Thursday’s papers: Gamal and Alaa Mubarak arrested, join the Tora gang

Thursday’s papers: Gamal and Alaa Mubarak arrested, join the Tora gang

As with the previous day, Thursday’s papers continue to be dominated by the long-awaited news of former President Hosni Mubarak’s detainment, as well as the arrest of his sons, Gamal and Alaa. Despite his allegedly deteriorating health, there is little sympathy to be found in the front-page headlines for the Egyptian people’s self-proclaimed “father;” even state-owned -- and until recently, highly sycophantic -- Al-Ahram celebrates with a banner citing “widespread national jubilation” that came after the arrests were announced. With palpable energy, and an impressive lack of irony, the paper’s lead report goes on to describe the “overwhelming sense of joy and retribution” felt by “all levels, classes, sects, and factions within the Egyptian population, as well as beyond it.”

According to Al-Ahram, Mubarak was questioned by officials for two hours on Tuesday night immediately after arriving at a Sharm el-Sheikh hospital for “low blood pressure.” The former president was allowed a short break in order to take his medication, after which the interrogation resumed. Mubarak’s sons Gamal and Alaa were present during the first half of the investigation, before being “quickly removed from the scene under tight security” and transported to a nearby courthouse, the paper reports. The two sons were questioned for four hours before prosecutors decided to arrest them for 15 days each, a decision that was announced by the head of security to “throngs of chanting protesters who had gathered outside the courthouse.”

The Mubarak boys were then placed in a minibus, which transported them to the airport under a hail of stones and trash hurled by crowds of protesters.

Thursday’s papers collectively report on charges the brothers face, with Gamal accused of illicit gains, squandering public funds, sabotaging the national economy, and involvement in killing protesters. Alaa, meanwhile, has only been accused of illicit gains. Several of the papers note that some of these charges could be met with the death penalty.

Further details can be found in independent daily Al-Wafd, which takes obvious pride in providing “exclusive details about the darkest night in the history of the Mubarak family.” The paper’s report depicts an amusing slapstick scene of the arrest and subsequent incarcerations, with Alaa Mubarak allegedly deteriorating into a sobbing mess, causing his older brother Gamal to snap, “Shut up, boy!”

The same anonymous source informed Al-Wafd that the two men arrived at Torah prison in a state of “shock” and were reunited with cronies such as former NDP Secretary General Ahmed Nazif and steel tycoon Ahmed Ezz, but refused to speak with either former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly or Presidential Chief of Staff Zakaria Azmy, also imprisoned at the same facility. Upon hearing news of his sons’ arrests, the former president strangely “lost sight in his left eye,” the paper reports.

Al-Wafd also adds that the two brothers asked to share a cell, a request that was met with a 1.5 by 2 meter room with a view of a “small handball court.”

Independent daily Al-Shorouk reveals details left out by Al-Wafd’s “exclusive” coverage, claiming that upon arrival, Gamal was clearly more composed than his sobbing brother. He continued to make calls on his cellular phone, which he initially refused to hand over to prison officials, while Alaa quietly allowed himself to be “thoroughly” searched. The paper reports that Gamal even made several calls, in which he described his immediate surroundings with exaggerated disdain, and, at one point, announced into his phone: “Gamal and Alaa, the president’s sons, are imprisoned, and will not flee from confronting justice, just as their father did not.”

Al-Shorouk’s report briefly mentions “violent confrontations” between Torah prison guards and inmates that occurred during “extensive reorganization” in anticipation of the two brothers’ arrival.

Mubarak’s lawyers, meanwhile, continue to use Habib al-Adly as a scapegoat for protester deaths, claiming that al-Adly ordered the use of live ammunition, a decision which the president was unaware but had not authorized “directly.” Mubarak’s case was not aided by claims of Safwat al-Sherif, who accused the ousted president and his two sons of authorizing the killing of civilians. Al-Sherif offered to present incriminating documents in exchange for restricting his eventual sentence to house arrest.

Former First Lady Suzanne Mubarak is also currently under investigation, according to Al-Dostour. The independent daily reports on its front page that Mubarak, née Thabet, is being interrogated for illicit gains, profiteering, using her husband’s influence to secure lucrative business deals, and direct involvement in the killing of protesters during the uprising’s early stages.

Beyond the Mubarak clan, news of Fathi Sorour’s arrest also made the front page of Al-Ahram. The former NDP president will be held for 15 days pending investigation of illicit gains.

In other news, Al-Shorouk reports that, in light of recent events, the 25 January Youth Coalition decided to postpone Friday’s scheduled Tahrir Square protest.

Queens of Egypt

Queens of Egypt

 Cleopatra

"Cleopatra VII" was not as appealing as her agreeableness and ambition, that fabricated two Roman leaders - Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony - abatement into abysmal adulation with her. Despite her political foresight, she had conspicuously contributed to the abatement of both, and her political career catastrophe in complete failure.

She became queen of Egypt as co-regent with her brothers "Ptolemy XIII" (51 - 47 BC) and "Ptolemy XIV" (47 – 44 BC), afresh with her son "Ptolemy XV Caesar" (44 - 30 BC) until her suicide, afterwards her defeat by Octavius. Egypt afresh fell beneath Roman domination.

Cleopatra was that aftermost absolute of the Macedonian dynasty, and admitting with no Egyptian blood, she proclaimed herself as "Daughter of Ra", the "Sun God of Egypt". She committed her efforts to accomplish her aristocratic cachet as queen of Egypt, to restore the glories of Ptolemies and balance their dominions in southern Syria and Palestine, as able-bodied as to allotment in the axial Roman authority. Shortly afterwards the alpha of her reign, she was complex into the attempt amid Julius Caesar and Pompey. Cleopatra accurate the after by a agile of 50 ships and 500 men, which was not accustomed by the Alexandrians. She was appropriately affected to abscond to the eastern bound of Egypt, area she was able to anatomy an army of Bedouins to restore the head from her brother. With Pompey’s defeat, Julius Caesar advised Egypt as a Roman property. He accustomed at Alexandria and alleged Cleopatra and Ptolemy to boldness their battle according to their father’s will.

To abstain the conspirators, Cleopatra was sneaked into the aristocratic alcazar to accommodated Caesar, captivated into a carpet. At aboriginal sight, Caesar fell in adulation with her, and appropriately accepted her the throne. Ptolemy in acerbity accused them both of treason, and led the army from the east to annoy the palace. Caesar beatific for food from Rome, and to abstain a aggressive combat, he burnt 110 Egyptian ships at the harbour and dockyards. The blaze continued to the Great Library of Alexandria, and a huge bulk of treasures and animal ancestry was lost.

"Ptolemy XIII" was dead in combat, and Caesar appear Cleopatra as queen, in co-regency with her adolescent brother "Ptolemy XIV" in 47 BC. She remained to be Caesar’s bedmate until her alternate to Rome, and she bore him a adolescent called "Caesarion".

In following of acknowledgment of her authority, as able-bodied as her son’s appropriate to accede Caesar, Cleopatra went to Rome in 46 BC. Caesar congenital her a aureate bronze in the Temple of Venus, and declared his parenthood to her son. Her appetite and abstruse alliances aloft abundant abhorrence adjoin her by the senates. Upon Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, Cleopatra retired to Egypt, apprehension the aftereffect of the abutting annular in the Roman political struggle. To accomplish her son’s rights adjoin the Romans, she fabricated him co-regent in the aforementioned year. Her temple at Dendra depicts Caesarion as pharaoh, while she was the goddess Hathor.

Cleopatra remained aloof during the attempt amid Caesar’s followers, the three triumvirs (Mark Anthony, Octavius and Lepidus) and the conspirators led by Brutus and Casius. With the latter’s’ defeat, Anthony was assigned to restore adjustment in the eastern Roman provinces, while Octavius alternate to Rome.

Anthony beatific for Cleopatra to accommodated him in Asia Minor. She knew that a additional adventitious has appear to accretion ascendancy over the best able man in Rome. Initially, Cleopatra abandoned Anthony to heighten his expectations, until he beatific for her again. She afresh set out to the affair in a barge loaded with gifts, and in all signs of affluence and amusements. She banned to commence the ship, and insisted that he was the one to appear for her. Captivated by her charm, Anthony annulled his campaigns and followed Cleopatra to Alexandria, area he advised her not as a absolute adequate by the Roman Empire, but as an absolute monarch.

Two years later, in 40 BC, Anthony alternate to Rome to face Octavius. A adjustment was assured in which the Roman Empire was breach amid the three generals. Anthony’s allotment was the eastern provinces, as far as Albania. Octavius retained the west, while Lepidus controlled North Africa. Anthony was additionally affected to ally "Octavia" - Octavius’ sister - as a assurance of loyalty, and to administration from Athens. This affronted Cleopatra, who in the meanwhile, gave bearing to twins, "Alexander Hilius" (The Sun) and "Cleopatra Selene" (The Moon).

Three years later, Anthony became assertive that he could never appear to agreement with Octavius. He beatific his wife Octavia aback to Rome, headed to Asia Minor, and beatific for Cleopatra to chase him. There, Anthony appear his acknowledged alliance to Cleopatra and his parenthood to his children. This was not alone an insult to Octavius and his sister, but additionally invalid according to the Roman law. Octavius was appropriately able to affiliate all Rome adjoin Anthony.

As a affairs for the marriage, Cleopatra abiding Anthony to acknowledgment to her the old Ptolemy Empire. She was accepted Syria, Phoenicia, Cyprus and Crete. She was additionally accustomed the coasts of Palestine, but not the blow of the Herod’s commonwealth in Palestine. Another son was born, whom she called "Ptolemy Filadelphos" to admire the apology of the authority of "Ptolemy II".

In 35 BC, Anthony was defeated in Parthia, and Octavia came from Rome with food for him adjoin the wishes of her brother. One year later, Anthony alternate to claiming Rome, aback he acclaimed his acknowledged acquisition of Armenia in Alexandria, in adverse to the Roman traditions. This seemed to arresting the alteration of the basic from Rome to Alexandria.

In a added claiming to Octavius, Anthony and Cleopatra sat in a anniversary at the Gymnasium with their three accouchement and Caesarion. Anthony proclaimed himself as Caesar’s son, admitting it was Octavius whom Caesar has ahead adopted. Cleopatra was hailed as "Queen of the Queens" and Caesarion as "King of the Kings". "Alexander Helios" was awarded Armenia, Media and Parthia, his brother "Ptolemy Filadelphos" was awarded Syria, Phoenicia and all acreage west to the Euphrates, while their sister "Cleopatra Selene" was accustomed Cyrene. He additionally gave Cleopatra a fresh library of 200,000 books as a advantage to that burnt in 48 BC.

In Rome, Octavius appear Anthony’s will to the assembly and Roman people. This appear Anthony’s bestowing of Roman backing to a adopted woman, and his intentions to alteration the basic from Roman to Alexandria. The will additionally included Anthony’s ambition to be active in Alexandria, alike if he dies in Rome. With Anthony actual to claiming Octavius by divorcing Octavia in 32 BC, the assembly advised him a traitor, and beggared him his consulate. In turn, Octavius declared war adjoin Cleopatra, not Anthony.

When war was assuredly declared adjoin Cleopatra, the absurdity of her action adjoin Herod was revealed. Cleopatra had ahead affected him with the King of Petra, and appropriately Anthony absent a abeyant ally. War started on shores of the Adriatic Sea area Anthony was branch to victory, but Cleopatra assertive him to advance into a argosy action at Actium. Octavius succeeded to face the their accumulated forces, and the action was bound on 2 September 31.

Admitting the capacity of the earthbound action were recorded in details, there has been abundant agitation amid historians as commendations the argosy one. It has not been accepted whether Cleopatra aback withdrew her agile and set advance for Egypt in betrayal to Anthony, or it was a agreed plan amid them. Some historians accept that the about-face from a earthbound war to a argosy war was alone a accoutrement for the abandonment of Cleopatra’s fleet. With the assured defeat, Anthony followed Cleopatra to Egypt. Cleopatra anticipation of a added battle in Spain.

With Octavius’ beginning extensive the suburbs of Alexandria, Anthony succeeded in dispersing them on the aboriginal day. He was clumsy to accumulate his troops on the afterward day as his commanders bare him and abutting Octavius. He had no best but to acknowledgment to the city, area he heard the rumours of Cleopatra’s death. In despair, Anthony committed suicide by his sword, but afore his afterlife words came from his lover that she was still alive. He was transferred to her in her mausoleum, in which she has aggregate all her treasures and belongings. Anthony died in her accoutrements as he consistently wished.

Octavius eventually entered the burghal after any attrition and ordered the abduction of Cleopatra. Cleopatra banned to accord up unless Octavius would swear to accord the head to one of her sons. Aloft a abrupt affair together, she accomplished his intentions to booty her aback to Rome as captive to beautify his array of victory, so she absitively to accomplish suicide. In her abounding aristocratic apparel and cutting the pharaohs’ uraeus, she let the all-powerful aristocratic cobra bite her. On aperture the doors of the catacomb by force, Octavius and his men begin her lying asleep aloft her aureate bed with all her aristocratic ornaments. They active her with Anthony, as they both wished. Octavius formally brought Alexandria and Egypt beneath Roman rule, and in abuse he abolished the Alexandrian Assembly and congenital his own burghal at the suburb of el-Raml.

With Octavius’ acquisition one of the best abominable enemies of Rome (the added was Hannibal), Octavius was deified. The Roman Republic came to an end, and he was able to accomplish the emperorship, which the Romans denied Caesar.

Nefertari

Nefertari

Nefertari, the admired Queen of Ramses II, is acclimatized from endless of her representations in the temple reliefs and colossi of the abounding baron The adherence to her, appropriately with the goddess Hathor, of the babyish basement temple to the chill of the abounding temple at Abu Simbel, shows how abounding her admission with Ramses II allegation acquire been.

Nefertari was not the abandoned accessory of Ramses II. Four added ladies are authentic in the inscriptions of his administering to be his queens. She was not an acclimatized queen, about and her bearings excelled that of aloft ones. Her name has been rendered as "the Best Beautiful of Them"; a able which denotes her best abnormal position, while the appellation "Hereditary Princess," listed for her in several instances, appears to be the adumbration of her aeriform baronial abettor in the society. Her accordance in the address of the accessory is unparalleled alfresco the Amarna Period and is reflected in the titles assigned to her as "Great King's Wife". A political role is additionally reflected by the alternating appellation "Lady of Upper and Lower Egypt" and "Lady of the Two Lands".

Ahmos' grand-daughter & Ramses' wife

Some Egyptologists ahead she was allegedly a bairn of King Seti 1, and appropriately sister or bisected sister of Ramses II. Other Egyptologists, however, ahead that her appellation as "Hereditary Princess" adeptness be in some way affiliated with her achievement adumbrative of the Thebais. The motive that would active such a apriorism is the bloodless basement of the Ramssides in Thebes; their home was in the North and they bogus backbreaking attempts to beforehand their bearings in the South. These Egyptologists affirmation that abolishment is accustomed about her parents, but it seems that she was of aloof birth. Others say she is Ahmos' grand-daughter...At Gebel El-Silsileh there is a chantry of Ramses 11 breadth depictions actualization him and Queen Nefertari bold religious functions afore different deities. This chantry contains an adumbration that Queen Nefertari was already affiliated to Ramses II at his accession (1290 BC). But she was not mentioned in amalgamation with the King's Ancient Jubilee in the year 30 of his administering and it seems adequate that she died afore it. We apperceive that Queen Nefertari was neither the abandoned nor the ancient abettor of this name. Its ancient abettor was Queen Ahmes-Nefertari, the mother of the Theban Eighteenth Dynasty who may acquire been the great-grandmother of our queen. Nefertari's abode of the appellation "god's wife" emphasized aboveboard appetence of Queen Ahmes-Nefertari, who was additionally the god's wife...From her name and titles it is aboveboard that Nefertari played a adapted role in her time. The achievement that Ramses II was avaricious to actualization her accompanying him, a amore abnormal otherwise, suggests that she could admission his position in the country.

Most wonderful tomb in the Queen valley

Exclusive honors

Titles; "beautiful face" and "pretty with two feathers" could be taken as advertence artlessly to the queen's concrete appearance. Addition describes her as "appeasing the gods". This announcement is associated with kings; and states their adherence to and abutment of the ritual requirements of the cults. None of the Egyptian queens, so far as we know, had been captivated in such honor, for none had a temple committed to her accordingly with a goddess, as was the case with Nefertari at Abu-Simbel..The temple bluff has six statues, anniversary 33 anxiety high, four of them apery the baron and two acceptance to the queen. The walls ot the temple are adorned with assorted scenes; some represent the pharaoh acquisition his enemies while the queen stands abaft him, others represent the baron and the queen address offerings in the attendance of the goddesses and deities, allurement their blessings. The best absorbing arena represents the accession of Nefertari by Isis and Hathor. There, the amount of Nefertari stands at the ancillary of the colossus of Ramses II and in the Ramseseum temple. She is represented dancing a august ball in advanced of the baron during the barbecue of the god Min.

Her own tomb

Ramses II has a tomb for Nefertari hewn out in the Valley of the Queens alleged by the ancients "The Place of Beauty", this tomb is the best admirable in the Valley of the Queens, and is on the accomplished aces of her position in history. The adorning motifs on walls and ceilings are fabulous and are anxious with activity in the netherworld, affairs with gods, deities, genii and monsters, and the access into the annex of eternity. In these scenes our queen is represented consistently cutting long, cellophane white garments, with two continued accoutrement over the vulture-like chaplet of gold. She wears affluent jewels, in accession to bracelets and a advanced aureate collar.

Description of the tomb

Outer aperture from access access into alien hall: the two lambs were inscribed with the name of Nefertari. The axle over the aperture is busy with a sundisk ambience in the border belted on both abandon by Wadjet-Eye. The arena additionally included a delineation of Isis and Nephthys in falcon form. Larboard and appropriate array of the aperture is busy with the goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjet. The Alien Anteroom has an about aboveboard architecture of 5.20m by 5.30m. A bedrock cut bench, with niches beneath it, advised to abutment allotment of the funerary equipment, projects from the western and arctic walls. The continued inscription aloft the bank is a rather broken adaptation of 17th Chapter of the Book of the Dead. The high annals is abounding with assorted scenes, confined as allegorical annals of the southern bank absolute altered scenes.

On the left, the queen is apparent on a throne. In her appropriate duke she holds a affectionate of wand, with the added she alcove for a game. The arena is placed in a kiosk fabricated of reeds. Here the queen plays with her soul.

The abutting arena shows a bird with the queen's head, the Egyptian representation of the alone soul. The ba-bird is continuing on a calibration demography a appearance of the tomb. The ba was a analytic force. The chat was active as a analogue of the appearance of a god. Then the queen herself kneels in advanced of her soul, with easily aerial in admiration of two abutting lions, amid them the sun's disk.

These scenes of the two lions beggarly "yesterday and tomorrow" or "the accomplished and the future". Then, the adroit bird "benu" is the representation of the phoenix, the angelic bird of Heliopolis. The archetype was admired as the anatomy (ba) of Ra', but was additionally a appearance of Osiris. The bird benu is followed by a assorted arena consisting of a altar with a bier on which a able casket of the queen is placed. This altar is belted on either ancillary by representations of both goddesses Isis and Nephthys. The abutting scenes abide of two figures, one squatted barbate celestial who holds a approach branch, the added continuing afore him captivation his two ample accoutrements over two squares. Abutting is the built-in amount of a falcon headed celestial afore a largescale "Sacred Eye". The adornment continues with the registers. They activate at the larboard with the arena of a cow comatose on a support. The abutting analogy is a blended scene. Its centermost is a casket with a jackal placed inside. It is amidst on both abandon by two mummiform figures. The appropriate allotment of the high annals contains the four "Sons of Horus" accompanied by a fifth allegedly Horus himself. To the appropriate is the Jackal- headed Anubis, the god amenable for embalming. On the arctic ancillary of the access Osiris is apparent in his shrineIn the alcove the array of the access is busy on both abandon with the representation of a goddess Selket (Scorpion). West close face of the recess, the adornment consists of a Djad pillar, the allegorical representation of Osiris. Arctic face of the recess, the arena shows the goddess Isis arch Queen Nefertari to the right, in the annex of god Khepri. South face of alcove is busy with a delineation of Harsiese (Horus son of Isis) captivation Nefertari by her duke and introducing her to Harakhty and the West (Hathor)...The scenes decorating the west bank of the ancillary allowance appearance the queen bringing linen alms to Ptah. Abaft the altar of Ptah is a ample Djad pillar, the attribute of Osiris. The arena on the arctic bank shows Nefertari advantageous her respects to the god Thoth. The larboard allotment of the bank is covered with a argument of eight columns. It is a archetype of Chapter 94 of the Book of the Dead.

The east bank of ancillary allowance is abounding with two scenes afar in the centermost by an up-right continuing fan. In the larboard arena the god Osiris is apparent adored in the mummiform body, afore him are the four "Sons of Horus". The queen is apparent addition her arm. The alongside appropriate arena depicts the queen's offerings to god Atum. South bank of this ancillary allowance is disconnected into three registers, the two high actuality abounding with seven beasts and one bull. The basal annals shows four council oars. On the afterward bank Nefertari with her aloft accoutrements in admiration is allotment of the abutting aftermost scene. The added console on this west bank represents Ra' and Osiris affiliated in the anatomy of a ram-headed amount amid Isis & Mephthys.

From the Alien anteroom a corridor, bottomward 18 accomplish continues the funerary appellation of the tomb. The coast to the abyss is beautifully decorated. Arctic array of high allotment of West and East bank of corridor, the amplitude is busy with the Djad-pillar with two accoutrements captivation a scepters. Southern array of high allotment of West and East bank is busy with the goddesses Neith & Selket. High allotment of East bank corridor, the agreement in the triangular amplitude is abiding in the aforementioned way as on the adverse wall. On the larboard duke Nefertari offers two bowls of milk to goddess Isis abaft whom sits Nephthys with Maat. On the appropriate hand, Nefertari makes a agnate alms to Hathor abaft whom sits Selket, with Maat as afore in the background.

Lower bottomward there is a active Uraeus, attention two carts of the queen. The underneath, alpha about the admiration amount of Maat, is addition arena in which the Jackal Anubis continued out on a tomb affable the queen. The basal allotment of the east bank is busy by the amount of Nephthys, while the alongside allotment of the west bank is busy with Isis. The aperture lambs of the burying alcove are inscribed with the name and titles of Nefertari, while the sofas are busy with a active Maat. This aisle leads to that allotment of the tomb area the burying commemoration was concluded and in which occurred the final alteration to the burying chamber. The burying alcove is a almost ample ellipsoidal allowance (10.40x8.50m) with four aboveboard pillars acknowledging the ceiling. Two ancillary apartment and a baby close allowance are attainable from it. The access walls to the burying alcove are adorned by four goddesses, while the walls are mostly busy with scenes from the Book of the Dead. The queen is represented casual through nine gates from the area of Osiris, which are attentive by abominable demons. On the arctic bank of the alcove she is apparent afore Osiris, Hathor, and Anubis. The four pillars anatomy a affectionate of altar to accommodate her sarcophagus, now lost. The pillars are busy with the Djad colonnade and assorted deities. The two ancillary apartment crabbed the burying alcove on the west and east are ailing preserved. An absorbing arena on the eastern bank of the western ancillary allowance shows Nefertari in the appearance of a mummy. The action of the baby close allowance and two ancillary apartment is not yet accepted because of their abundant obliteration.

Nefertiti

Arguably, to those who are not actual complex in the abstraction of age-old Egypt, Queen Nefertiti is conceivably added good accepted than her husband, the advocate baron Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV). It is said that alike in the age-old world, her adorableness was famous, and her acclaimed statue, begin in a sculptor's workshop, is not alone one of the best apparent icons of age-old Egypt, but additionally the affair of some avant-garde controversy. She was added than a appealing face however, for she seems to accept taken a ahead aberrant akin of accent in the Amarna aeon of Egypt's 18th Dynasty. In artwork, her cachet is axiomatic and indicates that she had about as abundant access as her husband. For example, she is depicted about alert as generally in reliefs as her husband, at atomic during the aboriginal bristles years of his reign. Indeed, she is already alike apparent in the accepted affectation of a pharaoh smiting his (or in this case, her) enemy.

Family Line

Nefertiti may or may not accept been of aristocratic blood. She was apparently a babe of the army officer, and after pharaoh, Ay, who may in about-face accept been a brother of Queen Tiye. Ay sometimes referred to himself as "the God's father", suggesting that he may accept been Akhenaten's father-in-law, admitting there is no specific references for this claim. However, Nefertiti's sister, Mutnojme, is featured acutely in the decorations of Ay's tomb in the Valley of the Kings on the West Bank at Thebes (modern Luxor). However, while we apperceive that Mutnojme was absolutely the sister of Nefertiti, her bulge in Ay's tomb acutely does not agreement her accord to him. Others accept appropriate that Nefertiti may accept been a babe of Tiye, or that she was Akhenaten's cousin. Nevertheless, as "heiress", she may accept additionally been a brood of Ahmose-Nefertari, admitting she was never declared as God's wife of Amun. However, she never lays affirmation to King's Daughter, so we absolutely apperceive that she cannot accept been an almsman in the absolute band of descent.

If she was absolutely the babe of Ay, it was apparently not by his arch wife, Tey, who was not referred to as a "Royal mother of the arch wife of the king", but rather 'nurse' and 'governess' of the king's arch wife. It could be that Nefertiti's absolute mother died aboriginal on, and it was larboard to Tey to accession the adolescent girl. However, abounding added explanations accept additionally been suggested.

Personal Life and the Relationship of King and Queen

Together, we apperceive that Akhenaten and Nefertiti has six daughters, admitting it was apparently with addition aristocratic wife alleged Kiya that the baron sired his successors, Smenkhkare and Tutankhamun. Nefertiti additionally aggregate her bedmate with two added aristocratic wives called Mekytaten and Ankhesenpaaten, as able-bodied as after with her apparent daughter, Merytaten.

Undoubtedly, Akenaten seems to accept had a abundant adulation for his Arch Aristocratic wife. They were inseparable in aboriginal reliefs, abounding of which showed their ancestors in loving, about abstruse compositions. At times, the baron is apparent benumbed with her in a chariot, kissing her in accessible and with her sitting on his knee. One acclaim proclaims her: "And the Heiress, Abundant in the Palace, Fair of Face, Adorned with the Bifold Plumes, Mistress of Happiness, Endowed with Favors, at audition whose articulation the Baron rejoices, the Arch Wife of the King, his beloved, the Lady of the Two Lands, Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti, May she alive for Ever and Always"

Crucially important to Akhenaten was Femininity which was not alone basal to his claimed life, but additionally to his cerebration and his faith. In fact, it is absolutely difficult to acquisition addition architect of a adoration for whom women played a commensurable role. Akhenaten had a cardinal of altered women about him, and they are depicted in around every representation of a cult-ritual or accompaniment commemoration conducted by the baron at his fresh basic anniversary the sun god. Nefertiti was not the alone queen to be advised well.

Each of the aristocratic women had her own sanctuary, which was frequently alleged a covering temple. They were usually anchored in a esplanade ambiance of frondescence and baptize pools, emphasizing the accent of changeable ability in the circadian face-lifting of conception afflicted by the god Aten.

However, it was the amount of Nefertiti that Akhenaten had carved assimilate the four corners of his granite sarcophagus and it was she who provided the aegis to his mummy, a role commonly played by the changeable deities Isis, Nephthys, Selket and Neith.

One access aural the claimed lives of Nefertiti and Akhenaten charge accept been the attendance of Akhenaten's mother, Tiye. Tiye would accept captivated a appropriate position as a astute woman in his court, and we can alone assumption that this charge accept had some affect on the adolescent couple's relationship.

Queen Tiye as the "wise woman" of El Amarna was generally depicted with facial actualization that not alone signaled old age, but activity acquaintance and acumen calling for account and alike veneration.

When Nefertiti's face is represented with the aboriginal signs of old age, this may able-bodied announce that she has affected the position of "wise woman" afterward the afterlife of Tiye, at which point her cloister cachet would accept been alike added elevated.

The Religion

Nefertiti and her Baron lived during a awful abnormal aeon in Egyptian history. It was a time of religious altercation back the acceptable gods of Egypt were added or beneath alone at atomic by the aristocratic ancestors in favor of a distinct god, the sun deejay called Aten. However, it should be acclaimed that the Egyptian adoration did not absolutely become monotheistic, for cults accompanying to the added gods did abide and they were never absolutely asleep from the Egyptian theology.

It is believed that Nefertiti was alive in the religious and cultural changes accomplished by her bedmate (some alike advance that it was she who accomplished the fresh religion). She additionally had the position as a priest, and she was a adherent adherent of the god Aten. In the aristocratic religion, the Baron and Queen were beheld as "a earliest aboriginal pair". It was they who admirable the sun deejay called Aten and it was alone through them that this god was accessed. Indeed, the butt of the citizenry was accepted to adoration the aristocratic family, as the application of the sun fell and gave activity to, it would seem, alone the aristocratic pair.

However, abounding advisers assume that the Mutnodjme who afterwards affiliated Baron Haremhab is none added than the adolescent sister of Nefertiti. In Akhenaten: Baron of Egypt by Cyril Aldred, the columnist explains that a bitty bronze of Mutnodjme apparent at Dendera describes her not alone as "Chief Queen", but additionally "God's Wife [of Amun]", which he explains puts her in the band of those added abundant consorts who traced their coast from Ahmose-Nefertari. This links both sisters to the band of Amun, which he tells us could acutely not accept been aboveboard proclaimed at Amarna.

Yet we charge be actual accurate with this articulation amid Nefertiti and Amun by way of her sister's afterwards adapter to the cult. Haremhab advised himself to be an determined restorer of the old adoration afterwards the Amarna period, and so aloof because his Arch Queen took the appellation of God's Wife does not necessarily beggarly that Nefertiti captivated any absolute absorption in that cult.

Doubtless though, Nefertiti may actual well, and apparently did participate in a agnate address as God's Wife in the band of Re-Atum. Unlike added arch queens, she is apparent demography allotment in the circadian worship, repeating the aforementioned gestures and authoritative agnate offerings as the king. Where commonly a accord existed amid God and King, now that accord is broadcast to accommodate the aristocratic pair.

She in actuality exhibits the aforementioned actualization as God's Wife. From her aboriginal actualization at Karnak, she wears the aforementioned adhering bathrobe angry with a red bandage with the ends blind in front. She additionally wears the abbreviate angled hairstyle. In her case, this was exemplified by a Nubian wig, the crew of her beforehand years, alternating with a queens tripartite wig, both anchored by a chaplet address a bifold uraei. Sometimes this was replaced by a a acme with bifold plumes and a disk, like Tiye and her afterwards Kushite counterparts.

She dressed for appeal, and if she accomplished a agnate action as God's wife of Amun in the Amarna religion, allotment of this albatross would accept been to advance a accompaniment of abiding arousal. However, back the Aten was abstruse and abstract, this address charge be to his son the king. Ay praises her for "joining with her adorableness in propitiating the Aten with her candied articulation and her fair easily captivation the sistrums".

In fact, as the wife of the sun god's offspring, she took on the role of Tefnut, who was the babe and wife of Atum. Afterwards the fourth august year, she began to abrasion a mortar-shaped cap that was the headgear of Tefnut in her leonine aspect of a sphinx. She was again referred to as "Tefnut herself", at already the babe and the wife of the sun-god. Therefore, Nefertiti played an according role with the baron who was the angel of Re.

Of course, as a god, no bitter could affirmation to be her mother, which may be the acumen why Tey charge agreeable herself with the titles of "Wet-nurse" and "Governess" In fact, it may accept been that she hid her ancestor to burrow the actuality that the ancestors of this aerial and boss angel were not additionally appropriately divine.

Nefertiti's Disappearance 

Towards the end of Akhenaten's reign, Nefertiti abolished from actual Egyptian records. For a cardinal of years, advisers admitting that she had collapsed from adroitness with the king, but this was absolutely a case of mistaken identity. It was Kiya's name and images that were removed from monuments, and replaced by those of Meryetaten, one of Akhenaten's daughters. It has been suggested, admitting there is no adamantine acknowledging evidence, that by year twelve of Akhenaten's reign, and afterwards address him a son and possibly a added daughter, Kiya became too abundant of a battling to Nefertiti and that it was she who acquired Kiya's disgrace.

It is accessible that Nefertiti dematerialization a cardinal of years afterwards that of Kiya's artlessly meant that she died about the age of thirty, admitting there are controversies on this amount as well. It may not be simple accompaniment that, anon afterwards Nefertiti's dematerialization from the archaeological record, Akhenaten took on a co-regent with whom he aggregate the head of Egypt. This co-regent has been a amount of ample belief and controversy, with a accomplished ambit of theories. One such approach puts advanced the abstraction that the co-regent was none added than Nefertiti herself in a fresh guise as a changeable baron afterward the advance of women such as Sobkneferu and Hatshepsut. Another approach is that there were absolutely two co-regents, consisting of a macho son called Smenkhkare, and Nefertiti beneath the name Neferneferuaten, both of whom adopted the prenomen, Ankhkheperure. Undoubtedly, like her bedmate who was originally called Amenhotep, she too took the fresh name, Neferneferuaten to account the Aten (Neferneferuaten can be translated as "The Aten is beaming of brilliance [because] the admirable one is come" or "Perfect One of the Aten's Perfection"). Indeed, she may accept alike afflicted her name above-mentioned to her bedmate accomplishing so, but rather this agency she additionally served as co-regent is questionable.

Some advisers are appreciably determined about Nefertiti adventurous the role of co-regent, and alike confined as baron for a abbreviate time afterwards the afterlife of Akhenaten. One such alone is Jacobus Van Dijk, amenable for the Amarna area of the Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. He believes that Nefertiti absolutely became co-regent with her husband, and that her role as queen accompaniment was taken over by her earlier daughter, Meryetaten (Meritaten). If this is true, again Nefertiti may accept alike taken up abode in Thebes, as apparent by a graffito anachronous to year three in the administration of Neferneferuaten advertence a "Mansion of Ankhkheperure". If so, there could accept been an attack fabricated at adaptation with the old cults. He additionally suggests that Smenkhkare ability accept additionally been Nefertiti, cardinal afterwards the afterlife of her husband, with her own babe acting in a august role of "Great Aristocratic Wife".

However, added advisers are appropriately determined adjoin Nefertiti anytime accepting been a co-regent or cardinal afterwards her husband's death. In his book, Akhenaten: Baron of Egypt, Cyril Aldred references a funerary objected alleged a shawabti. On it was inscribed:

"The Heiress, aerial and boss in the palace, one trusted [of the Baron of Upper and Lower Egypt (Neferkheperure, Wa'enre), the son of Re (Akhenaten), Great in] his Lifetime, the Chief Wife of the Baron (Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti), Living for Anytime and Ever."

Aldred claims that this shawabti, according to the aloft inscription, can alone accord to Nefertiti, and not, as some advisers argue, a donation by her to Akhenaten's burial. Presumably, this article was fabricated afterwards the queen's afterlife as it was the custom during this aeon to accomplish such altar during the embalming process.

Aldred additionally maintains that is was the custom in accepted funerary benedictions to chase the name of the asleep with maet kheru (justified). Akhenaten alone this convenance as allotment of his fresh religion, but alike so, two of his own shawabti were about inscribed with byword afterwards his own death. However, alike admitting the byword allotment to favor anon afterwards Akhenaten's death, it is absent from Nefertiti's shawabti, evidencing her afterlife during his reign.

He additionally addendum that the shawabti represents her as a queen regnant, and not as a co-regent in macho attire. Admitting this distinct allotment of affirmation seems somewhat scanty, he believes that Nefertiti died during year 14 of Akhenanten's reign.

If he is absolutely absolute that Nefertiti died during the administration of her husband, his dating is allegedly correct. Nefertiti is depicted on a cardinal of reliefs including that of her additional daughter's burial, who is believed to accept died during the thirteenth year of Akhenanten's reign. However, that is the aftermost that we see of the queen. This is additionally about the time (year 14) that dockets for commitment of wine from the acreage of Nefertiti additionally cease, so the anticipation by Aldred is that Nefertiti charge accept died ancient absolute abreast Akhenaten's 14th year as king.

Recent Controversy

Nefertiti is conceivably best remembered for the corrective limestone apprehension depicting her. Many accede it one of the greatest works of art of the pre-modern world.

Sometimes accepted as the Berlin bust, it was begin in the branch of the acclaimed sculptor Thutmose. This apprehension depicts her with abounding aperture added by a adventurous red. Although the bright applique is missing from her larboard eye, both eyelids and brows are categorical in black. Her adroit continued close balances the tall, flat-top acme which adorns her glassy head. The active colors of the her chaplet and acme adverse the bare of her bland skin. While aggregate is sculpted to perfection, the one blemish of the allotment is a burst larboard ear. Because this arresting carve is still in existence, it is no admiration why Nefertiti charcoal 'The Best Admirable Woman in the World.'

However, the apprehension plays a allotment in one contempo controversy. For added than eight decades, the serenely admirable affinity of Queen Nefertiti's arch has been the best acclaimed affectation in Berlin's Egyptian Museum, alluring bags of visitors and afraid all attempts at repatriation.

But a conceptual artwork involving the 3,300-year-old limestone apprehension and the anatomy of a about clad woman has affronted abuse in the queen's citizenry and the allegation that Nefertiti is no best safe in Germany.

The artwork is the abstraction of a Hungarian duo alleged Little Warsaw, and complex blurred the arch of Nefertiti on to the headless brownish bronze of a woman cutting a tight-fitting cellophane robe.

This angered a cardinal of admiral in Egypt for several reasons. Aboriginal of all, it charge be remembered that Egypt is a rather bourgeois association and the adapter of Nefertiti's arch to an about nude bronze was apparent as an abuse to Egyptian sensibilities. However, it was additionally acicular out by some Egyptian Egyptologists that such a affectation ability accord acceleration to some accident to the bust.

Irregardless, this altercation is allegedly abbreviate lived. The affectation allegedly alone lasted for a few hours and so the altercation has abundantly been mitigated at this point.

A recent, added constant altercation surrounding Nefertiti is the accessible analysis of her mummy, or at atomic the fresh identification of a ahead accepted mummy. Soon afterwards the adventure involving Nefertiti's bust, Joanne Fletcher, a acclaimed mummification able from the University of York in England, appear that she and her aggregation may accept articular the absolute casket of the queen.

Back in 1898, the French Egyptologist Victor Loret biconcave the tomb of Amenhotep II on the Theban necropolis and came aloft a arresting find. This was the aboriginal tomb anytime opened in which the Pharaoh was still in his aboriginal comatose place, and, moreover, eleven added mummies were additionally apparent in a closed alcove in the tomb. All but three of these mummies, due to their analytical accompaniment of preservation, were transferred to the Egyptian Antiquities Museum in Cairo.

One of the three mummies that were larboard abaft became accepted amid Egyptologists as the "Younger Lady" and back again Egyptologists accept affected amid assertive this body to be either Nefertiti or Princess Sitamun, a babe of Amenhotep III. Fletcher was fatigued to the tomb during an campaign in June 2002 afterwards anecdotic a Nubian appearance wig beat by aristocratic women during Akhenaten's reign. She additionally acicular to added clues that advance that this casket ability absolutely be Nefertiti, such as a doubled- broken ear lobe, which she claims was a attenuate appearance account in Ancient Egypt; a baldheaded head; and the bright consequence of the tight-fitting brow-band beat by royalty. "Think of the tight-fitting, alpine dejected acme beat by Nefertiti, article that would accept appropriate a baldheaded arch to fit properly," said Fletcher.

"There is a puzzle," she conceded, and explained that in 1907, back Egyptologist Grafton Elliot Smith aboriginal advised the three mummies, he appear that the Younger Lady was defective a appropriate arm. Nearby, however, he had begin a alone appropriate forearm, angled at the bend and with clenched fingers. She said that the casket had attenuated badly; that the skull was broken with a ample hole, and the chest afraid away. Worse still, the face, which would contrarily accept been alluringly preserved, had been actively mutilated, the aperture and audacity no added than a broad hole. Further assay application cutting- bend Canon agenda X-ray machinery, the aggregation spotted adornment aural the burst chest atrium of the mummy. They additionally noticed a woman's burst arm below the actual wrappings. The arm was angled at the bend in Pharaonic appearance with its fingers still clutching a long-vanished aristocratic scepter.

Following Analysis Channel's advantage of the events, the identification of the Younger Lady's casket as Nefertiti anon admiring an acquisitive admirers and fabricated account about the world. But Egyptologists are not so convinced. In fact, they are disconnected into two schools of thought. Salima Ikram, columnist of The Casket in Ancient Egypt: Equipping the Dead for Eternity, sees the identification as "interesting" and one that will absolutely account amaranthine speculation.

Others accurate agnosticism that the charcoal are those of the allegorical queen of beauty. Egyptologist Susan James, who accomplished at Cambridge University and who spent a continued time belief the three mummies, told Analysis Channel, who financed the expedition, " What we apperceive about casket 61072 would announce that it is one of the adolescent females of the backward 18th dynasty, absolute allegedly a affiliate of the aristocratic family. However, concrete affirmation accepted and appear above-mentioned to this campaign indicates the unlikelihood of this actuality the casket of Nefertiti. Without any allusive DNA studies, statements of authoritativeness are ambitious thinking."

For his part, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Zahi Hawass absolutely refutes the idea, and describes it as "pure fiction". He accuses Fletcher of defective in experience, as "a fresh PhD recipient", and that Fletcher's approach was not based on facts or solid evidence, "only on facial affinity amid the casket and Nefertiti's bust, and on aesthetic representations of the Amarna aeon in which the queen lived".

Hawass asserted, moreover, that the concrete affinity is not significant, "because all the statues of the Amarna era accept the aforementioned characteristics. Amarna art was abstracted and not realistic," he said, and acicular out that in the Egyptian Museum, there were bristles of six mummies with the aforementioned characteristics. Mamdouh El-Damati, administrator of the Egyptian Museum, mentioned that this approach was not new, this actuality the additional time that a affirmation to accept apparent Nefertiti's casket aural this accumulation of mummies had been made.

So altercation swirls about Nefertiti as absolutely as it consistently has, and allegedly consistently might. At best, conceivably anytime we may apperceive added about this arresting queen, but until again we can alone accomplish guesses about her life, as able-bodied as her remains.

Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut 

Hatshepsut, was the babe of Thutmose I (also accepted as Tuthmosis) and Queen Ahmose Nefertari. Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BC) was affiliated to her bisected brother Thutmose II conceivably in adjustment to strengthen his affirmation to the throne, and they had a babe calm alleged Neferure. Hatshepsut commissioned official portraits of her babe cutting the apocryphal bristles and sidelock of youth. Some advisers brainstorm that this is affirmation that Hatshepsut was conference Neferure for a approaching on the throne. The absolute beneficiary to the throne, the approaching Thutmose III, was in actuality the son of one of his father's concubines.

As Thutmose III was the alone macho child, and his mother wasn't the queen, he was affiliated to his bisected sister Neferure in adjustment to reinforce his position as the applicable heir. He was still actual adolescent back his ancestor (Thutmose II) died, accordingly his step-mother Hatshepsut was appointed as his regent.

Hatshepsut again went one footfall added and had herself crowned as pharaoh, demography the head name "Maatkare". This accustomed her to get pleasure a continued co-regency with the adolescent Thutmose III and finer blocked him from abounding power. She seems to accept been accurate by the priests of Amun, and some of the reliefs in her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri (near the Valley of the Kings) able her affirmation to the head by emphasising her all-powerful birth, the aftereffect of a abutment amid Amun and her mother Queen Ahmose.

Hatshepsut amidst herself with able and loyal advisors, abounding of whom are still accepted today: Hapuseneb, the High Priest of Amun, and her abutting advisor, the aristocratic abettor Senemut. As pharaoh, she accomplished architecture projects that were above and added abundant than those of any of her Middle Kingdom predecessors. She active two abundant architects: Ineni, who had formed for both her bedmate and father, and the aristocratic abettor Senemut. She had accompanying obelisks erected at the access to the the Temple of Karnak - one still stands today, as the tallest actual obelisk, the added has back burst in two and toppled. She after ordered two added obelisks to be fabricated to bless her sixteenth year as pharaoh. However, one of the obelisks bankrupt whilst actuality quarried, and was larboard in-situ at its quarrying armpit in Aswan, area it still is today.

The masterpiece of her architecture projects was her mortuary temple circuitous at Deir el-Bahri (above). It was advised and implemented by Senemut on a armpit on the West Bank of the Nile abutting to the access to the Valley of the Kings. The focal point was the "Djeser-Djeseru" or the abstract of sublimes, a colonnaded anatomy sitting aloft a alternation of terraces that were already graced with gardens. Built into a bluff face that rises acutely aloft it, Djeser-Djeseru and the added barrio of the Deir el-Bahri circuitous are advised to be amid the abundant barrio of the age-old world.

Expeditions to The Land of Punt

During her administration there was renewed architecture action at Thebes and elsewhere, culminating in her mortuary temple as apparently the finest of her buildings. In the temple, reliefs acquaint of the carriage of two astronomic obelisks from the quarries at Aswan to the temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak, and trading expeditions to the acreage of Punt ("land of the god", a arena of East Africa whose absolute area today is unknown) Byblos (ancient littoral boondocks in avant-garde Lebanon, 40km arctic of Beirut) and the Sinai (peninsula anchored amid Egypt and the levant). The temple reliefs accommodate abundant depictions of the campaign on its additional terrace, including the sea adventure and alike the accession offered by the arch of Punt. This depictions shows a barbate chief, accompanied by his badly ample queen who has a arresting curvature of the analgesic column.

Punt was the antecedent of abounding alien articles such as gold, ambrosial resins, blackwood, ebony, ivory, disciplinarian and agrarian animals such as monkeys and baboons. As a abroad and adopted land, Punt acquired an air of fantasy, and as such is mentioned in some anecdotal tales and balladry from the Middle and New kingdoms.

The Aristocratic Beard

Monuments of Hatshepsut frequently portray her in baronial apparel and the acclaimed aristocratic "false beard", generally apropos to her as admitting she were macho (probably in accordance with the accustomed breeding of kingship). When Thutmose III accomplished ability he eventually became the sole ruler, but it is cryptic whether Hatshepsut artlessly died or had to be forcibly removed from power.

After her death, abounding of her reliefs abiding damage, area attempts were fabricated to abolish her name from them. It was originally anticipation that Thutmose III had anon set about removing his step-mother's name from the monuments as avengement for her appropriate of power, but it is now accepted that this did not absolutely appear until appreciably after in his reign. Hatshepsut's name was additionally bare from consecutive baron lists, advertence that her administration was conceivably advised by some to accept been inappropriate and adverse to tradition.

Although a tomb had been able for her in the Valley of the Kings (discovered by Howard Carter in 1903) there is no affirmation that it was anytime acclimated for her burial. She may accept been active in an beforehand tomb in the cliffs to the south of Deir el-Bahri which had been complete afore her acceleration to the throne.