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Primary sourceSculptureAmarna period, 18th dynasty

Unfinished Stele of Nefertiti Pouring Wine for Akhenaten

Amarna period, 18th dynasty

An unfinished Amarna-period limestone relief showing Nefertiti pouring wine for Akhenaten, now in Berlin's Altes Museum.

This relief shows Nefertiti in an intimate domestic scene, pouring wine for Akhenaten, her royal husband.

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Photo of a limestone relief fragment, unfinished, showing two figures in profile. The figure on the left holds a cup or vessel; the figure on the right extends an arm toward it, with a round disc above.
Unfinished stele depicting Nefertiti pouring wine for Akhenaten, Amarna period, 18th dynasty. Altes Museum, Berlin.

About this source

What it is

This is an unfinished stone relief (stele) from the Amarna period of Egypt's 18th dynasty, showing Queen Nefertiti pouring wine into a cup held by Pharaoh Akhenaten. It is held today in the Altes Museum in Berlin.

Why it matters

The scene depicts a private, domestic moment between Akhenaten and Nefertiti rather than a formal ceremonial pose, which was unusual for Egyptian royal art. It offers evidence of how the royal couple's relationship was portrayed publicly and hints at the intimate, informal style that marked Amarna-period art more broadly.

Look closer

  • Why might the artist have shown the king and queen in such an informal, everyday scene rather than a grand ceremony?
  • What might being left unfinished tell us about how or why the piece was made or abandoned?
  • What does this scene suggest about the relationship between Akhenaten and Nefertiti?

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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