Nefertiti

Nefertiti was a historical figure and lived in the 14th century BCE and was the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten during Egypt’s 18th Dynasty.  Her name means “The Beautiful One Has Come,” and beauty aside, she was also a woman of remarkable political and religious influence.

She rose to prominence during one of Egypt’s most radical periods. Alongside Akhenaten, Nefertiti helped lead a religious revolution, abandoning Egypt’s traditional pantheon in favor of the worship of a single deity—the Aten, the sun disk.  This shift toward near-monotheism reshaped Egyptian art, theology, and daily life. Unlike earlier queens, Nefertiti was depicted actively participating in rituals, making offerings, and sometimes smiting enemies—acts traditionally reserved for kings.

Visually, Nefertiti is instantly recognizable thanks to her tall blue crown and elegant features, immortalized in the famous painted bust discovered in 1912. That sculpture wasn’t just propaganda—it reflected how royal women were being portrayed with unprecedented realism and individuality during the Amarna Period.

What makes Nefertiti especially intriguing is her sudden disappearance from historical records. Around year 12 of Akhenaten’s reign, her name vanishes. Scholars still debate what happened:

• She may have died prematurely.

• She may have changed her name.

• Or she may have ruled as pharaoh herself, possibly under the name Neferneferuaten.

She was also the mother-in-law of Tutankhamun, tying her directly to one of history’s most famous pharaohs and the eventual restoration of Egypt’s traditional gods after Akhenaten’s death.

Today, Nefertiti stands as a symbol of female authority, beauty, intelligence, and enigma. She wasn’t just a queen beside a king—she was a visible architect of one of the boldest experiments in religious and political history.

I learned about Nefertiti's asteroid from this girl here.