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. 2016 Nov 30;11(11):e0166571.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166571. eCollection 2016.

Queen Nefertari, the Royal Spouse of Pharaoh Ramses II: A Multidisciplinary Investigation of the Mummified Remains Found in Her Tomb (QV66)

Michael E Habicht  1 , Raffaella Bianucci  2   3 , Stephen A Buckley  4   5 , Joann Fletcher  4   5 , Abigail S Bouwman  1 , Lena M Öhrström  1   6 , Roger Seiler  1 , Francesco M Galassi  1 , Irka Hajdas  7 , Eleni Vassilika  8 , Thomas Böni  1 , Maciej Henneberg  9 , Frank J Rühli  1
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Queen Nefertari, the Royal Spouse of Pharaoh Ramses II: A Multidisciplinary Investigation of the Mummified Remains Found in Her Tomb (QV66)

Michael E Habicht et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Queen Nefertari, the favourite Royal Consort of Pharaoh Ramses II (Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty c. 1250 BC) is famous for her beautifully decorated tomb in the Valley of the Queens. Her burial was plundered in ancient times yet still many objects were found broken in the debris when the tomb was excavated. Amongst the found objects was a pair of mummified legs. They came to the Egyptian Museum in Turin and are henceforth regarded as the remains of this famous Queen, although they were never scientifically investigated. The following multidisciplinary investigation is the first ever performed on those remains. The results (radiocarbon dating, anthropology, paleopathology, genetics, chemistry and Egyptology) all strongly speak in favour of an identification of the remains as Nefertari's, although different explanations-albeit less likely-are considered and discussed. The legs probably belong to a lady, a fully adult individual, of about 40 years of age. The materials used for embalming are consistent with Ramesside mummification traditions and indeed all objects within the tomb robustly support the burial as of Queen Nefertari.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Knob head or pommel with the throne name (Kheper-Kheperu-Ra) of King Ay.
Museo Egizio Turin Suppl. 5162.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Abu Simbel, second rock temple dedicated to Nefertari, front: Nefertari’s statue shows the same size as Ramses II in order to demonstrate her status and importance.
Fig 3
Fig 3. The mummified remains as shown in the 2014 exhibition in Museo Egizio Turin Suppl. 5154 RCGE 14467.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Long leg fragment (No. 1).
Fig 5
Fig 5. Medium sized part of tibia (Nr. 2).
Fig 6
Fig 6. Short part of a femur (No. 3).
Fig 7
Fig 7. X-ray; arranged as seen in Fig 3.
Fig 8
Fig 8. Left: X-ray left knee; the arrow marks the minimal signs of arthritis.
Right: lateral view; the arrow points to the calcification of the arteriae tibiales.
Fig 9
Fig 9. X-ray of right distal femur, pa.
Fig 10
Fig 10. Fragments of left tibia and fibula; the arrow points to the calcification of the arteriae tibiales.
Fig 11
Fig 11. Sandals from tomb QV 66.
Museo Egizio Turin Suppl. 5160 RCGE 14471.
Fig 12
Fig 12. Reconstructed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) total ion chromatogram (TIC) of the trimethylsilylated total lipid extract of ‘resin’/linen wrapping from left long leg fragment.
Peak identities (‘n’ indicates carbon chain length; where shown, i indicates degree of unsaturation): filled triangles, Cn:i indicates fatty acids.
Fig 13
Fig 13. Calibrated result of the radiocarbon dating.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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