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Head of a Princess from Amarna

Head of a Princess from Amarna is an ancient Egyptian bust from the Amarna period, inventory no. 21223, in the Egyptian Museum Berlin. It depicts an unnamed princess and dates to around 1350 BCE. The 21 cm high head is made of silicified sandstone. It was found in 1920 during excavations by the German Oriental Society in house P 47,1, the sculptor Thutmose’s workshop at Tell el Amarna, and was acquired by James Simon for the museum. The portrait shows the characteristic Amarna style with an elongated face, prominent chin, long curved neck, and broad skull, while still preserving youthful features. It was part of a composite statue and was intended to be attached with a tenon; the eye and eyebrow inlays are missing.

Head of a Princess, a reddish-brown stone sculpture with a slender neck, dark almond-shaped eyes, arched brows, and damaged nose bridge.
Head of a Princess, shown in close-up as a polished reddish-brown stone head with damaged facial features.
February 2014 © · CC BY 3.0
Right three-quarters profile of the Head of a Princess, a polished reddish-brown bust with almond-shaped eyes and full lips.
Head of a Princess, shown in right profile as a polished reddish-brown bust.
February 2014 © · CC BY 3.0
Profile view of a reddish-brown head sculpture of a princess with an elongated cranium and missing eye inlays, mounted on a stand.
Head of a princess from the Amarna period, shown in profile on a museum stand.
December 2014 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Profile view of the Head of a Princess sculpture with a smooth reddish-brown surface on a thin stand.
The Head of a Princess shown in profile on display against a dark green background.
August 2011 © · CC BY 2.0
Side view of a reddish-brown stone head of a princess with a long, elongated cranium and visible ear and nose.
Side view of the Head of a Princess, a stone sculpture from the Amarna period.
December 2014 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleHead of a princess from Amarna
Inventory number21223
Object typeSculpture head of a princess; part of a composite statue

Historical context

CultureAncient Egyptian
PeriodAmarna Period, early phase
Datec. 1350 BCE

Creator

WorkshopThutmose's workshop, House P 47.1, Tell el-Amarna

Discovery and provenance

Discovery date1920
Excavated byGerman Oriental Society
FindspotHouse P 47.1, the workshop of the sculptor Thutmose, Tell el-Amarna
Acquired byJames Simon
Acquired forEgyptian Museum, Berlin

Location and ownership

Current locationEgyptian Museum Berlin

Physical characteristics

Attachment methodThe head was attached to the statue with a mounting tenon; remains of the tenon survive
Anatomical treatmentThe neck, nape vertebrae, and bone structure of the back of the head are rendered with anatomical precision
Height21 cm
ConditionThe head is complete, but the inlays for the eyes and eyebrows are missing

Materials

MaterialSilicified sandstone

Appearance

StyleAmarna style modeled on the portrait style of Pharaoh Akhenaten
Stylistic featuresElongated face, oversized chin, long bent neck, and expansive skull
Portrait characterThe portrait combines a precocious, mature expression with childlike features

Iconography and meaning

SubjectAn unnamed princess, probably one of the daughters of Akhenaten and Nefertiti
Identification certaintyThe exact daughter cannot be identified because there are no inscriptions
Royal familyAkhenaten and Nefertiti had six daughters
InterpretationAn idealized portrait image

Significance

Art historical significanceRepresents a new depiction of the royal daughters, independent of their actual age, and influenced later portrait art