Part of a small block with name of Nefertiti and another on adjacent sides
Unknown Artist
ca. 1353–1336 B.C.
Medium
Red quartzite
Dimensions
H. 5 × W. 5.5 × D. 3.8 cm (1 15/16 × 2 3/16 × 1 1/2 in.); oriented from side with Nefertiti cartouche
Classification
Small block, name of Nefertiti
Period
New Kingdom, Amarna Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Edward S. Harkness, 1921
Accession Number
21.9.7
Art Historical Context
This petite fragment of red quartzite, measuring just 5 cm high, hails from Egypt's Amarna Period (ca. 1353–1336 B.C.), a revolutionary era in the New Kingdom Dynasty 18. Carved during the reign of Akhenaten, it bears the royal cartouche of his famous queen, Nefertiti—whose iconic bust captivates museums worldwide—alongside another name on an adjacent side. Likely part of a larger architectural from a temple or palace at Akhenaten's new capital, Amarna, it exemplifies the period's bold shift toward monotheistic worship of the sun god Aten and innovative, naturalistic art styles. Red quartzite...