

Nakhtmin’s statue has suffered significant damage, with only the head and shoulders of his figure and the upper torso and head of his wife remaining. The eyes, nose, and mouth appear to have been deliberately defaced, possibly as an act of posthumous persecution. His stelae, erected in his hometown of Akhmim—also Ay’s native city—were similarly vandalised. His tomb, which has never been found, was likely subjected to the same fate as Ay’s.

A different individual named Nakhtmin was married to Mutemnub, the sister of Ay’s wife, Tey. They had a son named Ay, who later became High Priest of Mut and Second Prophet of Amun.

As previously stated, both statues exhibit deliberate damage to the eyes, nose, and mouth, which has been interpreted as an act of posthumous desecration.

Egyptian Museum. Wife of Nakhtmin. JE 31629 (CG 779 B). Head of Nakhtmin. JE 31630 (CG 779 A)