Nefertiti Back Home

Historical background

Figure.1: Bust of Queen Nefertiti, © Neues Museum. https://id.smb.museum/object/606189/b%C3%BCste-der-k%C3%B6nigin-nofretete

 Who is Nefertiti?

The Queen of the Eighteenth Dynasty, Nefertiti, was known as (Neferneferuaten - Nefertiti), in the sense of (perfection in Aten's perfection - the beautiful here or the beautiful has come)[1]. Nefertiti got this name before the monotheism of ancient Egypt to the worship of the one god Aten, because this name was documented during the first five years of the reign of Amenhotep IV, who had not yet changed his name to Akhenaten[2]. On the remem
brance of Amenhotep IV, who married Nefertiti in his first regnal year of Egypt and gave birth in the same year to their first daughter, Meritaten[3]. Nefertiti had six daughters and she did not have any boys[4]. Amenhotep IV and Nefertiti stayed in the capital, Thebes, during the first five years of rule, she gave birth to her second child, Meketaten[5]. The king built the city of Akhetaten in 1347 BC, now known as Tell el-Amarna, to be the capital of Egypt instead of Thebes, and to be the centre of worship of the god Aten[6], and from here he changed his name to be Akhenaten, meaning the beloved of the god Aten[7]. After moving to the new capital, Nefertiti gave birth to four daughters, and one of them was Ankhesenpaaten, who was the wife of King Tutankhamun, whose name was later changed to Ankhesenamun[8]. The royal family lost their second daughter, Meketaten, during the 13th regnal year[9].

Figure.2: Limestone cartouche of Neferneferuaten - Nefertiti, © LACMA. https://collections.lacma.org/node/244779

Figure.3: Abdelnabi. Habiba,Stela of Akhenaten, Nefertiti with their three daughters, The Egyptian Museum in Cairo. 2022.

Figure.4: Charles Pfeiffer, Map of Ancient Egypt (Michigan: BAKER BOOK HOUSE,----), 9.

Tell el-Amarna is located on the Nile River, about 300 km south of Cairo, halfway between the two ancient cities of Memphis and Thebes[10]. It is also located within the fifteenth nome of Upper Egypt[11]. Amarna contains the royal palaces, temples for the worship of the god Aten, and the nobles tombs[12]. Through the inscriptions and material remains discovered from Amarna, Queen Nefertiti was distinguished from any queen or wife of an Egyptian ruler, whether from the ancient or modern era[13]. Although there is a difference in body size between Akhenaten and Nefertiti, it was a natural matter in ancient Egyptian art, however, with the development of art and the transfer of the administration centre to Amarna and its special art, the physical difference between Nefertiti and Akhenaten became the natural difference between women and men[14]. Nefertiti was unique in some inscriptions without Akhenaten, only she and two of her daughters performed the religious rituals of Aten[15]. This exclusivity did not start since the era of the city of Amarna, however, also since Akhenaten came to power when she appeared in a more distinctive way than her husband[16]. The repeated embodiment of Nefertiti and her daughters in religious rituals indicates the distinction of Amarna art and a feature of the worship of the god Aten, which is the presence of the female element[17].

Figure.5: Charles Pfeiffer, Map of Akhetaten (the City of Akhenaten),(Michigan: BAKER BOOK HOUSE,--), 15.

Figure.6: A house altar showing Akhenaten, Nefertiti and three of their daughters. 18th dynasty, reign of Akhenaten, Wikimedia.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Akhenaten,_Nefertiti_and_their_children.jpg

Figure.7: Nefertiti wearing Nubian wig, © Brooklyn Museum.
https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/3375

The presence of Nefertiti frequently beside Akhenaten and sometimes overpowering him makes some scholars believe that she has a role in governance[18]. Where Nefertiti appeared receiving visitors from other countries with her husband Akhenaten and attending political events[19]. During the 12th regnal year, the royal family, with all its members, attended an international festival in the capital[20]. Nefertiti obtained several privileges such as royal titles, allocating a crown to her, and attending important events; all these privileges made some scholars believe that she played the role of viceroy until the appropriate king came after her husband[21]. Also, the abundance of titles reflects the political presence[22], such as the title of Lady of the Two Lands, which she inherited from the queens of the 18th dynasty, but she was the only one to have this title engraved next to her cartouche[23]. The title of Lord of the Two Lands was reserved for Egyptian kings due to its importance, so its use of Nefertiti is an indication of the strength of her political participation with Akhenaten[24]. One of the indications that Nefertiti played a political role is what appears in her artistic representation when she appeared wearing the Nubian wig that belonged to the soldiers, i.e. it is a robe that distinguishes the males[25], and in mentioning the male appearance, she was depicted wearing the khat and the Atef crowns, in which no woman was depicted except for Queen Hatshepsut[26]. Also, since the era of the first dynasties, it was known that the depiction of striking the enemies is a depiction of kings, only Nefertiti appeared while striking the enemies[27], and with the multiplicity of reasons and their differences, such as the political and religious presence and her unique beauty, Nefertiti becomes the icon of the strong Egyptian woman[28]. The place of her burial and the cause of her death is unknown until now, but there are some sources documenting that her last appearance was in the 12th year of Akhenaten's rule[29], and others explain that her last appearance dates back to the 16th regnal year due to the presence of a graffiti of Nefertiti in a quarry located near Amarna[30].

Figure.8: Bpk. Scala, During the discovery of the Nefertiti bust from the workshop of Tuthmosis in Amarna, Egypt. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2022/03/nefertiti-was-more-than-just-a-pretty-face

Figure.9: El Zeft, Graffiti of Nefertiti with gas mask in Mohamed Mahmoud street in Cairo, 2012. https://brooklynrail.org/2015/06/criticspage/nefertiti-in-a-gas-mask

The Egyptian Queen Nefertiti is still an icon for women, represented by her coloured bust, which was discovered in 1913 in the workshop of the sculptor Thutmose in Amarna[31], and the bust was carved approximately in the 12th year of Akhenaten's reign[32]. The statue has become a destination for brands and feminist campaigns.[33] It is also the symbol of the flag of Minya Governorate, which was the residence of the ancient capital, Amarna or Akhetaten[34]. At the end of 2012, a painting was pasted on Mohamed Mahmoud Street that leads to Tahrir Square in Cairo[35]. the drawing of Nefertiti bust with rebellious eyes wearing a gas mask, to express the Egyptian women who endured and suffered in the squares and streets calling for their social and political rights[36].

Figure.46: Bpk. Scala, During the discovery of the Nefertiti bust from the workshop of Tuthmosis in Amarna, Egypt. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2022/03/nefertiti-was-more-than-just-a-pretty-face.

Sample text. Click to select the Text ​ Figure.47: El Zeft, Graffiti of Nefertiti with gas mask in Mohamed Mahmoud street in Cairo, 2012. https://brooklynrail.org/2015/06/criticspage/nefertiti-in-a-gas-mask.

Amarna Art

Tell el-Amarna is located in the Minya governorate, about 45 km south of the tombs of Bani Hassan. Akhenaten built Tell el-Amarna to be the capital of Egypt during his reign, as the capital was moved from Thebes to Tell el-Amarna[37]. A new era of art began with the move to the new capital. This appeared through the transformation of art from idealism to realism[38]. as art before Akhenaten assuming the throne and the emergence of the worship of the One God "Aton" was characterized by depicting people in an ideal image[39]. through the artist avoiding some features such as wrinkles or describing disabilities or diseases, for example, A depiction of the dwarf "Seneb", who held the position of Chief Judge in the Fifteenth Dynasty[40] ; Where the dwarf "Seneb" was depicted sitting next to his wife, and his two children were carved at the bottom of his feet so as not to show his short stature[41].

Figure.10: Statue of the Dwarf Seneb and his Family https://egymonuments.gov.eg/collections/statue-of-the-dwarf-seneb-and-his-family-2/

As muscular men were macho depicted, women were depicted with slender bodies; But art and depictions of people during the reign of Akhenaten began to turn out to be more realistic or more similar to the actual reality[42]. This is shown by abandoning some of the artistic Egyptian features, which were portraying women in a lighter colour than men, and also by abandoning drawing using a grid of squares - a way to determine the dimensions of the body - which amounts to 18 squares. Instead, it was replaced by a grid of squares consisting of 20 squares, giving the artist extra space at the shoulders, neck, and abdomen to depict them more realistically[43]. Amarna was a centre of artistic transformation in the era of Akhenaten; This appears in many art pieces and statues that were taken out of the sculptor Thutmose's workshop, in which many pieces were made, not only those of the royal family but also statues of individuals and some pottery vessels[44]. There are many pieces that came out of Tell el-Amarna, and they are as follows:

-  Monkey statue:

The statue dates back to the era of the New Kingdom, specifically from 1351 to 1334 BC. The statue was found in one of the private residences in "Akhet Aten"[45]. The height of the statue is 6.4 cm, the width is 4.3 cm, and the diameter is 2.3 cm[46]. It consists of limestone. Many statues similar to that statue were found in some temples dating back to the dynastic era. There are some statues that are depicted individually or in groups of monkeys. The statue may serve as a magical amulet to protect the mother and children[47].

Figure.11: Monkey statues, New kingdom, Akhet-Aten.Seyfried, Friedrike , ed. 2012. In The Light of Amarna - 100 Years of Nefertiti Discovery. Berlin: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

-  Head of a Princess:

The statue was found in one of the houses in "Akhet Aten", which Borchardt suggested that it was a house of a sculptor, and the space in which the statue was found served as a place to store the incomplete or damaged statues[48]. Borchardt suggested this as a result of the shape of the statue[49], as the side and back of the skull were not completed while the bones of the skull and cheeks were carved, and also the nose, mouth, and ear had some kind of damage. The statue is 14.7 cm high, 11.7 cm wide, and 14 cm in diameter[50].

Figure.12: Head of a Princess, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, Akhet-Aten. Seyfried, Friedrike, ed. 2012. In The Light of Amarna - 100 Years of Nefertiti Discovery. Berlin: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

-  Head of king Akhenaton: 

The example is 15 cm wide and the figurine is 20 cm in diameter[51]; It was described by Borchardt that the statue resembles the face of a noble English young man from a somewhat middle-class family[52]. Borchardt also completed his description of the statue as an arrogant young man with a prominent chin downward and narrow with wide nostrils, and also the eyes are dreamy half closed and the lips are full[53]. This statue contradicts the nature of realistic art that prevailed during this period, as the statue's specifications tend to be ideal[54].

Figure.13: Head of king Akhenaton, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, Akhet-Aten. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-pharaoh-erased-from-history/CQURgLrWPLdZIg

-   Bust of Queen Nefertiti: 

The statue is one of the most important artefacts that influenced Egyptian heritage and Egyptian identity. As it contributed to changing the perspective of Egyptian women in society. The statue was discovered in 1912 by Borchardt in the city of "Akhet-Aten" or what is known as "Tell el-Amarna"[55]. The height of the statue is 49 cm, its width is 24.5 cm, and its diameter is 35 cm. The statue was made of limestone[56]. From the beauty of the statue, Borchardt said in one of his articles that he is unable to describe it, and the person must see it himself because it is difficult to describe it, and that is due to the artist's mastery of portraying Nefertiti's face[57].
      

Figure.14: Bust of Queen Nefertiti, © Neues Museum. https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/aegyptisches-museum-und-papyrussammlung/collection-research/bust-of-nefertiti/the-bust/

The Mysterious Journey from Minya to Berlin!

Excavations in Tell el-Amarna began in 1911 under the leadership of German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt and a team of German archaeologists funded by James Simon[58]. Borchardt found the bust of Nefertiti on December 6, 1912[59], in room 19 of the sculptor Thutmose's workshop[60]. Articles four and five of the excavation licence, stipulated that Egypt has complete freedom to own artefacts that it deems of high value in exchange for giving the excavator the costs it bears[61]. On the night of January 19, 1913, no one on the German side participating in the excavations had an iota of hope that the statue would travel to Berlin\ [62]. Borchardt had his tricks, as he planned to smuggle the statue out of Egypt, so he hid its cultural value so that the Egyptian side, represented by the inspector of the Antiquities Authority, Gustave Lefebvre, would not discover its importance in the division report that he signed[63]. Borchardt travelled to Cairo accompanied by her majesty Queen Nefertiti on January 23, 1913, and on Wednesday, February 5, the Queen left Cairo for Berlin[64]. The same day Borchardt sent to Heinrich Scheffer, telling him, "The bust of Nefertiti has left today for Berlin, where she stayed since Sunday, after a few days, the statue will reach you, I hope you like it,  and my heart will be at ease when you send me a letter confirming its safe arrival in Germany"[65]. Upon the arrival of the statue in Berlin, it was hidden because Borchardt was afraid that Egypt prohibits excavations in Amarna if the statue was displayed, Borchardt managed to publish a small article and put a picture of the statue, but it was a blurred image[66]. After the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, which directed the world's attention to the British expedition in the Valley of the Kings, the Berlin Museum tried to draw attention to it by displaying the bust of Nefertiti[67].

Ludwig Borchardt 

Ludwig Borchardt, a German Egyptologist, and the architect was born in Berlin in 1863; He studied architecture at the "Technische Hochschule" in 1883 and was at the same time studying Egyptology under the supervision of "Ermen"[68]. In 1887 he became the engineer of the royal government[69]. After that in a position responsible for the works of Königsberg; Borchardt took positions until the Egyptian government sent him to Egypt as a member of the Philae Project in 1895[70]. He also worked as an employee of the Egyptian Antiquities Authority and worked with Gaston Maspero to produce a catalogue for the Cairo Museum[71]; Despite this, Maspero  and Borchardt were not friends, and the evidence for this is that both were critical of the other[72]. Borchardt served as German Consul in Cairo in 1899 and founded the German Kaiser Institute in Cairo in 1899, which is now known as the German Institute of Archeology. In 1907, Maspero, director of the Antiquities Department and head of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, granted the excavation concession in the Tell el-Amarna region to German businessman James Simon[73]. Who then attributed the supervision of the project to Borchardt. Excavations continued until the discovery of Nefertiti's head in 1912 and many other pieces[74]. Borchardt, after discovering Nefertiti's head, hid its archaeological value so that he could smuggle it to Germany. Nefertiti's head came out through forgery, according to articles four and five of the Egyptian law, which was previously mentioned, stipulates that Egypt has the right to keep the valuable pieces after paying the value of the excavations..[75] In 1913, Borchardt published a small article on Nefertiti's head that reduced the value of the artifact until he succeeded in getting it out of Egypt without negotiations or threats[76]. Evidence for this is that the Berlin Museum did not display the piece directly, but rather it disappeared for a while until it was displayed after the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. 

Figure.15: Ludwig Borchardt is one of the participants in the smuggling of the bust of Nefertiti. https://www.gettyimages.fr/detail/photo-d%27actualit%C3%A9/wissenschaftler-aegyptologe-dportr%C3%A4t-am-schreibtisch-photo-dactualit%C3%A9/545346767?adppopup=true

James Simon 

James Simon was born on September 17, 1851, and died May 23, 1932, in Berlin, was a German businessman and collector, who contributed to the establishment of the Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft (Dog)[77]. Simon was aimed at providing German museums with archaeological holdings, especially royal museums in Berlin, through discoveries in the Middle East[78]. Gaston Maspero, the director of the Antiquities Authority, granted Simon the excavation franchise in Amarna In 1907, who was the Secretary of the (Dog) at that time, he funded the excavations in Amarna with generous donations from his own source, and it cost him about 30,000 Goldmark per season[79]. Simon wanted to do whatever he had to do to take the bust of Nefertiti to Berlin, even if it cost him an exorbitant sum[80], he donated these discoveries to museums in Berlin, the most important of which is the bust of Nefertiti, and many archaeological holdings discovered in Amarna, which was discovered by Borchardt[81]. Also Simon gave valuable archaeological holdings to the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, such as the Berlin Green Head and the wooden head of Queen Tiye[82].

Figure. 16: James Simon, the owner of Nefertiti’s bust, gave his collection to the Berlin Museum including Nefertiti, © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.

Gustave Lefebvre

Gustave Lefebvre (1879-1957) French Egyptologist was born in Bar-le-Duc[83]. He worked as an inspector at the Egyptian Antiquities Authority and held several positions and achievements during his work in Egypt[84]. In 1913, during the division of the Amarna excavations between the Egyptian and German parties "represented by Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft", Lefebvre was a representative of the Egyptian party by virtue of his work as an  antiquities inspector[85]. Lefebvre sent to Borchardt, the specific instructions for the division in accordance with Egyptian law[86]. One of the advantages that Borchardt relished, and returned negatively to Lefebvre, is that Borchardt was the one who assumed the task of dividing and somehow did not explain the bust of the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti exactly, taking advantage of the official's insufficient experience with the object[87]. Lefebvre's lack of experience was not the only thing that Borchardt exploited, but rather manipulated the description of the statue clearly, which concealed its true artistic and cultural value[88]. Several other sources also documented that Lefebvre was not mistaken, but that the German party did not have sufficient scientific integrity, misleading information and ignored the laws[89]. Therefore, the fault lies entirely on the German side, because the representative of the Antiquities Authority did not expect that there would be manipulation in the division[90]. However, this does not preclude that Lefebvre bears the guilt of neglecting his duty, but Borchardt still bears the utmost mistake because he did not clarify the value of the statue and did not describe it accurately[91]. Then he wrote in one of his books congratulating himself on his quick realisation of the cultural value of the Nefertiti bust, which shows the contradiction of Borchardt's situation that his actuality target is to steal the bust[92].

References