Queen Ahmose Nefertari

Daughter of: Seqenenre-Ta'o II and Queen Ahhotep I

Husband: Ahmose I
Mother of: Amenhotep I, Prince Ahmose-Ankh, Princess Meryetamun, Princess Sitamun and possibly other sons and daughters.

Titles:
Hereditary Princess (iryt-p`t), Great of Grace (wrt-im3t), Great of Praises (wrt-hzwt), King’s Mother (mwt-niswt), Great King’s Wife (hmt-niswt-wrt), God’s Wife (hmt-ntr), United with the White Crown (khnmt-nfr-hdjt), King’s Daughter (s3t-niswt), King’s Sister (snt-niswt)

Stela
This stela seems to date to the early 18th dynasty. We see Amenhotep and Ahmose-Nefertari offering before Osiris. Ahmose-Nefertari is given the title God's Wife of Amun here as wel as the title King's Mother. Her epithets include "given life and health".

Ahmose Nefertari and her son Amenhotep I offering to Osiris.
From Lepsius Abt III, Band 5, Bl. 4 and the scene from the Brooklyn Museum.

Burial:

Mummy of Ahmose Nefertari

Queen Ahmose-Nefertari died during the reign of Tuthmosis I and was probably initially buried in the royal necropolis in Dra Abu el-Naga. A mortuary temple dedicated to her stood nearby, but was later almost completely destroyed. Her mummy was later reburied in the royal cache in Deir el-Bahari (DB320). Her body supposedly smelled so bad that Emile Brugsch had her body reburied on the museum grounds in Cairo. Later her body was examined and showed that this Queen lived to be in her seventies, which is quite an advanced age for that time period.

In the same mummy cache the body of the Lady Rai, the nurse of Ahmose-Nefertari was also discovered. Lady Rai died at a relatively young age. Her body was quite well preserved, and her hair was elaborately dresses. This is actually her real hair and not a wig!

Lady Rai, nurse of Ahmose Nefertari.

For more information about these mummies see the Theban Royal Mummy Project website maintained by Max Miller.
Ahmose Nefertari Mummy
Lady Rai Mummy

Ahmose Nefertari in Later Inscriptions

Ahmose Nefertari was later deified and worshipped with her son Amenhotep I. Her image appears in scenes throughout the 18th and 19th dynasty. The cult of Amenhotep and Ahmose Nefertari was especially strong in the village of the workers of the royal tombs in Deir el-Medina.

Scene from the tomb of Khabeknet

Click on image to see a larger version of the scene.
From Lepsius, Abt 3, Band 5, Bl. 2

Close-up showing Ahmose-Nefertari seated behind her son (from the top row).

New Kingdom (Dyn 19) depiction of Queen Ahmose Nefertari and her son in a tomb in Abd el Qurna

Ahmose-Nefertari and her son Amenhotep I as depicted in a tomb in Qurna.
See Lepsius Abt III, Band 7, Bl. 99

Stela from the late New Kingdom
This stela comes from a tomb in Deir el Medina. It depicts Ahmose Nefertari and her son Amenhotep I. Both are deified. Ahmose Nefertari is given the titles King's Wife, Great King's Mother, Lady of the Two Lands. Ahmose Nafertari is depicted with the fly-whisk which is a typical queenly piece of regalia. Her vulture headdress is topped with a modius with a vulture goddess and two uraei. This type of modius is more typical of later new kingdom scenes.

Stela depicting Amenhotep I and Ahmose Nefertari.
Link to Wikimedia Commons and the Lepsius website Abt.3 Band 5 Bl 1

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	Queen Ahmose Nefertari Queen Ahmose-Nefertari (Met Museum) Daughter of: Seqenenre-Ta'o II and Queen Ahhotep I Husband: Ahmose I Mother of: Amenhotep I, Prince Ahmose-Ankh, Princess Meryetamun, Princess Sitamun and possibly other sons and daughters. Titles: Hereditary Princess (iryt-p`t), Great of Grace (wrt-im3t), Great of Praises (wrt-hzwt), King’s Mother (mwt-niswt), Great King’s Wife (hmt-niswt-wrt), God’s Wife (hmt-ntr), United with the White Crown (khnmt-nfr-hdjt), King’s Daughter (s3t-niswt), King’s Sister (snt-niswt) Stela This stela seems to date to the early 18th dynasty. We see Amenhotep and Ahmose-Nefertari offering before Osiris. Ahmose-Nefertari is given the title God's Wife of Amun here as wel as the title King's Mother. Her epithets include "given life and health". Ahmose Nefertari and her son Amenhotep I offering to Osiris. From Lepsius Abt III, Band 5, Bl. 4 and the scene from the Brooklyn Museum. Burial: Mummy of Ahmose Nefertari Queen Ahmose-Nefertari died during the reign of Tuthmosis I and was probably initially buried in the royal necropolis in Dra Abu el-Naga. A mortuary temple dedicated to her stood nearby, but was later almost completely destroyed. Her mummy was later reburied in the royal cache in Deir el-Bahari (DB320). Her body supposedly smelled so bad that Emile Brugsch had her body reburied on the museum grounds in Cairo. Later her body was examined and showed that this Queen lived to be in her seventies, which is quite an advanced age for that time period. In the same mummy cache the body of the Lady Rai, the nurse of Ahmose-Nefertari was also discovered. Lady Rai died at a relatively young age. Her body was quite well preserved, and her hair was elaborately dresses. This is actually her real hair and not a wig! Lady Rai, nurse of Ahmose Nefertari. For more information about these mummies see the Theban Royal Mummy Project website maintained by Max Miller. Ahmose Nefertari Mummy Lady Rai Mummy Ahmose Nefertari in Later Inscriptions Ahmose Nefertari was later deified and worshipped with her son Amenhotep I. Her image appears in scenes throughout the 18th and 19th dynasty. The cult of Amenhotep and Ahmose Nefertari was especially strong in the village of the workers of the royal tombs in Deir el-Medina. Scene from the tomb of Khabeknet Click on image to see a larger version of the scene. From Lepsius, Abt 3, Band 5, Bl. 2 Close-up showing Ahmose-Nefertari seated behind her son (from the top row). New Kingdom (Dyn 19) depiction of Queen Ahmose Nefertari and her son in a tomb in Abd el Qurna Ahmose-Nefertari and her son Amenhotep I as depicted in a tomb in Qurna. See Lepsius Abt III, Band 7, Bl. 99 Stela from the late New Kingdom This stela comes from a tomb in Deir el Medina. It depicts Ahmose Nefertari and her son Amenhotep I. Both are deified. Ahmose Nefertari is given the titles King's Wife, Great King's Mother, Lady of the Two Lands. Ahmose Nafertari is depicted with the fly-whisk which is a typical queenly piece of regalia. Her vulture headdress is topped with a modius with a vulture goddess and two uraei. This type of modius is more typical of later new kingdom scenes. Stela depicting Amenhotep I and Ahmose Nefertari. Link to Wikimedia Commons and the Lepsius website Abt.3 Band 5 Bl 1

Ancient Egypt
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Ancient Egypt