Nefertari
The Valley of the Queens is located on the west bank of the Nile in Egypt. It is also known as Biban el-Sultanat, Biban el-Harim, and Wadi el-Malikat.
The cemetery has more than seventy tombs, most of which are very lavishly and beautifully decorated. The tomb of Queen Nefertari (1290-1224 B.C.) is a true example of distinct beauty from the 19th dynasty.
Who Was Nefertari?
Nefertari Merytmut, meaning "Beautiful Companion or Beloved of Mut," lived during the 19th dynasty and was the royal wife of Ramesses I. She is the second-best-known Egyptian queen after Cleopatra. The queen was adorned and honored with many titles during her life, including " Sweet of Love, Great of Praises," "Great King's Wife," "Lady of the Two Lands," and many others. Nefertari and Ramesses are said to have had at least six children: four sons and two daughters.
The Tomb of Nefertari
They are referred to as QV66. Nefertari's tomb is among the most spectacular, lavishly, and beautifully decorated tombs in the Valley of the Queens. The tomb was first discovered in 1904 by Ernesto Schiaparelli. It has a long staircase beginning from the entrance and ends in a hall that is 17x17.5 feet big. The auditorium contains a rock-cut bench and cavetto cornice to keep funerary items.
Q.V. 66 resembles a house and has an intimacy rarely found in ancient Egyptian tombs. It contains pictures of the queen's life and her journey through the hereafter. The burial chamber's walls also have poetry written by Ramesses II for his beloved wife. Since Nefertari was not a Pharaoh, her tomb Q.V. 66 contains no images from her daily life. The text on the walls was restricted to verses from the Book of the Dead.
Unfortunately, the tomb was robbed of all its treasures in the ancient past. The mummy and coffin of Nefertari were stolen as well. Some pieces of the mummy found at the tomb are displayed at Turin in the Egyptian Museum. The tomb of Nefertari was opened to the public in 1995 but was again closed in 2003 due to preservation work. People on specialized tours, however, are still allowed with special permits. Even the limited numbers of tourists impact the surface of the tomb's paintings. Their moist, bacteria-laden breath causes mold to grow on the surface. The tomb is, after all, a closed environment. Thus, no visitors are allowed into the tomb to preserve its airtight status.
Temple of Nefertari in Abu Simbel
The Temple of Nefertari is the smaller of two temples built by Ramesses II in Abu Simbel and dedicated to Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. It is only the second temple in Egyptian history dedicated to a queen. The temple has several statues, images, inscriptions, and hieroglyphics depicting Ramesses II's heroic acts and Nefertari paying homage to the gods.
