Ancient Egypt: The Egypt of Nefertiti

Nefertiti's Mysterious Origins For centuries, the beautiful, mysterious Queen Nefertiti, has captured our imaginations. We do not know very much about the woman's origins, or her demise, which only adds to her mysterious appeal. What we do know, however, is that she was the wife of one of the most controversial and radical of all of ancient Egypt's Pharaohs. Her husband, Akhenaten, often referred to as the Heretic King started a revolution for the proto-monotheistic cult of Aten, the sun disk. This revolution led to dramatic social and political changes during what was later called the Amarna Period. From a huge upheaval in the traditional power structure of the nation, the outlaw of traditional gods, and even the relocation of the capital of the nation, there were actually deliberate attempts from the rulers who came after to erase this period of Egyptian history from the historical record. And they nearly succeeded. What we do know about Nefertiti is that she was stunningly beautiful and incredibly powerful. She was, in fact, one of the most powerful queens in Egyptian history. Many scholars claim that she was the prime confidante, as well as advisor, to her husband during his reign. She is shown in a position of power in artistic depictions that is usually reserved for a king - whether she is shown smiting Egypt's enemies or even racing chariots or leading religious ceremonies.