Egypt's queens, while playing a dominant role, were often overshadowed by their powerful warrior husbands. Most of the time, he just happened to be her brother. The queens portrayed here have been discussed many times before.
These are My opinions, based on many years of study. Although they may not
necessarily be correct tomorrow, they're as good or better a hypothesis of
what's currently theorized. Below is the photo of a mummy that was simply
labeled "the elderly lady". After xrays and a sample test of hair with that
found in the tomb of Tutankhamen inscribed with Tiye's name, egyptologist has
verified that it is none other then Tiye Nefertari.
Tiye was the daughter of Yuaa, a man of the nobility, often thought to be the
son of a ?captive Mittani Prince named Yey, and his mother, Thuyu, a name
variant for 'Ahhotep', who was titled 'Royal Ornament' & 'Superior of the
Harim of Amun & Min'. Her mother was quite probably a secondary
daughter of Amenhotep II and an unimportant wife. This, however interesting a
theory, are just speculations based on their titles. Tiye was also the niece of
Mutemwiya, a wife to Thutmose IV, and mother to Amenhotep III, Tiye's husband.
Hence, she was NOT a commoner as so often claimed. Seen from this angle, she was
his first cousin and considered sufficiently royal to be selected as the next
Great Wife, no matter that there were other secondary princesses
available with the blood of pharaoh in their veins.
The picture at right represents a statue of Tiye as "God's Wife", a crown with the double uraeus. This may have been made in the reign of her son, Akhenaten. It is strange however, that she never carried the title while her husband was living, nor did Nefertiti. In fact, this title disappears after Mutemwiya.
