Queen Nefertiti Research Paper

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Discovered in 1912 by the German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt, Nefertiti’s bust is an iconic piece of ancient Egyptian art. Its current location is at the Neues Museum in Berlin. This figure was created in 1340 BC by the artist Thutmose, who was thought to have been the official court sculptor of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaton, husband of Nefertiti (Dell'Amore). Although much of the details of her life are shrouded in mystery, Queen Nefertiti’s image has attracted the attention of scholars and historians around the world. Meaning "a beautiful woman has come," Nefertit was known for much more than her graceful, confident appearance. Alternatively, Nefertiti’s bust is a symbol of progressive thought, personifying the transformation of conventional…show more content…
The Amarna period was an era of Egyptian history near the end of the eighteenth dynasty that occurred from 1543 BC to 1292 BC. During this period, there was a shift of religious practice from polytheism to a more monotheistic, or henotheistic, interpretation of belief. Instead of worshipping a wide range of deities, the predominate focus was on the sun disc Aten. Aten was not solely worshipped, but there was an inequality of devotion to other gods and goddesses. Promoting this new idea was Akhenaton and…show more content…
In the sculpture, the Queen is wearing what is now known as a “Nefertiti cap crown” and an elaborately decorated collar that spans across her shoulders. Bearden points out that, “The iconic conical headdress, which seems only to enhance her features, still emits her eternal power (1).” She continues describing the sculpture by explaining, “Her alluring perfection is in the elegance of her unnaturally elongated neck and angular bone structure, a convention of her time. (1)” Overall, the 3,300 year old piece has been well preserved but the bust has endured slight damage while resting in Thutmose’s studio. The left eye is lacking a quartz inlay and the ears are chipped. Even with the imperfections, this sculpture is an unmistakably powerful piece of art work that emits beauty and a sense of

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