Page 72 - All About History - Issue 26-15

Nefertiti: The Queen who killed the gods

The search for Nefertiti Hear more from Joann at the

Chalke Valley Festival’s Ancient
Egypt talk, sponsored by All
About History. You can claim a
free family ticket to the festival,
CouldthemummyintombKV35bethat of thefamousEgyptianqueen? which takes place from 22-28
June, by subscribing to the
magazine. See page 42 to learn
ince the discovery of Nefertiti’s bust, in tomb KV35 – the resting place of the 18th more. For further info, visit
archaeologistshavescouredtheEgyptian Dynasty pharaoh Amenhotep II. Intrigued as to www.cvhf.org.uk
desert in search of her resting place. the ownership of the wig, Joann requested for the
Though no formal identification has sealed chamber to be re-opened.
S been made, one Egyptologist believes What she discovered within the room was name at the doors of the afterlife, condemning it
she has found Nefertiti’s mummy in the tomb of curious to say the least. The only mummy to to an eternity of damnation. The mummy’s right
AmenhotepII,thegreatgrandfatherofAkhenaten. whom the wig could viably belong was that of the arm had also been broken off, and what appeared
Themummy,knownas‘TheYoungerLady’, Younger Lady, whose head had been shaved. This to be its detached and outstretched limb placed
wasdiscoveredburiedalongsideQueenTiye, lack of hair emphasised a remarkably long neck beside it. But closer inspection revealed that this
Akhenaten’smother,andayoungboy,possiblyhis – one all too familiar to an Egyptologist who had arm belonged to someone else entirely – it had
brother,backin1898.Thediscoverer,VictorLoret, dedicated years to the study of the Amarna period. been mummified in a different way, and the
originally believed the mummy to be male, but a Further inspections concluded that this mummy measurements did not match those of the Younger
closer inspection by anatomist Dr Grafton Elliot was indeed a woman, and one who had died in Lady. In what was to become an astonishing
SmithTestsconcludedthatitwas her twenties or thirties – an age discovery, another arm was found hidden beneath
awoman.Theroomcontaining that, should she have survived her the wrappings of Queen Tiye’s mummy. Unlike
the mummies was then sealed, husband as the evidence suggests, the first arm, this arm was bent at the elbow and
andhadbeenallbutforgotten would fit that of Nefertiti. its hand was clasped, indicating that it had been
until1993,whenEgyptologist But what was perhaps most holding a sceptre – the sign of a pharaoh. And
JoannFletcherstumbledacross intriguing about the Younger Lady it fit the Younger Lady perfectly. Whoever had
oneunlikelypieceofevidence. was the damage that had been broken off this arm had clearly wanted to destroy
Joann,whoatthetimewas inflicted upon the mummy shortly all evidence of this woman’s power, and Nefertiti’s
completing a PhD in ancient after its burial. The lower half of heresy would have been an understandable
Egyptianhair,cameacrossawig its face was completely smashed motivation.
in the Cairo Museum that was in in – a punishment worse than The claim that the Younger Lady is indeed
theNubianstyle–astylefavoured death if ancient tradition were to Nefertiti is one that has been met with strong
by royal women in Akhenaten’s be believed. By destroying the contention, and one that may never be resolved.
A wall painting showing
court, and particularly by Nefertiti. Akhenaten and Nefertiti with mummy’s mouth, the spirit of the But it’s hard to deny that the evidence all points to
Thewighadbeendiscovered their young family dead would be unable to speak its one very clear conclusion.

Inside the burial
chamber of tomb KV35

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