A Shattered Granodiorite Dyad of Akhenaten and Nefertiti from Tell El-Amarna

Abstract

In 1992 188 pieces of a shattered granodiorite dyad depicting Akhenaten and Nefertiti seated beside each other were found in an excavation dump at Tell el-Amarna. Considerable evidence shows that the pieces had originally been discovered in 1912 by Ludwig Borchardt's expedition in the complex of the sculptor Thutmose, along with a matching granodiorite head that was taken to Germany (Berlin 21358). From 2001 to 2003, reconstruction was carried out, resulting in substantial sections representing roughly half of the original statue. Although in some respects the pose is traditional, the positions of the wrists suggest an unusual, possibly unique, arrangement for the missing hands. Along with several hundred other recently recovered fragments from dumps at Amarna, the dyad will contribute to our knowledge of the statuary programme in the ancient city.