The Sister of Nefertiti

As with Nefertiti herself, Mutbenret’s life remains a half-lit chamber in the palace of history, awaiting its missing inscription. As with many figures from the Amarna Period, much of what we “know” about Mutbenret (sometimes written Mutnodjmet, Mutbenenet, or even Moutnoumet) is inferred from depictions, fragmentary inscriptions, and context, rather than from extensive textual records. Still, her existence is archaeologically attested, and her presence in the visual and ceremonial life of the Amarna court is clear.

Mutbenret is believed to have been a noblewoman of the Amarna court, almost certainly closely connected to Nefertiti, and believed to be her sister, though this relationship is not firmly proven. Mutbenret is not depicted as royal, i.e., she holds no kingly titles, but appears often in scenes involving the royal family, particularly in the company of Nefertiti and her daughters, and is referenced, in an allbeit rather fragmented inscription as the “Sister of the Great Royal Wife”.

Reference to Mutbenret as “sister of the Great Royal Wife” comes from an inscription in the tomb of Meryre II at Tell el-Amarna; Tomb 7 in the southern group of Amarna’s private tombs. Meryre II was a Royal Scribe and Overseer of the House of the Great Royal Wife, serving Queen Nefertiti during the reign of Akhenaten.

The Mysterious Early life of Nefertiti

His tomb contains several scenes depicting Nefertiti and her daughters, along with associated court figures, in one particular scene, Mutbenret is shown standing behind Nefertiti, in a position of honour but without royal titles. The hieroglyphic text near her figure contains a partially preserved phrase, which some scholars interpret as “sister of the Great Royal Wife” (snt n ḥmt nswt wrt). However, the relevant hieroglyphs are damaged, and the reading of snt (sister) is not secure. Alternative interpretations include “servant”, “companion”, or “lady-in-waiting”, depending on how the damaged portion is reconstructed.

The identification of Mutbenret as Nefertiti’s sister was suggested by scholars such as Jacobus van Dijk, based on both this inscription and her visual proximity to the royal family across multiple tombs (including the tombs of Panehsy and Huya). Mutbenret is also mentioned in the book Scanning the Pharaohs: CT Imaging of the New Kingdom Royal Mummies by Zahi Hawass and Sahar Saleem. While the book primarily focuses on New Kingdom mummies, it also delves into the wider historical and familial context of various royals, including figures from the Amarna period, such as Nefertiti, Akhenaten, and their potential relatives.

In the book, Mutbenret is discussed in the context of being a possible sister of Nefertiti, and potentially Queen Mutnodjmet, the wife of Pharaoh Horemheb. The authors highlight the hypothesis that Mutbenret, frequently depicted in Amarna-period tombs, may have later emerged as Mutnodjmet, a woman who held the title of “Great King’s Wife” under Horemheb.

They acknowledge the ongoing debate among Egyptologists, with some accepting that Mutbenret and Queen Mutnodjmet are the same person, based on the similarity of their names and the chronological alignment. Others remain cautious, noting the absence of clear, unbroken evidence linking the two figures. The book treats the theory respectfully but does not claim it as proven, aligning with the scholarly consensus that this remains an open question.

Mutnodjmet, wife of Horemheb and Mutbenret, are they the same person?

The theory that Mutbenret, Nefertiti’s presumed sister, later reemerged as Mutnodjmet, queen consort to Horemheb, remains one of the more intriguing possibilities of the late 18th Dynasty. The names are closely related, and the timing aligns: Mutbenret appears in Amarna tombs during the 1350s B.C., and queen Mutnodjmet emerges some decades later, during Horemheb’s reign (c. 1319–1292 B.C.).

If they were the same person, it would mean that Nefertiti’s sister not only survived the collapse of the Amarna regime, but ultimately became queen to the general who dismantled its legacy. It’s a poetic notion; a woman raised in the shadow of the Aten, now standing beside the man who restored Amun’s cult. Yet the theory remains unproven, as no inscription explicitly connects Mutnodjmet to Nefertiti, and despite the continuity in name, there are no genealogical titles to confirm her origin. Still, the possibility remains attractive, especially given the silence that surrounds both women’s ultimate fate.

Tey, the mother of Nefertiti?

At the centre of this dynastic tangle is Ay, the powerful courtier who may have been father to Nefertiti and Mutbenret due to his wife Tey being documented as “nurse to the Great Royal Wife” during Akhenaten’s reign. Rising through the ranks during the reign of Amenhotep III and Akhenaten, Ay held prestigious titles such as “God’s Father” and “Fan-Bearer on the Right Hand of the King”.

After the death of Tutankhamun, Ay seized the throne, possibly due to his age, influence, and close connection to the royal women. In a move that would raise eyebrows today but was politically expedient then, he allegedly married Ankhesenamun, the widow of Tutankhamun, and if Nefertiti was his daughter, Ankhesenamun would have been his granddaughter.

This dynastic manoeuvring may have been designed to stabilise the throne, but it bore no lasting fruit. After just a few years as king, Ay disappears from history, and with the end of Horemheb’s reign, Mutnodjmet too vanishes, her burial left incomplete, her tomb robbed. The once-central family of Nefertiti, Ay, and their kin, so dominant during the Amarna years, faded into silence, erased or forgotten as Egypt turned its face from the heresies of Akhenaten and restored the old gods…

Mutbenret’s Role

Mutbenret appears in other reliefs and paintings in the private tombs of Amarna, especially those of high officials like Huya (Steward of Queen Tiye), Meryre II (Royal Scribe and Overseer of the Royal Harem), and Panehsy (High Priest of the Aten). In these tombs, she is shown attending royal ceremonies, accompanying Nefertiti and the princesses and participating in festivals such as the Durbar (Jubilee procession). She is identified with labels such as her name; “Mutbenret” usually accompanied by a modest title like “Lady of the House”.

In artistic depictions, Mutbenret is often shown wearing the sidelock of youth, a distinct hairstyle traditionally used in Ancient Egyptian iconography to symbolise childhood, youthfulness, or subordinate familial status. This sidelock, typically falling on the right side of the head and often ending in a curled or plaited tip, was not reserved exclusively for children. It could also be worn by young adults or court figures portrayed in a junior role, especially within the royal household.

Mutbenret’s sidelock may indicate that she was significantly younger than Nefertiti, possibly a teenage sister or adolescent companion raised in the palace. In many Amarna tomb scenes, particularly in the tomb of Meryre II, she appears in close proximity to the queen and her daughters, often shown engaging playfully with the princesses or standing just behind Nefertiti. This positioning (combined with the sidelock) suggests her role as a noblewoman of junior status, perhaps a court companion, foster relative, or lady-in-waiting to the royal children.

Alternatively, the sidelock may not refer to her literal age at all, but rather to her symbolic place within the royal hierarchy; not as a royal daughter or queen herself, but as someone closely associated with the family, yet ranked below the sovereign women. In Egyptian art, visual cues such as hairstyle were often used to reinforce societal roles and familial relationships, and the sidelock in this context communicates Mutbenret’s trusted but subordinate position within the court.

Thus, while Mutbenret’s sidelock of youth may indeed reflect her younger age, it more likely conveys her courtly role and familial closeness, presenting her as a cherished yet junior member of the palace world, someone raised within the royal sphere, but not crowned by it.