Volume 5 (2022)

First page of the paper.

Papers presented at the third international conference of the Hellenic Institute of Egyptology

Enquiry on Meritaten: The Many Aspects of an Exceptional Amarna Woman

Santini, Valentina

Abstract:

Meritaten was the eldest daughter of Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti. According to evidence, during the Amarna Age, her position at court became increasingly pivotal: starting as king's daughter, in fact, she possibly even became pharaoh. Meritaten was mentioned in various Amarna Letters; in different depictions she took the place of Kiya, secondary wife of Akhenaten; she became Great Royal Wife of king Smenkhkareᶜ, and, according to some scholars, she was also the female pharaoh ᶜAnkhetkheperūrēᶜ Neferneferūaten. Her important presence at Amarna is clearly exemplified by her depictions on the walls of the so-called Tombs of the Nobles built in the new capital wanted by Akhenaten, where Meritaten is represented both as a young princess and a proper Great Royal Wife. Analysing the emerged evidence belonging to these burial places, this paper aims to delineate the most significant scenes where Meritaten is depicted and, consequently, the profile of one of the most central women of the Amarna Period.

Citation:

Santini, V. 2022. «Enquiry on Meritaten: The Many Aspects of an Exceptional Amarna Woman», JHIE 5: 141–154

DOI:

10.5281/zenodo.7755224

Language: en

Submitted on 2020-10-31; accepted on 2022-12-20

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