Nefertiti

Nefertiti was a powerful and influential queen of ancient Egypt, who ruled alongside her husband Akhenaten during the 18th Dynasty. She was known for her beauty, as well as her active role in promoting the worship of the sun god Aten, a form of monotheism that challenged the traditional polytheism of Egypt. She was also involved in the artistic and cultural revolution that took place in the new capital city of Amarna, where she and her husband built temples, palaces, and gardens. Nefertiti’s life and fate are shrouded in mystery, as there are no records of her death or burial. Some scholars believe that she may have briefly ruled as a pharaoh under the name Neferneferuaten, after Akhenaten’s death and before the accession of Tutankhamun, her stepson or son. Others suggest that she may have died of plague, been murdered, or fled to another country. Her famous bust, now in the Neues Museum in Berlin, is one of the most iconic and copied works of ancient Egyptian art.