Akhenaton and Nefertiti Cartoon
Let us return to the early years of Egypt and explore ...
However, Akhenaton appears to have been immensely important to Queen Tyi, the most
powerful person in Egypt outside of Amenhotep III. When Amenhotep III died, Tyi made her
teenage son Pharaoh of Egypt.
Immediately, the young Pharaoh instructed a temple be built at Karnac, the religious center of
Thebes. Amenhotep IV moved away from the traditional and largely fictionalized display of
strong, handsome, muscular Pharaohs, and had himself portrayed with more realistic features.
Those features were, in fact, so realistically portrayed that, in later centuries, Egyptologists would
recognize what was most probably Marfan's syndrome. His toes, fingers, and facial features were
elongated, and his hips were wide and, one more anomaly, he had breasts and feminine features.
Some archeologists have difficulty believing a Pharaoh had such a feminine appearance and
theorize that, because Aton the Sun God was androgynous, Amenhotep IV was made to appear
androgynous. However, it seems strange that they accept the elongated face, fingers, and hands,
and attempt a medical diagnosis, only to deny the rest of the images. Does it not occur to them
that this is why he was kept hidden, that he not be taunted by other children? Does it not occur to
them that this might be the very reason Amenhotep IV changed tradition to create realistic
statues, so as to openly display his similarity to his god?
Yes, the young Pharaoh to be, was secreted away, hardly spoken about, not immortalized with
statues, nor honors, not until he ascended to the throne of Egypt. Furthermore, it is probably, as
with most believer's, he selected his god in his own image, an androgynous god, both man and
woman, the god Aton (also known as. Amen-Ra, and immortalized in "mummy" movies.) The
new Pharaoh took the name Akhenaton(Akhen-aton - meaning simply "one useful to Aton.) He
also declared, for the first time in Egyptian history, that there was only one god. Images of other
gods were quickly replaced by the solar disc representing Aton.
Statues and representations of Smenkhkare and Nefertiti show the same elongated faces, toes,
fingers, and wide hips of Akhenaton! Marfan's is readily inherited and the similarity of features
indicates a close family relationship. In 1973, J.R. Harris published the first of two pioneering
articles proposing that Nefertiti, Akhenaton's Queen, was also his coregent Smenkhkare. He
suggested Smenkhkare wasn't real. Thus, my interpretation of the facts is not entirely out of step
with respected authority.
Smenkhkare was real! His representation is on reliefs, on a tomb painting, on hundreds of ring
bezels with his name, on a wall painting featuring him and Akhenaton, and finally, a male
skeleton was found in a tomb constructed for Nefertiti! Smenkhkare became Pharaoh and died a
couple years later. His body had been laid out in the custom for the burial of royal females. What
is the explanation for these oddities? Can we just dismiss them cavalierly? I think not!!!
Almost surely Akhenaton inherited the genetic syndrome we call Marfan's. It seems likely he also
had physical features that gave him a feminine appearance. Akhenaton's family seem to all have
had Marfan's Syndrome and presumably his other physical and sexual anomalies as well.
Smenkhkare is shown with the same features. Some Egyptologists think he may have been
Akhenaton's son. The timing seems wrong for that to be true, but he may have been
Akhkenaton's brother, or half-brother, a late child from Amenhotep III. Smenkhkare, at birth,
was given the name Nefernefruaten (roughly meaning, "the most beautiful person has come!")
Nefertiti is a shortened version of the same name! Would two "different" people in the same
family be given the same name?
The god Aten gives the breath of immortal life to Akhenaton and Nefertiti (with the only
exceptions being Amenhotep III and Queen Tyi.) Why then did the artist of the Meryre II relief
dare to break this imperative theological tenet in favor of Smenkhkare while Akhenaton was still
alive and senior regent? Why was Smenkhkare buried in the tomb meant for Nefertiti? What are
we to make of the suggestion that Smenkhkare and Akhenaton were lovers? What can put these
facts together?
Could it be that Nefertiti was not Smenkhkare, as some archeologists still think, but that
Smenkhkare was, instead, Nefertiti? Nefertiti as Smenkhkare leaves a number of puzzling
questions unanswered, in fact it leaves them unanswerable. Why was Smenkhkare buried in the
tomb of Nefertiti? Why has no tomb been discovered with the body of Nefertiti? Why did
Nefertiti disappear from the face of the earth when Smenkhkare took over as Pharaoh upon the
death of Akhenaton? Why did Nefertiti not object to Smenkhkare and Akhenaton being lovers?
Why the identical name for Smenkhkare and Nefernefruaten? Why the similarity of appearance
in their statues? Why is there no wall painting, no relief, no statuary that display the two of them
together? (Like Clark Kent and Superman, they are never together at the same time, or the same
function!)
Smenkhkare as Nefertiti answers the many questions! Sometimes he would present as
Smenkhkare and other times as Nefertiti! This conjecture explains all the facts creating only one
questionable fact. Akhenaton had a number of children. They were said to be the children of
Nefertiti! But Akhenaton also had a concubine and his children could just as readily been from
the concubine. In honor to his lover, wife, and nephew, Smenkhkare, they were claimed as the
children of Nefertiti! Then, when Smenkhkare died, he was buried with the full honors due a
royal female.
Of course, no one, no matter how learned, has the answer to the riddles and mysteries
surrounding these, the most powerful and influential rulers of Egypt. I only propose another
theory, a possible explanation drawn from the few facts we know. What is curious, especially in
light of the fact that researchers have been willing to propose Nefertiti, a female, assuming the
role of a man, is their reluctance to examine the other possibility, Smenkhkare, a male, assuming
the role of Nefertiti! But then, knowing the prejudices and preconceptions in the prudish 19th
century, perhaps it's not so curious after all!
Joann showed her various reasons for this belief: fragments of a wig, double-pierced ears, a pecularity known only to Nefertiti and her daughter, fragments of 'Nefer' beads, which Nefertiti wore, evidence that the mummy had worn a rather tight browband (worn only by a pharaoh and his queen during this time period) with
the shaved head to assure this tight-fitting crown would stay in place, and a broken-off arm poised in a position only permitted to royalty that had been hidden in some discarded linen. But you see, there is a problem for the mummy has been damaged. Not only was the arm broken off, the mouth had been bashed in.
Fletcher has her explanations for this. While married to Akhenaten, she fully supported his sun god Aton, but after his death, she went back to the poly gods that were popular before. However, in helping her husband and his religious quests, she greatly angered the priests of the earlier gods. They never forgot her earlier deeds. Fletcher theorizes damage to the mummy was done by those priests so that she would never be granted immortality, but be left stranded between the worlds. The ritual that would re-animate the deceased was called The Opening of the Mouth, a symbolic re-enactment of the clearing of a baby’s mouth at birth, to prepare them for the after life. Possibly the priests damaged the mouth as the best way to silence Nefertiti in the afterlife.
At any rate, the priests tried to destroy all evidence of her and her husband.
However, not everyone agrees with Fletcher's findings. Some are saying this mummy and the two others accompanying it, each damaged as well, are more likely to be queen Tiye and pharaoh Amenhotep's son and youngest daughter. But, as Laura said, queen Tiye was also the mother of Akhenaten, (then known as Amenhotep IV). If Akhenaten separated himself from them by choosing the monotheistic god, why would they bash Queen Tiye's mouth in? Was declaring him Pharaoh after Amenhotep III died enough? Yet she might not have supported her son's and his wife's religious activities and indeed at time of coronation may have had no idea such was to come.
And still further, others are not even sure this mummy was female, which would support Laura's claims, in the event the mummy is Nefertiti/Smenkhkare as 'male to female'. Even as we watched the documentary, there seemed to be much initial hesitation on the mummy's basics by those accompanying Fletcher as they examined the mummy, for exactly how how old, and what gender it was. If this royal family all had Marfan's syndrome, just what difficulties would that add to the identification of the skeletal remains? They can only have any certainty if a DNA test is done, but the British team was not allowed to do this by the Egyptian government. Currently, the authorities refuse, saying DNA testing 'isn't always accurate'. But could there be another reason they disallow this, as there is information they wish kept hidden? Consequently, the mystery remains.
(Joan Lansberry's note of April 2004:)
The museum says further of it:
"This large wooden statuette presumably depicts King Smenkhkare (Saa-Ka-Ra Dser-Kheperw Ankh-Kheperw-Ra) as a reigning king. He originally held the ankh (symbol of life) in his right hand and the royal seal of power in his left hand. He wears the royal pectoral, and bracelets on both wrists. His loincloth features a wide belt band with a center section (now missing) that may have displayed the king’s cartouche. Although much of the gesso (plaster) used to smooth the surface has detached, remaining areas show red, gold and black pigments.
The specific Amarnian style of this wooden statuette indicates that it can only represent one of three kings: Akhen-Aten, Saa-Ka-Ra, or Tut-Ankh-Aten (who eventually became Tut-Ankh-Amon at the end of the Amarnian Heresy). Since it depicts a grown man, it cannot be Tut-Ankh-Aten, who was only twelve years old at the end of the Amarnian period. Akhen-Aten has extremely distinctive features: sunken check bones, a extraordinarily wide mouth, and very wide hips. Clearly, this statuette does not resemble known portraits of Akhen-Aten. So, by this process of elimination, the only remaining likely candidate is Saa-Ka-Ra. Unfortunately, we have little iconography available to verify this theory. Indeed, as far as we know, the only remaining clearly authenticated depiction of Saa-Ka-Ra is a painted limestone bas-relief (24 cm. high) showing King Saa-Ka-Ra and Queen Meryt-Aton (Aldred 1973:76.9). The remarkable resemblance between the kings portrayed in this bas-relief and the statuette further suggests that it is a rare portrait of Saa-Ka-Ra."
The museum author is saying that Akhen-Aten has 'very wide hips', like those of a woman. This statue also exhibits rather feminine features for a King, namely developed breasts and sizable hips. Whether Marfan's syndrome, or some other cause, these regals were definitely physically transgendered.
(back to Laura Lansberry's text)
"We will all miss him, your highness! He was the greatest of the Pharoahs,"
"Aton and tradition command I take my place. Henceforth, in answer to the call of duty, Smenkhkare shall rule this land and Nefertiti shall never be seen again."
"Oh my lady,"
"Hush child, the great love of my life is gone and the winds of change are upon us. It is my duty to Egypt, to the memory of my beloved, and to my honor, that I do this thing. In return, I will make it known that I, Smenkhkare, Pharoah of Egypt, upon my death
wish to be buried, not as a King and Pharoah, but as your Royal Queen, loyal wife of the Greatest Pharoah Egypt has ever had."
"I am but a lowly servant, majesty, still all of Egypt loved your husband and loves you ... you will be buried in the manner you desire. You and the Great King will be united in death, even as you were in life. And my queen, if I may say so, your sacrifice will long be remembered and you will always be held in awe, the epitome of womanhood! "
All of Egypt mourned the passing of Akhenaton. All of Egypt knew the sacrifice of their Queen, now Pharoah. When the time came for (he)r passing, all too soon for (he)r heart had been broken by the death of (he)r lover and husband, Egypt fulfilled (he)r last request.
Joan of Arc The Mystery of Akhenaton (Amenhotep IV)
and Nefernefruaten (Nefertiti)Laura Darlene Lansberry
additional info by Joan Lansberry, August 2003, April 2004
Egyptologists are mystified by the lives of Akhenaton, Smenkhkare, and Nefernefruaten, as well
they might be. Their interpretation of the few facts suggest something strange to modern
conceptions! However, for those who have followed the stories, myths, and histories on The
Metro'on web site, the answer to the mystery almost leaps at you with the force of a charging
bull.
Amenhotep III, his Queen, Tyi, and their family are represented by the largest statue
in the Cairo Museum! To the best of our knowledge Amenhotep III and Tyi had four daughters
and two sons. One son, Tutmose became priest of Memphis! Amenhotep IV (later changing his
name to Akhenaton) seems to have been ignored by the rest of the family. He never appeared at
family events, no portraits were made of him, no honors were bestowed on him. His name wasn't
even mentioned on monuments!
(Joan Lansberry's note:)
It is August 23, 2003. Laura Lansberry has been dead over a year now. Mystery still surrounds Nefertiti/Smenkhkare. A much advertised recent documentary on the Discovery channel purports to cast some light on this. Joann Fletcher, a member of a British archaeological team from York University, working in Egypt, believes they have unearthed Nefertiti from a secret tomb (KV35) in the Valley of Kings, walled up in a side chamber of the tomb of King AmenhotepII.
What an interesting web find at the virtual-egyptian-museum.org site:
Wood statue of King Smenkhkare, Dyn. 18
Period: Egypt, New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, Semenkhkare/Ankhkheperure
Dating: 1364 BC-1361 BC
Origin: Egypt, Middle Egypt, El-Amarna [Akhetaten]
Material: Wood
Physical: 48.7cm. (19 in.) - 1400 g. (49.4 oz.) A little tale told from out of time:
"My husband, the Great Pharoah of Egypt has gone to our God, Aton," sadly stated Nefertiti, Queen of Egypt, "and my heart has gone with him."
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