Tomb of Nefertari

Interior of the vestibule within the tomb of Queen Nefertari. At center is the entrance to a larger room known as the First east side annexe. Nefertari Meritmut, who lived around 1300-1255 BC, was the Great Royal wife of king Ramesses II.

The tomb of Nefertari is located in the Valley of the Queens, near the ancient city of Thebes. It is one of the best preserved and most ornate of all known tombs. The walls are painted with the deities (from left to right) Serket, Isis, Khepri, Osiris (above entrance), Hathor and Horus.

Chapter 94 of the Book of the Dead, Queen Nefertari standing in front of the god Thoth, the ibis-headed scribe, detail of a painting from the north wall, east side chamber.

“Egyptians were probably the first to be aware of the nobility inherent in the human form and to express it in art.

One can sense the pleasure that the Egyptians must have taken in the balance of the shoulders and the delicate way in which they contrast with the aspiring shape of the rest of the body… Julius Lange showed with great sensitivity that we should not imagine the fact that human figures in Egyptian art ‘have stiff and erect backs, with their heads held high, and set squarely on their bodies’ to be a sign of incompetence…

Rather ‘the awareness grew that this attitude expresses vitality and confidence in real life, and that it is therefore appropriate to the triumphant spirit which art should proclaim.’

The transition from the fat predynastic female figurines, with their heavy breasts, thighs, and buttocks, to the slender classical Egyptian pictures of women, which ‘remind one of the profiles of precious vases’ indicates how much effect aesthetic impulses had in the genesis of ‘Egyptian’ art; among these pictures, apart from a few exceptions determined by their contexts, only youthful, firm, and well-formed bodies are to be seen…”

— Principles of Egyptian Art, by Heinrich Schäfer (#aff)

Queen Nefertari Meritmut wears a headdress in the shape of the protective vulture goddess, Nekhbet. The same artisans who created royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings must have prepared Nefertari’s final resting place, carving rock chambers, plastering walls, and painting every available surface.

Among the divine creatures invoked, there is also the goddess Serqet, often represented with a scorpion on her head, to heal the bites of poisonous creatures.

Not surprisingly, the goddess’s full name was “Serqet hetyt”, meaning “she who makes the throat breathe”, and it seems to refer to the fact that the scorpion can be fatally dangerous, and the goddess can heal or destroy.

Nefertari played a crucial part in the political life of the king, and her importance was reflected through her magnificently decorated tomb. It was discovered by Ernesto Schiaparelli (the director of the Egyptian Museum in Turin) in 1904. It is called the Sistine Chapel of Ancient Egypt.

“The full form of her Egyptian name ― Serket hetyt ― means ‘she who causes the throat to breath’ and appears to be euphemistic of the fact that the scorpion can be fatally dangerous, and the goddess may heal just as she might destroy.

Serket also fulfilled the role of a mother goddess in which she was called ‘Serket the great, the divine mother’.

Historically the scorpion was regarded as a symbol of motherhood in many areas of the Near East, and as early as the Pyramid Texts Serket is said to nurse the king…”

— Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt, by Richard H. Wilkinson (#aff)

The 1989 Restoration of Nefertari’s Tomb, QV66

The tomb of Nefertari, Great Royal Wife of Ramesses II was constructed around 1255 B.C. After centuries of looting, environmental damage, and salt crystallisation had sadly left the tomb in a state of slow decay. When the tomb was discovered in 1904 by Italian archaeologist Ernesto Schiaparelli, the grandeur of its painted walls stunned the world. Yet by the late 20th century, the vibrant pigments had dulled, the plaster had flaked, and many feared the exquisite artwork might be lost forever.

In 1986, an ambitious and ground-breaking restoration project was initiated by the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) in partnership with the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation. By 1989, the painstaking conservation phase had begun in earnest. The work would eventually span nearly a decade, culminating in what is now recognised as one of the most delicate and respectful restorations of Ancient Egyptian art ever undertaken.

The objective was not to repaint or reconstruct the damaged areas, but to preserve the original artistry with absolute fidelity. The conservation team employed non-invasive, reversible techniques, a principle held sacred in modern conservation. Every intervention had to be as discreet and minimal as possible to retain the authenticity of the tomb’s original decoration.

One of the most significant challenges lay in combating the salt efflorescence—crystals that had formed beneath the painted plaster due to moisture infiltration over the centuries. These salts had lifted the paint layers, causing them to flake and crumble. The team employed microscopic injections of adhesives to reattach loose flakes and gentle surface cleaning using dry and aqueous methods, all performed under magnification.

Sophisticated documentation processes were used, including multi-spectral imaging and detailed cartographic mapping of every crack, pigment loss, and structural irregularity. Conservators used fine Japanese tissue paper and custom-formulated gels to stabilise delicate areas, often working with tools no larger than a single bristle to avoid damaging the original work.

In 1991, the BBC aired a remarkable documentary titled Nefertari: For Whom the Sun Shines, which offered viewers a rare glimpse into both the tomb’s extraordinary beauty and the groundbreaking restoration efforts behind the scenes. The documentary captured the reverence with which the team approached their work, as well as the sheer scale of skill and patience required to preserve a 3,000-year-old masterpiece.

Although public access to the tomb has since been severely limited to prevent renewed deterioration, only a small number of visitors are allowed under strict conditions, however, the restoration has allowed Nefertari’s legacy to endure. Today, thanks to the 1989 conservation, scholars, Egyptologists, and a privileged few can once again marvel at the stunning depictions of the queen being welcomed by the gods, her soul journeying through the underworld with elegance and serenity.

The restoration of Nefertari’s tomb remains a landmark achievement in the field of archaeological conservation, an exquisite balance of scientific precision, artistic sensitivity, and deep cultural respect. In preserving the visual poetry of her afterlife, the project ensured that one of Ancient Egypt’s most luminous queens could continue to inspire awe in the modern age.

New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, reign of Ramesses II, ca. 1279-1213 BC. Tomb of Nefertari (QV66), Valley of the Queens, West Thebes.