Meketaten: Difference between revisions

Meketaten
Meketaten
King's Daughter
	Meketaten on her mother's lap (left)
Died	Amarna
Burial	Royal Tomb, Amarna
Egyptian name
Dynasty	18th Dynasty
Father	Akhenaten
Mother	Nefertiti
Religion	Atenist religion

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Meketaten (Ancient Egyptian: mꜥkt itn, meaning "Behold the Aten" or "Protected by Aten") was the second of six daughters born to the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten and his Great Royal Wife Nefertiti. She likely lived between Year 4 and Year 14 of Akhenaten's reign. Although little is known about her, she is frequently depicted with her sisters accompanying her royal parents in the first two-thirds of the Amarna Period.

Biography

Fragmentary quartzite statue of the Amarna princess Meketaten, from the reign of Akhenaten, circa 1352–1336 B.C. On display at the Brooklyn Museum. The broken hand over the figure's right breast was common to images depicting young girls, and likely once held a flower or rattle.

Meketaten was born approximately in Year 4 of Akhenaten's reign to him and his Great Royal Wife, Nefertiti.^[1] She had an elder sister, Meritaten, and four younger sisters: Ankhesenpaaten, Neferneferuaten Tasherit, Neferneferure and Setepenre. Tutankhaten was likely their full brother or half-brother through their father.^[2]

Her birth year is estimated based on the dates of inscriptions that reference her. The first known depiction of Meketaten is on the walls of the Hwt-benben temple in Thebes, which is dedicated to her mother, Nefertiti. Meketaten additionally appears behind Meritaten in later inscriptions, thought to date to Year 4 or later.^[3] Further, her figure was added to a Boundary Stela at Akhetaten that states events from Year 4 and was carved in Year 5.^[4]

Meketaten and the royal family moved to Akhetaten, or Amarna, while she was still a small child. The tombs of the Amarnan nobility depict the royal family, including Meketaten, in various scenes of royal life. In Ay's tomb, Meketaten is depicted holding a tray of gifts while wrapping an arm around Nefertiti’s neck.^[1] In her father's regnal year 12, Meketaten and her family attended the reception of foreign tributes. This can be seen on several scenes depicted within the private tombs of the official Huya, and High Priest Meryre II.^[1]^[3]

Other monuments mentioning Meketaten include a stela from Heliopolis, a statue base from the Fayoum, and the tombs of Panehesy and Parennefer.^[5]

Death and burial

Meketaten died in approximately Year 14 of Akhenaten's reign.^[3] She most likely died of a plague along with other members of the royal family. Between Years 12 and 15, many members of the royal family disappear from the record and cease to be mentioned again: Queen Mother Tiye, King's second consort Kiya, and the King's Daughters Neferneferure, Setepenre, and Meketaten.^[1]

Meketaten was likely buried in the Royal Tomb at Akhetaten, where fragments of her sarcophagus were found. Inscriptions upon the fragments mention her parents, her sister Ankhesenpaaten, and her grandparents Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye.^[5] While the names in the scene in the chamber denoted $\alpha$ have been hacked out, hieroglyphs in chamber $\gamma$ identify a portrayal of a dead young woman as Meketaten.

In chamber $\gamma$ , another scene shows a figure labeled Meketaten standing under a canopy. In front of her, stand Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their three daughters, Meritaten, Ankhesenpaaten, and Neferneferuaten Tasherit. Several others scenes within the tomb possibly relate to her. In both chambers $\alpha$ and $\gamma$ , Akhenaten and Nefertiti bend over a woman's inert body. The pharaoh and his Great Royal Wife weep and grip each other's arms for support. Behind them, a nurse cradles a baby in her arms and is accompanied by a fan-bearer, which indicates the baby's royal status.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Tyldesley, Joyce. Nefertiti: Egypt's Sun Queen. Penguin. 1998. ISBN 0-670-86998-8
^ Dodson, Aidan and Hilton, Dyan. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. 2004. ISBN 0-500-05128-3
^ ^a ^b ^c Redford, Donald B. Akhenaten: The Heretic King. Princeton University Press. 1987. ISBN 978-0-691-00217-0
^ ^a ^b Dodson, Aidan, Amarna Sunset: Nefertiti, Tutankhamun, Ay, Horemheb, and the Egyptian Counter-Reformation. The American University in Cairo Press. 2009, ISBN 978-977-416-304-3
^ ^a ^b Murnane, William J., Texts from the Amarna Period in Egypt, Society of Biblical Literature, 1995 ISBN 1-55540-966-0

[Tyldesley-1] Tyldesley, Joyce. Nefertiti: Egypt's Sun Queen. Penguin. 1998. ISBN 0-670-86998-8

[2] Dodson, Aidan and Hilton, Dyan. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. 2004. ISBN 0-500-05128-3

[Redford-3] Redford, Donald B. Akhenaten: The Heretic King. Princeton University Press. 1987. ISBN 978-0-691-00217-0

[Dodson-4] Dodson, Aidan, Amarna Sunset: Nefertiti, Tutankhamun, Ay, Horemheb, and the Egyptian Counter-Reformation. The American University in Cairo Press. 2009, ISBN 978-977-416-304-3

[Murnane-5] Murnane, William J., Texts from the Amarna Period in Egypt, Society of Biblical Literature, 1995 ISBN 1-55540-966-0

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Short description| Daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti}}
 {{Infobox royalty
-| name               = Meketaten
+| name         = Meketaten
-| title              = King's Daughter
+| title        = King's Daughter
-| image              = Meketaten-Nefertiti.tiff
+| image        = File:Meketaten-Nefertiti.tiff
-| alt                =
+| alt          =
-| caption            = Meketaten on her mother's lap (left)
+| caption      = Meketaten on her mother's lap (left)
-| birth_date         =
+| birth_date   =
-| birth_place        =
+| birth_place  =
-| death_place        = [[Amarna]]
+| death_place  = [[Amarna]]
-| burial_place       = [[Royal Tomb of Akhenaten|Royal Tomb]], Amarna
+| burial_place = [[Royal Tomb of Akhenaten|Royal Tomb]], Amarna
-| native_lang1       = [[Egyptian language|Egyptian]] name
+| native_lang1 = [[Egyptian language|Egyptian]] name
 | native_lang1_name1 = <hiero>i-t:n:ra Aa16:D36:V31 t: B1</hiero>
-| dynasty            = [[Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt|18th Dynasty]]
+| dynasty      = [[Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt|18th Dynasty]]
-| father             = [[Akhenaten]]
+| father       = [[Akhenaten]]
-| mother             = [[Nefertiti]]
+| mother       = [[Nefertiti]]
-| religion           = [[Atenism|Atenist]] religion
+| religion     = [[Atenism|Atenist]] religion
 }}
-'''Meketaten''' ({{lang-egy|mꜥkt itn}}, meaning "Behold the Aten" or "Protected by Aten") was the second daughter of six born to the Egyptian [[Pharaoh]] [[Akhenaten]] and his [[Great Royal Wife]] [[Nefertiti]]. She likely lived between Year 4 and Year 14 of Akhenaten's reign. Although little is known about her, she is frequently depicted with her sisters accompanying her royal parents in the first two-thirds of the [[Amarna Period]].
+'''Meketaten''' ({{langx|egy|mꜥkt itn}}, meaning "Behold the Aten" or "Protected by Aten") was the second of six daughters born to the Egyptian [[Pharaoh]] [[Akhenaten]] and his [[Great Royal Wife]] [[Nefertiti]]. She likely lived between Year 4 and Year 14 of Akhenaten's reign. Although little is known about her, she is frequently depicted with her sisters accompanying her royal parents in the first two-thirds of the [[Amarna Period]].
 ==Biography==
-[[File:Meketaten-FragmentaryStatue-BrooklynMuseum.png|thumb|upright|Fragmentary [[quartzite]] statue of the Amarna princess Meketaten, from the reign of Akhenaten, circa 1352-1336 B.C. On display at the [[Brooklyn Museum]]. The broken hand over the figure's right breast was common to images depicting young girls, and likely once held a flower or rattle.|left]]Meketaten was born approximately in Year 4 of [[Akhenaten]]'s reign to him and his Great Royal Wife, [[Nefertiti]].<ref name="Tyldesley">Tyldesley, Joyce. Nefertiti: Egypt's Sun Queen. Penguin. 1998. {{ISBN|0-670-86998-8}}</ref> She had an elder sister, [[Meritaten]], and four younger sisters: [[Ankhesenpaaten]], [[Neferneferuaten Tasherit]], [[Neferneferure]] and [[Setepenre (princess)|Setepenre]]. [[Tutankhamun|Tutankhaten]] was likely their full brother or half-brother through their father.<ref>Dodson, Aidan and Hilton, Dyan. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. 2004. {{ISBN|0-500-05128-3}}</ref>
+[[File:Meketaten-FragmentaryStatue-BrooklynMuseum.png|thumb|upright|Fragmentary [[quartzite]] statue of the Amarna princess Meketaten, from the reign of Akhenaten, circa 1352–1336 B.C. On display at the [[Brooklyn Museum]]. The broken hand over the figure's right breast was common to images depicting young girls, and likely once held a flower or rattle.|left]]Meketaten was born approximately in Year 4 of [[Akhenaten]]'s reign to him and his Great Royal Wife, [[Nefertiti]].<ref name="Tyldesley">Tyldesley, Joyce. Nefertiti: Egypt's Sun Queen. Penguin. 1998. {{ISBN|0-670-86998-8}}</ref> She had an elder sister, [[Meritaten]], and four younger sisters: [[Ankhesenpaaten]], [[Neferneferuaten Tasherit]], [[Neferneferure]] and [[Setepenre (princess)|Setepenre]]. [[Tutankhamun|Tutankhaten]] was likely their full brother or half-brother through their father.<ref>Dodson, Aidan and Hilton, Dyan. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. 2004. {{ISBN|0-500-05128-3}}</ref>
 Her birth year is estimated based on the dates of inscriptions that reference her. The first known depiction of Meketaten is on the walls of [[Temple of Amenhotep IV|the ''Hwt-benben'' temple]] in Thebes, which is dedicated to her mother, Nefertiti. Meketaten additionally appears behind [[Meritaten]] in later inscriptions, thought to date to Year 4 or later.<ref name="Redford">Redford, Donald B. Akhenaten: The Heretic King. Princeton University Press. 1987. {{ISBN|978-0-691-00217-0}}</ref> Further, her figure was added to a [[Boundary Stelae of Akhenaten|Boundary Stela at Akhetaten]] that states events from Year 4 and was carved in Year 5.<ref name="Dodson">Dodson, Aidan, Amarna Sunset: Nefertiti, Tutankhamun, Ay, Horemheb, and the Egyptian Counter-Reformation. The American University in Cairo Press. 2009, {{ISBN|978-977-416-304-3}}</ref>
@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 Other monuments mentioning Meketaten include a stela from Heliopolis, a statue base from the Fayoum, and the tombs of Panehesy and Parennefer.<ref name="Murnane">Murnane, William J., Texts from the Amarna Period in Egypt, Society of Biblical Literature, 1995 {{ISBN|1-55540-966-0}}</ref>
+== Death and burial ==
-== Theory of incestual marriage with Akhenaten ==
+Meketaten died in approximately Year 14 of [[Akhenaten]]'s reign.<ref name="Redford" /> She most likely died of a plague along with other members of the royal family. Between Years 12 and 15, many members of the royal family disappear from the record and cease to be mentioned again: Queen Mother [[Tiye]], King's second consort [[Kiya]], and the King's Daughters [[Neferneferure]], [[Setepenre (princess)|Setepenre]], and Meketaten.<ref name="Tyldesley" />
-Some Egyptologists {{Like whom?|date=May 2023}} have speculated that Meketaten, along with her sisters Meritaten and Ankhesenpaaten, married her father and conceived a child with him. {{Citation needed|date=May 2023}} There was precedent at the time for such a marriage as her aunt, [[Sitamun]], had married her own father and Meketaten's grandfather, [[Amenhotep III|Amunhotep III]]. The theory stems from the depiction of a royal baby in the [[Royal Tomb of Akhenaten|royal tomb]], leading to the theory that Meketaten died in childbirth. {{Citation needed|date=May 2023}} Further, she is depicted under a canopy that is typically associated with childbirth. The assumption {{According to whom|date=May 2023}} is that the father would most likely Akhenaten. However, the theory cannot be proven.<ref name="Tyldesley" /> * {{COI source|sure=yes|date=May 2023}}
-The portrayal of Meketaten under a canopy could also be interpreted as the princess being reborn. One theory suggests that one of the scenes depicts [[Kiya]] dying while birthing [[Tutankhamun|Tutankhaten]].<ref name="Tyldesley" /> A final theory suggests that the child depicted in the scenes is the [[Ancient Egyptian conception of the soul|ka, or soul]], of Meketaten.<ref name="Dodson" /> Therefore, the image would symbolically represent the death and rebirth of Meketaten who had now gone to [[Aten]] in the afterlife.<ref>J. Van Dijk, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120322083908/http://cassian.memphis.edu/history/murnane/Van_Dijk.pdf The Death of Meketaten], in ''Causing His Name to Live: Studies in Egyptian Epigraphy and History in Memory of William J. Murnane'', ed.P. Brand and L. Cooper, Culture and history of the Ancient Near East 37. Leiden: Brill, 2009.</ref>
-== Death and Burial ==
-Meketaten died in approximately Year 14 of [[Akhenaten]]'s reign.<ref name="Redford" /> If she did not die in childbirth as discussed above, she most likely died of a plague along with other members of the royal family. Between Years 12 and 15, many members of the royal family disappear from the record and cease to be mentioned again: Queen Mother [[Tiye]], King's Wife [[Kiya]], and the King's Daughters [[Neferneferure]], [[Setepenre (princess)|Setepenre]], and Meketaten.<ref name="Tyldesley" />
 [[File:Dibujo de tumba.jpg|575px|thumb|Meketaten under the canopy, on the wall paintings of the Chamber <math>\gamma</math>. In front of her: Akhenaten, Nefertiti, Meritaten, Ankhesenpaaten, and Neferneferuaten Tasherit.]]Meketaten was likely buried in the [[Royal Tomb of Akhenaten|Royal Tomb]] at Akhetaten, where fragments of her sarcophagus were found. Inscriptions upon the fragments mention her parents, her sister [[Ankhesenpaaten]], and her grandparents [[Amenhotep III]] and [[Queen Tiye]].<ref name="Murnane" /> While the names in the scene in the chamber denoted <math>\alpha</math> have been hacked out, hieroglyphs in chamber <math>\gamma</math> identify a portrayal of a dead young woman as Meketaten.
-In chamber <math>\gamma</math>, another scene shows a figure labeled Meketaten standing under a canopy. In front of her, stand Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their three daughters, Meritaten, Ankhesenpaaten, and [[Neferneferuaten Tasherit]]. Several others scenes within the tomb possibly relate to her. In both chambers <math>\alpha</math> and <math>\gamma</math>, Akhenaten and Nefertiti bend over a woman's inert body. The pharaoh and his Great Royal Wife weep and grip each other's arms for support. Behind them, a nurse cradles a baby in her arms and is accompanied by a fan-bearer, which indicates the baby's royal status.<ref name="Dodson" /> This is the child theorized to be Meketaten's above.
+In chamber <math>\gamma</math>, another scene shows a figure labeled Meketaten standing under a canopy. In front of her, stand Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their three daughters, Meritaten, Ankhesenpaaten, and [[Neferneferuaten Tasherit]]. Several others scenes within the tomb possibly relate to her. In both chambers <math>\alpha</math> and <math>\gamma</math>, Akhenaten and Nefertiti bend over a woman's inert body. The pharaoh and his Great Royal Wife weep and grip each other's arms for support. Behind them, a nurse cradles a baby in her arms and is accompanied by a fan-bearer, which indicates the baby's royal status.<ref name="Dodson" />
 ==References==
@@ Line 49: / Line 43: @@
 [[Category:Princesses of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt]]
 [[Category:14th-century BC Egyptian women]]
-[[Category:Deaths in childbirth]]
 [[Category:Children of Akhenaten]]
 [[Category:Nefertiti]]