Nefertari

Nefertari Meritmut, commonly known simply as Nefertari, was the principal wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II of the 19th Dynasty of ancient Egypt. Living during the 13th century BCE, she held the title of Great Royal Wife and played a prominent ceremonial and religious role in the Ramesside court. Her name, often translated as “the beautiful one has come” or “the beautiful companion,” along with Meritmut, meaning “beloved of Mut,” signals high status and divine association.

Nefertari is depicted in inscriptions and reliefs from temples such as Abu Simbel, where she is shown alongside Ramesses II and in scenes dedicated to Hathor and other deities. Modern scholarship has treated her as one of ancient Egypt’s most important royal wives, and she is sometimes portrayed as a partner in the king’s campaigns and state rituals, though records about daily life are limited.

Her tomb, QV66, is in the Valley of the Queens and is celebrated for its elaborate wall paintings and inscriptions, many of which depict Nefertari in the afterlife and in the presence of goddesses. Discovered by Ernesto Schiaparelli in the early 20th century, the tomb’s well-preserved art is regarded as among the finest examples of New Kingdom funerary decoration.

Legacy: Nefertari’s high status and the quality of her memorials have made her one of the best-known queens of ancient Egypt. The Abu Simbel temples and the Theban necropolis are associated with her legacy, contributing to academic and popular interest in Ramesside queenship.