26th Annual Student Research Conference
Nefertiti: More Than A Beautiful Face
Arionne N. Lloyd
Prof. Martha L. Rose and Dr. David Robinson, Faculty Mentors
In the political context of New Kingdom Egypt, Queen Nefertiti represented much more than elegant physical beauty. Her exquisite features, immortalized in sculpture and on display in Berlin, reinforce the mistaken idea that she was an icon of beauty and not much more. The function of the traditional ancient queen, in fact, a political symbol, whose duties included bearing sons so as to strengthen the dynastic line. During the dramatic break with artistic and political tradition of the Amarna Period, Queen Nefertiti took on unconventional roles, perhaps co-ruling with the Pharaoh Akhenaten. The imagery of Nefertiti's regal beauty overshadows considerations about her role in the shift from the traditional Amun-centered Egyptian world to a universe centralized around Aton. Nefertiti's face displayed a dimension of the collective beauty of Atonism, not the feminine beauty that modern individuals pursue for themselves.
Keywords: Ancient Egypt, Nefertiti, Atenism, Akhenaten
Topic(s):History Senior Seminar
Philosophy & Religion
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 102-2
Location: VH 1236
Time: 8:15