The Nefertiti Bust

Crafted around 1345 BC by the sculptor Thutmose, the Nefertiti Bust is a painted, stucco-coated limestone masterpiece depicting the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten. Discovered in Amarna in 1912 by Ludwig Borchardt, this iconic sculpture is celebrated globally as a symbol of feminine beauty and ancient Egyptian artistry. Today, it stands as the centerpiece of Berlin's Neues Museum, while remaining a focal point of international discussions on cultural heritage and repatriation.

Discovered on December 6, 1912, at Amarna by Ludwig Borchardt's German Oriental Society team. Shipped to Germany in 1913 and presented to sponsor James Simon, who donated it to the Berlin Museum in 1920. Hidden during WWII in a bank cellar, a flak tower, and a salt mine. Recovered by the US Army in 1945, displayed in Wiesbaden, then West Berlin (Dahlem and Charlottenburg), before returning to the Neues Museum in 2009.