Queen Nefertari, the beloved Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Ramses II, is remembered as one of the most prominent queens of ancient Egypt. Her magnificent tomb in the Valley of the Queens is renowned for its remarkably beautiful wall paintings. However, a pair of mummified legs discovered inside the tomb has raised an intriguing archaeological question: Could they belong to the queen herself?
Who Was Queen Nefertari?
Queen Nefertari was the principal royal wife of Ramses II, one of the most powerful pharaohs of ancient Egypt. She lived during the 13th century BC, during the New Kingdom’s 19th Dynasty.
Celebrated for her beauty and royal status, Nefertari also played an important role in diplomacy. Inscriptions and surviving correspondence demonstrate her involvement in international relations, including diplomatic exchanges with Queen Puduhepa of the Hittite Empire.
Her importance is reflected in the magnificent tomb prepared for her in the Valley of the Queens near ancient Thebes, modern-day Luxor. Its elaborate decorations depict the queen’s journey through the afterlife and make it one of the most celebrated tombs of ancient Egypt.
The Discovery of Nefertari’s Tomb
In 1904, Italian Egyptologist Ernesto Schiaparelli discovered Queen Nefertari’s tomb, designated QV66, in the Valley of the Queens.
Unfortunately, the tomb had been looted in antiquity, and many of its original funerary objects had been damaged or scattered. Nevertheless, the discovery revealed extraordinary wall paintings, fragments of funerary furniture, broken objects, sandals, and other archaeological remains.
Among the most intriguing finds were fragments of mummified human legs. These remains were subsequently transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy, now known as Museo Egizio.
The tomb’s spectacular paintings have often been compared to the finest examples of religious art. Their exceptional preservation and artistic quality have earned Nefertari’s burial a reputation as one of the most beautiful tombs in the Theban necropolis.
Yet the fragmented human remains would eventually attract scientific attention for a different reason: their possible connection to the famous queen.
Do the Mummified Legs Belong to Queen Nefertari?
For decades, the mummified leg fragments were regarded as possibly belonging to Nefertari because they were discovered inside her tomb. However, their location alone could not establish their identity with certainty.
The remains might have belonged to the queen, but scholars also had to consider the possibility that they came from another individual whose remains had entered the tomb at a later date.
In 2016, an international research team published a multidisciplinary investigation of the remains in the scientific journal PLOS ONE. The study combined several methods, including radiocarbon dating, X-ray examination, anthropological assessment, chemical analysis of embalming materials, and genetic testing.
The researchers concluded that the evidence strongly supported the identification of the remains as those of Queen Nefertari, although absolute certainty was not possible.
What Did the Scientific Analysis Reveal?
The investigation produced several important findings.
- The remains were consistent with an adult woman.
Anthropological examination indicated that the fragments most likely belonged to a female individual. The researchers estimated that she may have been approximately 40 to 60 years old at death.
- Her estimated height was relatively tall for the period.
Measurements of the leg bones suggested a height of approximately 165 centimeters (5 feet 5 inches). This estimate was consistent with an assessment based on the size of sandals discovered in the tomb.
- The embalming materials were consistent with the Ramesside period.
Chemical analysis identified materials associated with ancient Egyptian mummification practices. These findings were compatible with the period of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari.
- The tomb’s archaeological context supported the identification.
The remains were discovered alongside funerary objects associated with Nefertari. Their archaeological context, together with the scientific findings, strengthened the argument that they belonged to the queen.
Taken together, these results made Nefertari the most likely identification. Nevertheless, the researchers acknowledged that alternative explanations could not be completely excluded.
What Happened to Queen Nefertari’s Body?
The condition of the remains suggests that the body suffered extensive damage after burial. The tomb had been looted in antiquity, and the human remains were found in a fragmented state.
It is plausible that tomb robbers disturbed the burial while searching for valuable objects, including gold jewelry and other precious funerary possessions. However, the precise circumstances in which the body was damaged cannot be established with certainty.
Despite the destruction, the tomb retained some of its extraordinary decoration and archaeological material, allowing researchers to investigate both the burial and the identity of the fragmented remains.
A Mystery That Science Has Brought Closer to Resolution
Queen Nefertari’s tomb remains one of the most remarkable archaeological discoveries associated with ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom.
More than a century after Schiaparelli’s discovery, modern scientific techniques have provided substantial evidence that the mummified leg fragments may belong to Ramses II’s celebrated queen.
Although the identification is highly plausible, it is not definitive. The findings nevertheless demonstrate how archaeology, scientific analysis, and historical evidence can work together to investigate questions that have remained unanswered for generations.
Could these fragmented remains finally belong to Queen Nefertari? The available evidence strongly favors that conclusion, even if the mystery cannot be considered completely solved.
