Nefertiti

Relief of Two princesses

Two princesses

This talatat depicts two princesses of king Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti. Their youth is represented by the hairstyle Egyptologist’s have dubbed the ‘side lock of youth’, a plaited strand or strands of hair on an otherwise shaven head or short hairstyle. This piece was found among the foundations of the Pylon of Ramesses II...

Sandstone sunken relief of an Amarna woman

Relief of an Amarna Woman

This sandstone sunken relief of a woman dates from the Amarna Period, and it is easy to tell the era she is from due to the style in which she is depicted. The artistic manner is most definitely from the period of Akhenaten’s experimental reign, however, this piece was actually found in Thebes and not...

Parennefer receiving reward in the form of necklaces, from king Akhenaten and Great Royal Wife Nefertiti.

Relief of Parennefer

Parennefer was a close advisor to Prince Amenhotep IV (King Akhenaten), before he became king. Once Amenhotep IV, or rather, King Akhenaten, took the throne, Parennefer served as his personal Royal Butler, and worked closely as a confidant to the king. In the age of Akhenaten, it was Akhenaten who was the representation of Ma’at...

Red Jasper or Porphyry head of Akhenaten

Red Jasper or Porphyry head of Akhenaten

A head of king Akhenaten made from Egyptian jasper or porphyry. This head of Akhenaten is similar to portraits of the king that we believe come from early in his reign. The less exaggerated features of the soon-to-be “Amarna Period”, this serene, slight smile of the young king looks ahead, as he wears the blue...

Akhenaten Ushabti. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria. INV 10166

Akhenaten Ushabti

Ushabti of king Akhenaten from Amarna (ancient Akhetaten – Akhenaten’s experimental ‘new capital’ that was dismantled upon his death. A Ushabti was a figurine representing the deceased that would help with duties in the Afterlife. A Ushabti (Egyptian: wšbtj or šwbtj) was a funerary figure in the form of the likeness of the deceased, and...

Amarna Princess Perfume Bottle

Amarna Princess Perfume Bottle

This perfume bottle, with a depiction of an Amarna princess stood upon a lotus blossom, is in the shape of a hes-vase. It is made from Egyptian alabaster, with an inlay of coloured glass, carnelian, obsidian and gold. A hes-vase is named after the “hes” hieroglyph. The hes-vase was used as a libation vessel, meaning,...

Unknown Amarna royal, possibly Tutankhamun or some propose it is the likeness of the mysterious Smenkhkare

Unknown Amarna royal

Sculpture of unknown Amarna royal. New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, Amarna Period, c. 1352-1323 B.C. Discovered in Tel el-Amarna (ancient Akhetaten – king Akhenaten’s experimental new capital), now in the Neues Museum, Berlin. This limestone bust of an Amarna royal has never been officially identified, yet the Neues Museum in Berlin does display it with the...

Daughter of Nefertiti & Akhenaten. Amarna Princess

Amarna Princess – Daughter of Nefertiti & Akhenaten

This head of an unknown princess dates from the Amarna Period, and the family resemblance among the sculptures of the period is noticeable here. The youthful face and enlarged, elongated heads tended to be a choice for the Amarna artists to depict the daughters of the king. Found in Amarna, this head is now on...

Is this the face of Queen Kiya?

Egyptian Alabaster Canopic jar of a queen

Egyptian-Alabaster Canopic jar of an 18th Dynasty queen, found within tomb KV55. New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, Amarna Period, c. 1349–1330 B.C. One of four Canopic jars believed to have belonged to Akhenaten’s secondary wife, Queen Kiya. Despite being associated with Kiya, the image of the beautifully carved wig adorned royal upon the jar lids has...

Egypt's Golden Couple: When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were Gods on Earth

When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were Gods

Akhenaten and Nefertiti became gods on earth by transforming Egyptian solar worship, innovating in art and urban design, and merging religion and politics in ways never attempted before. November 2022 marks the centennial of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun and although “King Tut” is a household name, his nine-year rule pales in comparison...