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Primary sourceSculpture1352–1336 BC

Relief of Akhenaten, Nefertiti and Three Daughters

1352–1336 BC

A painted limestone relief showing the royal family worshiping together, with Nefertiti seated holding a daughter.

Nefertiti appears seated with a daughter in this family scene, showing her prominent place in Amarna royal imagery.

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Limestone relief in a museum showing the Amarna royal family seated: Akhenaten on the left with a sun disk above with rays, Nefertiti on the right, and a small daughter on Nefertiti's lap. Hieroglyphs fill the upper and side areas.
Relief of the royal family: Akhenaten, Nefertiti and three daughters, 1352–1336 BC. Egyptian Museum of Berlin.

About this source

What it is

This painted limestone relief, dated 1352–1336 BC, shows the royal family: Akhenaten, Nefertiti and their daughters. Akhenaten sits on one side beneath a sun disk with rays, Nefertiti on the other with a small daughter on her lap, and hieroglyphs fill the surrounding space. It is held at the Egyptian Museum of Berlin.

Why it matters

This relief is a classic example of Amarna art, which broke from older Egyptian traditions by showing the royal family in informal, affectionate poses beneath the rays of the sun god Aten. It reflects Akhenaten's religious changes and shows Nefertiti as a central figure in the new royal imagery.

Look closer

  • What is the sun disk doing in the scene, and why might it be placed above the family?
  • How does Nefertiti's pose with her daughter compare to traditional, more formal royal images?
  • What might the hieroglyphs be recording that the picture alone does not tell us?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Queen Nefereti on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Figure of Nefertiti

Close-up detail of an Amarna limestone relief. A seated woman wearing a tall flat-topped crown is at right, with a sun disc and rays above. At left, a smaller figure with a child's head is seated near her, and carved hieroglyphs fill the background.Sculpture

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Akhenaten and His Family

c. 1352 BC

Photo of a curved, blue glazed ceramic fragment with white body edge, covered in raised concentric ring motifs with dots. Two holes pierce the piece near its center, with a scale bar along the bottom.Sculpture

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Relief Fragment Showing the Blue Crown of Nefertiti

Black-and-white line drawing of columns of Egyptian hieroglyphic text arranged in vertical lines, with cartouches visible, copied from a wall inscription. This is a facsimile of the Great Hymn to the Aten.Document

Primary source

Great Hymn to the Aten

Akhenaten · c. 1350 BC

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