Standard-Bearing Statue of Queen Nefertari
New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, ca. 1290–1224 B.C.
Black granite
From the Temple of Amun at Karnak

This statue depicts Queen Nefertari, the royal wife of Ramesses II, carrying a standard in a gesture of devotion. Carved from black granite, the piece reflects her prominent role in state and religious ceremonies, underscoring her close association with the cult of Amun at Karnak.

Nefertari was among the most significant queens of Ancient Egypt and the cherished wife of Ramses II.

She was also known as Nefertari Merytmut, meaning “Beautiful Companion, Beloved of the goddess Mut.”

Alongside Cleopatra, Nefertiti, and Hatshepsut, she is one of the most renowned queens of Egypt. Her richly decorated tomb, QV66, is the largest and most magnificent in the Valley of the Queens. In addition, Ramesses built a temple in her honor at Abu Simbel, adjacent to his own monumental temple.