The head of queen Ti

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Queen Ti was one of the powerful queens in the 18th dynasty. She was a mysterious lady who had a very strong character which enabled her to rule the country during her husband’s reign from behind the curtains. She also shared her son Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton) in ruling the country at the beginning of his reign. She was powerful enough to be represented almost equal in size as her husband. She was the first and the chief wife of Amenhotep III and his most favorite. There marriage scarab and her titles on it indicates her distinguished position as a royal queen from her titles the Heiress, Lady of the two lands, Lady of Upper and Lower Egypt and Highly praised. She gave birth to six children two boys and four girls. The eldest son was called Thutmosis and lived in Memphis as the high priest of Ptah and he didn’t ascend the throne because he died prematurely. Her second so was called Amenhotep IV later on to be known as Akhenaton. Regarding her origin there are many doubts. Some scholars related her to a foreign origin; most probably Asiatic but the most wide spread theory states that she was from an Egyptian origin but from un-royal family. Her father was Yuya; the prophet of the local god at Akhmim and overseer of his cattle and her mother was Tuya overseer of the harem of min at Akhmim and of Amen at Thebes. Later on king Amenhotep III ordered that a tomb for Yuya and Tuya was to be made in the Valley of the Kings which is an evidence of his deep love to his wife. Another proof of queen Ti’s importance is that her name was mentioned in Amarna letters. Some were addressed to her which proves that she ruled the country during her husband’s or son’s reign.

The head:

Here we have one of the broken heads of queen Ti and we don’t know weather it belongs to a bust statue or a complete one. It is made out of grey granite brought from the quarries of Aswan and it dates back to the 18th dynasty, New Kingdom, reign of Amenhotep III. She is represented wearing fully decorated hair wig surmounted by a diadem on her forehead. The remains of the diadem shows that it was decorated with the xkrw sign. Upon the forehead there are three ureaus which is an unusual feature. The first one wearing the red crown dSrt, the second is wearing the white crown HDt, the third one is unfortunately damaged may be wearing the double crown. Her face shows great beauty with delicate features; high curved eyebrows, wide eyes, delicate nose and high cheek bones. The face is oval in shape which is one of the characteristics of the Amarna art indicating that this statue is curved during her son’s reign or that this was the features of this family.