Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

317

Date

2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Art History

Concentration

Egyptian Art and Archaeology

Committee Chair

Patricia Podzorski

Committee Member

Fred Albertson

Committee Member

Peter Brand

Committee Member

Suzanne Onstine

Abstract

The iconic tall blue crown favored by queen Nefertiti, wife of the pharaoh Akhenaten, is unique. I believe it was strongly influenced by a crown seen in depictions of queen Tiye as a sphinx from Sedinga, Nubia and the king's khepresh crown. The choice of Nefertiti's unique crown was dictated by the need of the new Atenist theology for a visual signifier of the link between the queen, the goddess Tefnut in her various forms, and the Ruty lions. The connection between Shu and Tefnut and the solar guardian lions points directly to the notion that Akhenaten and Nefertiti, as personifications of the primeval twins, were both guardians, and offspring, of their unique solar deity, the Aten. To understand how Nefertiti's crown helped define her status and roles during the Amarna period, this thesis examines the crown's possible origins and divine associations, context of use, and Nefertiti's titles and epithets that appear beside it.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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