Love passion, betrayal and revenge in Egyptian style: Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti. Nefertari and Isitnofret: “The Great Royal Consorts” and the internal politics of Ramesses II What Nefertari looks like

The legs of Queen Nefertari have been found, says a scientific article in the online publication PLoS ONE. Despite the fact that the statement sounds frivolous, the discovery is the most serious.
A blackened, badly damaged and officially "unowned" pair of 3,200-year-old mummified legs had been sitting in Turin's Egyptian Museum for about a century. They were brought from the Valley of the Queens, along with a number of other artifacts, by the Italian diplomat and archaeologist Ernesto Schiaparelli.

In 1904, he made his main discovery: he found the burial of Nefertari, the first and beloved wife of Pharaoh Ramses II from the 19th dynasty, who reigned in 1279-1213 BC. The tomb was plundered in ancient times, like most of the burials in the necropolis. Robbers took valuable items and destroyed mummies in search of jewelry under bandages. A similar fate awaited the tomb of Nefertari. Having opened the burial, Schiaparelli found only the remains of a sarcophagus, slightly worn sandals, several dozen funerary ushabti figurines with the name of the queen written on them, broken furniture and mummified feet in a puddle of mud.
There was a suspicion that these were the remains of that same beautiful queen, but there was no evidence. An international group of scientists led by Egyptologist Michael Habichta from the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich and Frank Rühli, the head of this institute, decided to find out the identity of the remains. Nefertari's remains are extremely important to history and Egyptology, as she is one of the most famous rulers of ancient Egypt.

Beautiful and mysterious

Nefertari is one of the most intriguing figures in history. Many people confuse her with Nefertiti, the wife of Akhenaten from the 18th dynasty, who lived 100 years before Nefertari.

You can get an impression of Nefertari thanks to the shrine at Abu Simbel, where she has a statue of the same size as her husband Ramesses II. Although usually the spouses of the pharaohs were depicted in the form of small figures that barely reached the ruler’s knees. It is unknown where she is from, who her parents were, how her childhood was, or when she married Ramesses. It seems as if she did not exist until 1279 BC, when her husband became pharaoh. From that time on, she began to appear in the chronicles, as she accompanied him during various ceremonies and trips. Over 25 years of married life, Nefertari bore him four sons and at least four daughters. Although in general Ramesses II had much more children: according to various sources, their number ranges from 100 to 170. They were born not only by Ramesses’ wives, but also by his concubines.

The last mention of Nefertari concerns the opening of a shrine at Abu Simbel in the 24th year of the reign of Ramesses II. After this, Nefertari disappeared. She was not even present at the heb-sed event, the most important event for the pharaoh - “the celebration of the thirtieth anniversary (of the reign of the ruling pharaoh).” According to Egyptologists, Nefertari's absence from the 30th anniversary of her coronation may mean that she died. True, the cause of death of the queen, who was about 40-50 years old at that time, is not mentioned anywhere.

Nefertari's mummy was in an elaborate sarcophagus made of pink granite in the richest burial of the Valley of the Queens - its walls were decorated with scenes from the queen's journey through the fields of Ialu in the kingdom of Osiris, the paradise of the ancient Egyptians.

What can you read from the bones?

Scientists examined the remains from the Turin Museum using radiocarbon dating, as well as anthropological, paleopathological, genetic and chemical methods. The study material included parts of two femurs, a kneecap and the upper parts of two tibias. In very poor condition.

Based on the size of the knees, scientists determined that the legs belonged to a frail woman, 165-168 cm tall. Since an X-ray of the right knee showed signs of atherosclerosis, investigators suggested that the woman was about 40 years old. If the remains belong to Nefertari, then she was 10-12 cm taller than most Egyptian women during the New Kingdom. That is, she was the height of an average Egyptian man.

It is possible to confirm that the remains found by Schiaparelli really belong to Nefertari with the help of Egyptologists. In particular, the royal origin of a woman should be evidenced by funeral customs, historical data and finds made in the tomb. In particular, the embalming methods that were used during the time of Ramesses, royal sandals (for modern foot sizes 39-40), made from herbs, palm leaves, papyrus and designed in a style characteristic of the time of Ramesses, as well as fragments of the sarcophagus found in the tomb and many objects (ushabti figurines, remains of ceramics) on which the name of the owner, Nefertari, was written.

The DNA analysis was generally unsuccessful - the samples were heavily contaminated. But the radiocarbon dating data introduced a certain confusion into the research results. In particular, the results suggest that the remains could belong to a person living 200 years before Nefertari. However, scientists note that discussions about discrepancies between radiocarbon dating data and the accepted model of Egyptian chronology have been going on for several years.

Most likely, the mummified legs really belong to Queen Nefertari. But, unfortunately, scientists cannot say this with 100% certainty.

Sistine Chapel of ancient Egypt

Nefertari Merenmut - the full name of the queen - means “beautiful companion”. She is called the most beloved of the five wives of the pharaoh; already in the first year of the independent reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II, Nefertari was considered the main queen. Her image can be seen next to the king on the back of the pylon in Luxor - Nefertari was certainly depicted next to Ramesses until princesses took her place. A badly damaged statue of Nefertari is kept in Brussels; the “unknown” queen from the Berlin Museum is also supposedly the wife of Ramesses II. The largest monument to the queen is the Temple of Ibshek at Abu Simbel, north of the sanctuary of Ramesses II himself. It is decorated with huge figures of Ramses, between which stand the colossi of Nefertari herself in the form of the goddess Hathor.

The queen's tomb is called the Sistine Chapel of ancient Egypt - the polychrome paintings on the walls are considered the most outstanding works of art of the New Kingdom era. Due to the poor quality of the limestone in which the tomb was carved and salty groundwater, the wall paintings were on the verge of extinction by the 1970s. As part of the special restoration project "Nefertari", the Egyptian Antiquities Service and the Paul Getty Conservation Institute spent six years restoring the tomb. In November 1995, the tomb was reopened to visitors.

Nefertari Meri-en-mut (Nefertari means “Beautiful Companion” and Maritenmut - “Beloved of the Goddess Mut”) - the first wife of Ramesses II, who was considered the main queen already in the first year of the pharaoh’s independent reign.

Nefertari Meritenmut

Almost nothing is known about the queen’s origins; nevertheless, she is called a "noble lady" or "hereditary nobility", that is, a very noble lady who by birth belonged to one of the court families. Judging by some sources, she belonged to the family of Ey, the penultimate pharaoh of the 18th dynasty; this fact was apparently hidden, since a family connection with the inner circle of the reformer pharaoh Akhenaten could compromise the queen.

After the conclusion of a peace treaty between Egypt and the Hittite state in 1269 BC. e. (21st year of Ramesses II), apparently actively participating in the political life of the country, Nefertari established friendly correspondence with the Hittite queen Puduhepa.

A large number of monuments related to Queen Nefertari have been preserved:

* She appears next to the king on the reverse side of a pylon at Luxor, next to an inscription dated to the third year of the reign of Ramesses; the queen was constantly depicted next to the colossi of her husband until she was replaced in this capacity by the princesses, who after her death became queens - Bent-Anat and Merit-Amon.
* A magnificently decorated but very damaged statue of Nefertari is kept in Brussels.
* She is shown standing next to the famous sculpture of Ramesses from the Turin Museum.
* Presumably Nefertari is also depicted by the famous statue of the “unknown” queen from the Berlin Museum.
* Finally, the grand temple of Ibshek was dedicated to Nefertari at Abu Simbel in Nubia, north of the sanctuary of Ramesses II himself. The facade of the sanctuary is decorated on both sides of the entrance with paired colossal figures of Ramesses, between which stand the colossi of Nefertari herself in the form of the goddess Hathor. In the interior of the sanctuary, the queen receives as much attention as her husband. An Egyptian queen received such an honor only once: the pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, Amenhotep III, erected a temple for his famous wife Teye in Sedeing, where she was revered, like Nefertari, as the goddess Hathor.

Tomb of Nefertari
An image of Nefertari from the temple dedicated to her in Abu Simbel.

In 1904, Ernesto Schiaparelli made his greatest discovery, discovering the famous tomb of Nefertari, carved into the rocks of the Valley of the Queens (QV66) and being the most beautiful monument of this necropolis; her painted reliefs, covering an area of ​​520 m2, are rightfully considered one of the best works of art of the entire New Kingdom era.

Ernesto Schiaparelli.

Alas, the tomb was robbed in ancient times and the little that was left to archaeologists - a broken lid of a granite sarcophagus, reed sandals, a fragment of a gold bracelet and several amulets - is currently kept in the collection of the Egyptian Museum in Turin. The reliefs of the tomb, covered with unfading colors, illustrate some chapters of the book “Sayings of the Day of Exit” (“Book of the Dead”) and show the path of the queen, led by the gods to the afterlife for the judgment of Osiris.

Eighteen steps lead from the entrance carved into the rocks to the inner chambers of the tomb. The portico of the door in front of the first chamber is badly damaged, but on its right side the titles of the queen can still be read:
"Hereditary nobility, Great in grace, beauty, sweetness and love, Lady of Upper and Lower Egypt, deceased, Lady of Both Lands, Nefertari, Beloved of Mut, Righteous before Osiris."

Nefertari plays senet

The first chamber of the tomb “C” (5x5.2 m) is equipped with an offering table carved into the wall. Its walls are covered with images - fragments of the 17th chapter of the Book of the Dead. The queen is represented in three incarnations: playing senet, in the form of the soul of Ba and, finally, worshiping Aker, the lion-headed god of the earth, who is also the horizon - a symbol of the rebirth of the solar deity.

Benu and the goddess Nephthys.

Nearby are shown the “soul of Ra” - the snow-white phoenix Benu, symbolizing the eternal cyclical return of life, as well as a kiosk, inside of which the mummy of Nefertari reclines on a lion-headed bed; At the head and at the feet, the mummy is accompanied by two mourning falcons - Nephthys and Isis.
The god of the Nile water, Hapi, gives Nefertari a palm leaf, symbolizing millions of years and the syncretic sign shen-udjat, guaranteeing eternity and resurrection for the deceased. Nearby are the Heavenly Cow Nut and the four sons of Horus - the guardians of the deceased and her entrails, placed in canopic jars. To the right of the entrance to the tomb, Nefertari appears before Osiris and Anubis.

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She is depicted entering the room, and the faces of the gods, the “lords of the Duat,” the true inhabitants of this place, are shown facing the exit and the queen walking towards them.
Nefertari is dressed in magnificent snow-white linen clothes, for which Egypt was so famous in ancient times; they are tied under the chest with a red belt in the form of a tet amulet - the knot of Isis. On Nefertari's shoulders is a rich necklace of usekh. On the queen's head is a ceremonial shuti dress, consisting of a dark blue wig decorated with the golden wings of the kite of the goddess Mut, a stand, a golden solar disk and two ostrich feathers.

Plan of Nefertari's tomb.

The passage from the first chamber leads to an additional room on this level. Passage “D” is flanked on both sides by the standing figures of Osiris and Anubis; above the door there is a frieze consisting of uraei, ostrich feathers, symbols of the goddess Maat, and a human figure in the center, resting on the already mentioned syncretic amulets of shen-udjat. On the sides of the passage are depicted two goddesses - Neit and Selket, granting Nefertari "protection, life, steadfastness, power, all protection, like Ra, forever." The goddesses pronounce magical spells and sayings to protect the queen:
“Said by Selket, Lady of Heaven, Queen of all gods. I go before you, O (...) Nefertari (...), Right-voiced before Osiris, who resides in Abydos; I granted you residence in the sacred land (Ta-Jesert) so that you could appear victorious in the heavens like Ra.”

Chamber "E"

Next, the passage widens (“E”); The pilasters formed during the expansion are decorated with images of an anthropomorphic djed pillar - a symbol of Osiris, a sign of inviolability and constancy. On the left side of the passage, the goddess Isis, wearing a menat necklace, leads the queen by the hand to the god of the morning sun, Khepri, who has a head in the form of a scarab;

Isis leading Nefertari to Khepri.

On the right, Horus, the son of Isis, leads the deceased to the thrones of Ra-Horakhte and Hathor, the mistress of the Theban necropolis. Between the thrones of Khepri and Hathor there is a door to the side chamber (“G”). The kite goddess Nekhbet, the patroness of Upper Egypt, hovers above the door, clutching the shen symbols of eternity.

Horus, son of Isis, leading Nefertari to Ra-Horakhte and Hathor Imentet.

Osiris and Atum.

Scene of the sacrifice to Atum.

Two great deities - the personification of immortality and the creator of the universe - are united here in an almost symmetrical composition. The next scene, illustrating chapter 148 of the Book of the Dead, occupies the entire southern wall of the chamber. Framed by the sign of the sky and the scepters, seven cows and a bull are depicted in two registers, in front of each of which there is a small altar with offerings. All animals “walk” towards the queen, who is standing in a pose of adoration.

Nefertari in a pose of adoration in front of the sacred bull and cows.

The text of chapter 148 talks about the purpose of these seven cows to supply the spirit of the deceased with milk and bread. Steering oars are also mentioned here, which help the deceased to sail among the stars. None of the queen’s enemies will recognize her thanks to these “named” oars and the god Ra, the helmsman of the boat.

Sacred cows, bull and oars.

Next to the figure of the queen is one of the most famous scenes of the tomb: a deity in the form of a mummy with the head of a ram, crowned with a solar disk, stands on a small podium; he is supported on both sides by Nephthys and Isis. Each wears a white afnet wig with a long end, tied with red ribbons. Between the figures of the goddesses and the ram-headed deity are two columns of text “This is Osiris, resting in Ra” and “This is Ra, resting in Osiris.”

Ra and Osiris as the primordial deity.

The scene is of the highest quality and is very important from a theological point of view, illustrating, as already mentioned, the central idea of ​​the Egyptian funeral texts - the union of Ra and Osiris in the form of a single eternal deity.
A descending passage leads from Chamber C to the lower level of the tomb chambers. On both sides of the door of the passage, on paired djed pillars, cartouches of the queen are depicted, accompanied by the goddesses Wadjet and Nekhbet in the form of snakes with the heraldic attributes of Lower and Upper Egypt, respectively. The staircase itself is 7.5 meters long. The images of each wall are divided into two triangular registers. The upper left register shows the queen's offering of the sacred nemset vessels to the goddesses Hathor, Selket and the winged Maat.

Nefertari before Hathor and Selket.

In a similar scene on the right register there are Isis, Nephthys, and a symmetrically located Maat, between whose wings a shen is shown - a symbol of eternity and the name of the queen in a cartouche, the shape of which, as is known, is derived from this sign. On the “shelves” formed in the rock at both doors of the corridor there are images of two anthropomorphic symbols of Osiris, Djed (upper level of the stairs) and the goddess Neit and Selket (lower level of the stairs). Djed, as a sign of inviolability and constancy, is in this case a powerful pillar of “heaven” - a dark blue ceiling covered with golden stars of the night sky. In the lower registers of the walls there is the god Anubis in the form of a jackal and Isis and Nephthys kneeling on the signs of gold heaven.

Anubis. Painted relief of the staircase wall.

Both hands are placed on the shen signs. Nearby are voluminous spell texts, which are unique examples of calligraphy:
“Words spoken by Anubis Imiut, the great god residing in the sacred land (Ta-Jesert). I go before you, O great royal wife, mistress of both lands, mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt, the Reposed One, Nefertari, beloved Mut, rightful before Osiris, the great god who dwells in the West. I go before you and I have given you a place in the sacred land so that you can appear triumphant in the heavens, like your father Ra. Place diadems on top of your heads. Isis and Nephthys rewarded you and created your beauty, like that of your father, so that you could appear triumphant in the heavens, like Ra, so that you could illuminate Igeret with your rays. The great host of gods on earth has given you a place. Nut, your mother, greets you, just as she greets Ra-Horakhte. May the souls of Pe and Buto rejoice, just as they rejoiced at your father who is in the West... Come to your mother and sit on the throne of Osiris. May the rulers of the sacred land receive you. May your heart rejoice forever, O great royal wife... Nefertari... rightful before Osiris.”
The grandiose image of the flying goddess Maat crowns the space above the door leading to the “Golden Peace” - the burial chamber of the tomb “K” (10.4x8.2 m). Low “benches” along the entire perimeter of the room were once intended for burial goods. The walls of the chamber are covered with images illustrating chapters 144 and 146 of the Book of the Dead, and contain a description of the kingdom of Osiris. The queen appears before the guards of the underworld and correctly names the names of the spirits and the names of the gates of the otherworldly regions.

Guardian of the gates of another world.

The top of the walls is decorated with a hecker frieze; Countless stars of the night sky cover the ceiling. The recess, which was the place for the sarcophagus, was located in the middle of the room, framed by four pillars. Sixteen planes of the pillars preserved magnificent scenes of Nefertari standing before the deities - Anubis, Isis, Hathor, the mighty pillars of the Djed, as well as the figures of two priests of the funerary cult - Horus Iunmutef ("Hor-Support-of-His-Mother") and Horus Nejitef ("Hor-Protector") -His Father").

Nefertari and Hathor of Theban. Relief on a pillar in the burial chamber.

Incarnations of Horus, son of Isis, priests in leopard skins, present Nefertari to Osiris:
“Words spoken by Hor Iunmutef. I am your beloved son, my father Osiris. I came to honor you. I have forever defeated your enemies for you. May you allow your beloved daughter, the great royal wife... Nefertari, beloved Mut, right-voiced, to remain in the host of great deities, those who accompany Osiris...”
On two planes of the pillars, facing towards the entrance to the chamber, Osiris, the king of the host of gods, is depicted. In both stages he stands on a small pedestal inside a yellow pump. On his head is the atef crown, in his hands is the heket scepter and the nehehu whip. The great god wears a necklace on his shoulders, and he is tied with a red belt, a symbol of his wife Isis. Inside the naos, next to Osiris, are the emblems of Anubis Imiut, consisting of a wooden stand and a leopard skin.

Burial chamber. Horus Iunmutef and Horus Nejitef before Osiris.

Osiris on one of the pillars.

A small niche for canopics was carved into the left wall of the chamber. Its walls are decorated with images of Anubis and the spirits, the sons of Horus, the patrons of canopics; On the central wall there is an image of the winged sky goddess Nut with the signs of eternal life ankh in her hands.
On three sides of the burial chamber there are passages to small side rooms (“M”, “Q”, “O”), intended for storing burial goods. The decoration is best preserved in cell "M". The doorway is flanked by images of the goddesses Wadjet and Nekhbet in the form of snakes resting on djed pillars. On the walls are images of the anthropomorphic Osiris-Djed with scepters in his hands, Nefertari herself in the form of a mummy, Isis and Nephthys with the four sons of Horus. Under their protection, the queen “follows” the image of the legendary house of Osiris in Abydos.

Osiris, Hathor Imentet, Anubis. Relief of the wall of the burial chamber.

On the walls of Chamber O there are badly damaged images of the queen saying prayers to Hathor, the Lady of the West. On the right side, Nefertari appears before Isis and Anubis, seated on thrones. Two altars with flowers and bread stand in front of the deities. The central wall is filled with the winged figure of Maat. A surviving fragment of text on behalf of the goddess speaks of “the creation of a place for the queen in the house of Amon.” Perhaps there was a statue of Nefertari here.

The decoration of the “Q” chamber has practically not been preserved. The figure of Isis on the southern wall, fragments of the procession of the gods, the djed pillar between two amulets of Isis tet - these are the main images from this room that have survived to our time.
It is known that the masters who created the tombs of Ramses II, Nefertari and their children with ordinary tools in the light of special, non-smoking oil lamps were the “chief of work” Neferhotep the Elder, Nebnefer, Neferhotep the Younger, Kakha and his son Inerhau. The work was supervised by the scribes Ramose, Kenherkhepeshef, Amenemope and Khevi.

Nefertari's tomb was discovered in 1904 by an Italian archaeological expedition led by Ernesto Schiaparelli.

During restoration.

The poor quality of the limestone in which the tomb was carved, as well as salty soil waters, led to the fact that by the 70s of our century the paintings of the unique monument were in danger of disappearing. The special restoration project "Nefertari" of the Egyptian Antiquities Service and the Paul Getty Conservation Institute, carried out from 1986 to 1992, became one of the most important works of the 20th century in preserving the heritage of antiquity. Unique restoration methods allowed the tomb to be reopened to visitors in November 1995.

Hands of Nefertari and the goddess. Painted relief of one of the pillars of the burial chamber.

Tomb of Nefertari

Many experts consider Nefertari's tomb, discovered in 1904, to be the most beautiful of Egyptian tombs. Due to serious problems that arose with the preservation of its magnificent paintings, the tomb was closed to the public in the 1950s. and was only opened in November 1995. Access here is governed by very strict rules in order to preserve, as far as possible, the delicate microclimatic balance. Only 150 tickets are allocated daily to visit the tomb. Despite the unprecedented high cost, tickets run out by 10.00 (the cost of a full ticket is 100 LE, a student ticket is 50 LE). You will be left with vivid impressions of the amazing wall paintings with unusually vibrant colors.

Temple of Nefertari at Abu Simbel

Nefertari Mary-en-mut (a name meaning "beautiful, beloved Mut") most likely married the great Pharaoh Ramesses II before he ascended the throne. She had a position that was completely special and unprecedented in Egyptian history. Her leading role in comparison with the other countless wives of the pharaohs is confirmed by the fact that she was always in the retinue of Ramses, not only during civil or religious ceremonies, but even during important trips, for example, to Nubia in the 24th year of his reign (ca. . 1255 BC) on the occasion of the grand opening of the small temple of Abu Simbel, dedicated to the goddess Hathor and Nefertari herself: the queen is represented by large sculptures, the same size as the statues of the pharaoh, an exceptional fact, given that the wife was usually depicted. on the side of the pharaoh, barely reaching his knee.

Photo by Sandro Vannini, courtesy De Agostini
Anubis
The jackal-headed Anubis graces another wall inside Queen Nefertiti's tomb. As the god responsible for embalming, Anubis he is pictured welcoming Nefertari into the afterlife.

Nefertari also played a role in foreign policy, as evidenced by the letter she sent to Poduhepa, the queen of the Hittites, in which she expressed her sisterly friendship for the “great ruler of Hatti.” Nefertari's origins are still shrouded in mystery. Certain evidence indicates that her family originated from the Theban region; In addition, an ornamented scroll of Pharaoh Aya, depicted on the handle of a box found in her tomb, suggests a close connection with this king, who was from Akhmim, a city sacred to the god Min and located just over 100 km north of Thebes .

Nefertari is depicted offering sistras (ritual rattles)

In the Ramesseum, the imposing mortuary temple of Ramesses II at Thebes, at the top of the second pylon at a height of more than 10 m, there is an unusual depiction of the Ming festival, in which Nefertari dances in front of a sacred bull. Was this a tribute to the bride's father, Aya, Tutankhamun's successor? Although she gave birth to Ramses 5 or 6 sons, some of whom, like the most beloved - the first-born Amun-Khi-Venemef, died in their youth. Fate would have it that none of them ascended the throne. Ramesses II was succeeded by his son (Prince Merneptah) from another royal bride, Queen Isis-Nofret, whose tomb has not yet been discovered and is supposedly located in the necropolis of Saqqara. The time and cause of Nefertari's death are also unknown to us, but it happened before the celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the reign of Ramses - the name of his beloved wife is no longer mentioned in the memorial inscription of this and subsequent periods.

General view of the Valley of the Queens
The Valley of the Queens, known in ancient times as the “valley of the children of Pharaoh,” is an archaeological zone on the west bank of the Nile, next to the Valley of the Kings, on the opposite bank from Luxor (ancient Thebes). In the valley, up to seventy rock-cut tombs of the wives and children of the pharaohs, as well as priests and nobles, were discovered. All burials belong to the 18th, 19th or 20th dynasties (c. 1550-1070 BC). More impressive than others is the tomb of the wife of Ramses the Great, Nefertari, in which an extensive complex of polychrome fresco painting is perfectly preserved.

Valley of the Queens and the sacred grotto of the goddess Hathor.

QUEEN NEFERTARI
Ancient Egypt. XIX dynasty. XIII century BC.
Original: painting from the tomb of Nefertari.
Thebes

Queen Nefertari was the main wife of the famous Pharaoh Ramesses II. She is depicted in a ceremonial headdress - a shuti, consisting of a dark blue wig, the golden kite of the goddess Mut, the patroness of queens, a golden solar disk and stylized ostrich feathers. Nefertari's snow-white priestly robe is decorated with a multi-colored ritual necklace of usekh. Her name and titles are written next to it. The memory of Ramesses' wife has survived centuries: in distant Nubia, in the sacred rocks of Abu Simbel, a special temple was dedicated to the deified queen.

The artistic process used to create the time-worn effect in this painting of an Ancient Egyptian portrait is a mixed media technique called Paper Batik. Our portrait was based upon a painting of Queen Nefertari from her tomb in the Valley of the Queens.

Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel
Temple of Ra-Harakhte (Temple of the Sun - Ramesses II)
Nefertari is the wife of Ramesses II at the feet of her husband.
At the feet of the king are depicted several more of his wives, sons and daughters.

The Valley of the Queens is an ancient monument in Egypt, which is of no less interest to tourists than the famous Valley of the Kings. It is here that you can get acquainted with the amazing story of the mysterious Queen Nefertari Marenmut and add another bright and unforgettable experience to your trip to the Land of the Pharaohs.

History of the Valley of the Queens

The Valley of the Queens is one of the royal necropolises in Egypt. It is located near the Valley of the Kings, on the western bank of the Nile River, in Luxor (in ancient times, the ancient capital of Egypt, the city of Thebes, was located on this site). Previously, it was called Ta-Set-Neferov, translated as “a place for the royal children.” Not only the wives of kings were buried here, but also the heirs to the throne who never became rulers. The Valley of the Queens is also famous for the fact that a place was discovered here in which the priests prepared the deceased for burial and performed ritual actions.

Archaeologists and historians have discovered about 80 burials of the children and wives of the rulers of the Land of the Pyramids, as well as some noble people, in the Valley of the Queens. Over the years, they were barbarically looted and burned, and some of the tombs were even equipped with stalls for livestock.

These burial sites are believed to date from 1550 to 1070 BC. You can get to the Valley of the Queens by passing through the gorge with memorial steles in honor of the victorious military campaigns of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses III. Here you can also see prayer appeals to one of the main deities in Ancient Egypt - Osiris and Anubis.

Tomb of Nefertari Marenmut

The burial of the wife of Pharaoh Ramses the Great, Queen Nefertari, is the most impressive tomb for which the Valley of the Queens, located in Luxor, is famous. It was excavated in 1904, but the first visitors arrived there almost 100 years later - only in 1995. All this time, the study of hieroglyphs on the walls of this luxurious tomb continued. It must be said that no more than 150 visitors are allowed into it every day. The fact is that mass visits from tourists can disrupt the microclimate in the room, and this will have a detrimental effect on the decorations of the walls of the tomb. Taking photos and videos is not allowed in this place.

The colorful polychrome frescoes that decorate the walls of Queen Nefertari’s burial in the Valley of the Queens have survived to this day in excellent condition. It is still believed that it was these images that gave the world the most complete and detailed information about Ancient Egypt. There is a video that clearly shows how bright the colors of the ancient frescoes remained even after millennia.

Nefertari Marenmut translated means “most beautiful beloved Mut.” Queen Nefertari possessed unprecedented power from the very first days of Pharaoh Ramses II's accession to the throne. Her origins are still shrouded in mystery, but recently it is believed that she was a noble lady from the Ey family, which included one of the last rulers of the 18th dynasty. Most likely, Nefertari hid her relationship with this family, fearing that she could compromise herself in this way.

The image of this outstanding woman is depicted on a huge number of historical monuments found in Egypt. Most often she was depicted next to the statues of her royal husband, next to him and on the pylon of one of the temples in Luxor. These images and inscriptions about her date from the third year of the reign of Ramses II.

As a rule, on the reliefs found during excavations in Luxor, the royal spouses were depicted next to the pharaohs, but their height was so small that they barely reached the spouse’s knee. However, the facade of the Small Temple, located in Abu Simbel and dedicated to the goddess Hathor, is decorated with huge statues of Queen Nefertari - the same height as the statues of Ramses. This clearly indicates the position this woman occupied in the state and in the heart of the great pharaoh.

During the Eighteenth Dynasty, there was a period when Egypt was ruled by the family of Queen Nefertiti. The queen and her husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten, rejected the ancient Egyptian gods and began to worship the mysterious sun god Aten. Nefertiti was posthumously condemned as a heretic, but her daughter Ankhesenamun continued to rule Egypt along with her half-brother Tutankhamun. At the age of approximately nineteen, Tutankhamun died of illness, and the throne was seized by Nefertiti's father, Vizier Ey, who ruled for only a year. After his death, only Nefertiti’s younger sister, Mutnojmet, survived from the royal family.

The commander Horemheb, realizing that Mutnojmet herself would not be able to get the Egyptian throne, wanted to legitimize his own claims to it and forced her to marry him. Mutnodzhmet died in childbirth; Thus ended this era in the history of the country. Horemheb began the Nineteenth Dynasty by transferring the throne to the military leader Ramesses. But Ramesses the First was no longer young; he soon died and the crown passed to his son, Pharaoh Seti.

And in 1283 BC, the Nefertiti clan was represented only by Mutnojmet’s daughter, Nefertari, an orphan living at the court of Pharaoh Seti the First.

It seems to me that if I sit in silence, away from the palace, from the bustle of the court, then I can remember myself in my earliest childhood. Smooth floor slabs and squat tables with legs in the shape of lion paws are dimly visible. I remember the smells of cedar and acacia from the caskets in which my nanny kept my favorite toys. If I sit for a day under the sycamore trees, where nothing but the wind distracts my thoughts, I remember the sounds of the sistrums ringing in the courtyard where incense was burned. But these pictures look very foggy, as if you are looking through a thick canvas, and my first clear memory is Ramses, sobbing in the dark temple of Amun.

Either I begged to be allowed to go with him, or the nanny, who was busy at the bedside of the sick Princess Pili, did not notice my departure. We walked through the dark halls of the temple, and Ramesses’ face became exactly like that of the woman painted on the fresco, begging the goddess Isis for mercy. I was six years old, and I could chatter continuously, but I already understood quite a lot, and therefore did not open my mouth that evening.

In the flickering light of our torch, images of gods floated past. We reached the inner sanctum, and Ramesses said:

Wait here.

I obeyed and hid further into the shadows, and he approached the huge statue of Amun, illuminated by lamps arranged in a circle. Ramses knelt before the creator of all living things. The blood was pounding in my temples, drowning out the already barely audible whisper, but Ramses shouted out the last words:

Help her, Amon! She is only six years old. Please don't let Anubis take her. She's just a child!

At the opposite door of the sanctuary something moved; the rustle of sandals on the stone floor made Rameses understand that he was not alone. Ramses stood up, wiping his tears, and I held my breath. Like a leopard, a man emerged from the darkness. On his shoulders, like all priests, lay a spotted skin, his left eye was ominously purple, like a lake of blood.

Where is Pharaoh? - High Priest Rahotep asked sternly.

Nine-year-old Ramses, gathering all his courage, walked into the illuminated circle and said:

Pharaoh is in the palace, sir. He can't leave my sister.

Then where is your mother?

She... is there too. The doctors say my sister will die!

And your father sent his children to appeal to the gods?

Only now I understood why we came here.

I swore to give Amon everything he wants! - Ramses exclaimed. - Everything I will ever have!

Your father didn't even want to call me?

He wanted! He asked you to come to the palace. - Ramses' voice trembled. - Do you think Amon will heal her?

The high priest moved along the stone slabs.

Who knows?

I got down on my knees and promised him whatever he wanted. I did everything as expected.

“You might have done it,” the high priest said. - But the pharaoh himself did not come to my temple.

Ramesses took my hand, and we walked into the courtyard, looking at the hem of the high priest swaying ahead. The silence of the night was pierced by the voice of a trumpet. Priests in white robes appeared in the courtyard, with faces indistinguishable in the darkness, and I remembered the mummy of the god Osiris. The High Priest commanded:

To the palace, to Malkata!

Preceded by torches, we moved into the darkness. Our chariots flew through the cool night towards the Nile. We soon crossed the river and approached the palace. The guards escorted us into the hall.

Where is Pharaoh's family? - asked the high priest.

In the princess's bedroom, sir.

The High Priest began to climb the steps.

She is alive?

The guards did not answer; Ramses started running, and I hurried after, afraid to remain in the dark hall.

Drank! - he shouted. - Pili, wait!

Ramesses jumped over two steps; The armed guards at the entrance to Pili's chambers made way for him. Ramses pushed the heavy wooden doors and froze. I peered into the twilight. The air was heavy with incense, the queen bent over the bed in a mournful pose. The pharaoh stood in the shadows, far from the only burning lamp in the room.

They drank... - Ramses whispered and shouted: - They drank!

He did not care that it was not proper for a prince to cry. He ran to the bed and grabbed his sister's hand. Her eyes were closed, her thin chest no longer shook from the cold. The Queen of Egypt began to weep.

Ramesses, order the bells to be rung.

Ramesses looked at his father as if the king of Egypt could defeat death itself.

Pharaoh Seti nodded to his son:

I tried so hard! - Ramses exclaimed. - I begged Amon.

Sethi walked across the room and put his arm around his son's shoulders.

I know. Now order the bells to ring. Pili was taken by Anubis.

I saw that Ramses was unable to leave his sister. She was always afraid of the dark, just like me, and she would be scared because everyone around her was crying. Ramses hesitated, but his father’s voice sounded firm:

Ramses looked at me, and I realized: I need to go with him.

In the courtyard, under the gnarled branches of an acacia tree, an old priestess sat, holding a bronze bell in her wrinkled hands.

Sooner or later Anubis takes everyone away,” she said.

Her breath made steam swirl in the cold air.

But not at six years old! - Ramses exclaimed. - And I begged Amon to leave her alive.

The old priestess laughed hoarsely.

The gods don't listen to children! What great thing have you done to make Amon fulfill your requests? Won the war? Erected monuments?

I hid behind Ramses, and we both froze.

How can Amon know your name, how can he distinguish you among the many thousands raising prayers to him?

“No way,” Ramses whispered.

The priestess nodded confidently.

And if the gods cannot recognize your name among others, they will not hear your prayer.

Chapter first

KING OF UPPER EGYPT

Thebes, 1283 BC. e.

Stay calm! - Paser ordered strictly.

The paser only taught me to read and write and could not tell the princess how to behave, but if you don’t listen to him, he will force me to rewrite a few more lines. In a beaded outfit, I stood obediently next to the children from Seti’s harem. At thirteen I lacked patience. Besides, all I could see was the gold-plated belt of the woman standing in front of me. Sweat ran down her neck from under her wig, leaving stains on her white linen dress. When the royal procession passes, the courtiers, following the pharaoh, will take refuge from the heat in the cool temple. But the procession moved unbearably slowly. I looked at Paser, who was trying to find a way through the crowd.

Love story Egyptian Queen Nefertiti and Pharaoh Amenhotep, which is more than three thousand years old, is alive in the memory of descendants to this day. And she, like any love, was filled with unbridled passion and trepidation. There was also a love triangle, cold-blooded betrayal, and sweet revenge.

The Mystery of Nefertiti's Origin

One of the legends that has survived to this day about the extraordinary beauty, wisdom and enterprise of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti, the wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, says that she was born in Mesopotamia in the family of King Tashrut. The approximate date of birth of the future ruler of Egypt is considered to be 1370 BC. It is likely that Nefertiti's real name is Taduhepa. From birth, the girl was distinguished by truly unearthly beauty, and at the age of 13 she was sent to Egypt as a gift to Pharaoh Amenhotep III, in order to strengthen dynastic ties.

According to another legend, it is quite likely that Nefertiti’s real father was Amenhotep III himself, and the girl’s mother was a concubine of his harem, in which the grown-up beauty later found herself. There are several more minor versions, but, alas, none of them have sufficient historical evidence.

In most cases, although conditionally, it is still believed that the first husband of the young beauty was the elderly Pharaoh Amenhotep III. From the age of thirteen, Nefertiti lived as a concubine in his harem. And when the ruler died, all his wives were expected to die, since according to the laws of centuries-old traditions of Egypt, the pharaoh’s concubines were buried along with the deceased.

Nefertiti, beloved wife of the pharaoh

Young Nefertiti is saved by chance: a fateful acquaintance with the ruler’s son Amenhotep IV (later he will be known as Akhenaten), which radically changes the girl’s fate. Captivated by the extraordinary beauty and grace of his father's concubine, he married Nefertiti. And instead of the painful death to which all the inhabitants of the harem of the deceased ruler were subjected, she unexpectedly becomes the “main wife” of the new ruler of Egypt, Amenhotep IV. The girl really was breathtakingly beautiful, and it was not for nothing that she was considered the daughter of the goddess of beauty herself.

Soon strong feelings flared up between the pharaoh and the “main wife”. Despite the fact that the ruler of Egypt had a frail physique, an unattractive face, and an intolerable character, in which the main features were hot temper, capriciousness, and rancor, Nefertiti fell in love with him with all her soul. And it should be noted that this love was certainly mutual. Soon Amenhotep abandoned his numerous wives and exalted the one and only, declaring her the “great royal wife.”

Their great love can be judged by numerous frescoes, sculptures and bas-reliefs. Everywhere the young woman and her husband are depicted illuminated with happiness: in the garden, on the throne, praying to the new single god of the Sun - Ra, who, by order of Amenhotep, replaced all the previous Egyptian gods.

New religion of Egypt

From the first day, the young 16-year-old wife made a sensible decision - not to contradict her husband’s ambitions, but to support him. Amenhotep IV, who came to the throne, proclaimed the era of a new religion, according to which Aten, the only god personifying the sun, replaced many gods. After a while, Akhenaten and Nefertiti, having created the cult of the god Aten, began to consider themselves gods on earth. The name "Nefertiti" was interpreted as "a beautiful woman came." She personified the female element of creation, and Akhenaten the male element of existence; together they were considered very important components for the cult of the Sun god. The pharaoh proclaimed himself the son of Aten and ordered to call himself Akhenaten, thereby emphasizing his divine origin.

In all his endeavors, the ruler was supported by his young wife, which brought considerable privileges for Nefertiti - the pharaoh declared his wife a co-ruler. Having received power, the wife of the ruler of Egypt did not become the second figure in the power. She did not sit in the chambers of the palace, but together with her husband she received ambassadors and great persons of other states, went with him to various ceremonies and personally held events glorifying the new god.

After 12 years of joint rule, Pharaoh Akhenaten had enormous power, his empire became more powerful than ever. One thing overshadowed the happy union of Akhenaten and Nefertiti - the wife, regularly giving birth to children for the pharaoh, gave birth to six daughters, but could not give the pharaoh an heir to the throne.

Betrayal

And after the death of the ruler’s mother and his three daughters, Akhenaten lost interest in Nefertiti. The death of the pharaoh's children was clearly regarded as a bad sign, and the cult of Aten was under threat. Now the ruler literally began to rave about the son his wife could not give birth to. Akhenaten turned away from his own family and turned his gaze to the beauties of the harem.

And when the new capital Akhetaten was finally erected, he moved there alone, leaving his wife in ancient Thebes. The reigning couple conceived the construction of this fabulous city only after they got married. In a little more than a decade, the city was built. On "The hot sands were dominated by luxurious palaces with mosaic floors, swimming pools with clear water, palm groves, and spacious pavements". We planned it together, but the pharaoh moved to the new capital alone. An unbearable insult burned the soul of Queen Nefertiti, but nothing could be done, she had to come to terms with it.

Pharaoh's second wife

Among the concubines of the harem, Kiya, a girl of the royal family, stood out with special beauty. The rather aged pharaoh chose her. Kiya soon finally gave birth to his long-awaited son, and the ruler’s happiness knew no bounds. He literally showered his new wife with gifts and honors. However, he did not dare to declare Kiya a “great wife” while Nefertiti was alive. But even here the cunning pharaoh came up with a way out: he bestowed the title of “junior pharaoh” on his new beloved, placed her on the throne and placed on her head the crown of supreme power - a tiara with the image of a sacred snake.

However, not having time to enjoy royal power, young Kiya soon died for unknown reasons. The pharaoh did not particularly lament her death, since by that time he had already begun to grow cold towards her. The second wife turned out to be far from being such a devoted and faithful assistant to him in state affairs as Nefertiti was. It was she who began to remember more and more often by the pharaoh, who was lonely in the new capital. In the end, unable to bear it, he sent an escort for her. However, the abandoned queen refused to even see her traitorous husband! She was never able to forgive him for cheating...

Daughter's revenge for her mother's insulted honor

Nefertiti soon passed on the title of “great royal wife” to her daughter Meritaton, whom she herself taught all the exquisite caresses that her husband liked... Don’t be surprised, consanguineous marriages at that time were the order of the day, and not at all the exception. And Pharaoh married his own eldest daughter, who bore him both a granddaughter and a daughter in one person. Such marriages, as is known, ultimately led to the degeneration of the royal dynasty of Egypt.

And Meritaten, being the third wife of the pharaoh, took full revenge for the violated feelings of her mother, ordering to erase the name of Kiya from everything that could survive centuries: stone steles, bas-reliefs, palace walls. And now it is known for certain that in the seventeenth year of the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten, the name of Kiya’s second wife no longer appeared anywhere next to his name.

This was much more than revenge, for the loss of a name for an ancient Egyptian was the most terrible punishment. Without it, an eternal afterlife was impossible, and therefore it was believed that having lost it, a person sank into oblivion.

Tutankhamun

After Akhenaten and Nefertiti passed away, the cult of the sun god Aten finally lost its relevance. After the death of Pharaoh Meritaten's eldest daughter and third wife, the reign passed to Akhenaten's only son, Tutunkaton. Despite his young age, he will ascend to the throne and go down in history under the name Tutankhamun. Over time, the new king will return the religion of Egypt to the previous canons - temples will be reopened to worship other gods, and he will declare his father, Akhenaten-Amenhotep IV, a heretic. Thus, the suffering son of Pharaoh dishonored the name of his father, who imagined himself to be a deity.

Unknown burial of the Egyptian queen

But, interestingly, the real burial place of the influential queen, unlike her husband, has not yet been found. For several decades now, archaeological scientists have been making loud statements from time to time that the tomb of the pharaoh’s first wife has been discovered. However, a thorough examination and analysis of the finds does not confirm the reliability of these facts.

Almost five years ago, Egyptologist Carl Nicholas Reeves confidently stated that the sarcophagus with the remains of Nefertiti was located in a secret room located in the tomb of Tutankhamun. But the matter did not progress further than the discussion about whether to dismantle the wall hiding the possible tomb of Nefertiti.

But for more than three millennia, descendants have been judging the appearance of the beautiful ruler of Egypt Nefertiti from the surviving bust, which was discovered during archaeological excavations of the ancient Egyptian city of Akhetaten. Now the bust of the queen is kept within the walls of the New Museum in Berlin.