Art for Eternity, Nefertari Tomb Paintings

Nefertari
To the modern ear,
the sound of her name evokes
visions of unrivaled splendor,
surpassing beauty and supreme
power.
An honored and beloved queen,
still in the prime of earthly existence,
set off upon a voyage to the
neverworld,
in quest of eternal life.

House of Eternity
John K. McDonald

Grade Level 3-6
Art • Language Arts • Social Studies

The tomb of Nefertari, its brilliant images vividly depicting her voyage to the hereafter, ranks among the most precious indeed of humanity. Yet ever since its modern discovery in 1904, the art in Nefertari's tomb has been known to be in fragile and precarious condition. If the paintings had continued to deteriorate, the world would have suffered an incalculable cultural loss. Instead, between 1986-1992, the Egyptian Antiquities Organization and Getty Conservation Institute undertook an intensive collaboration effort to conserve the wall paintings in the queen's "house of eternity."

Dr. Zahi Hawass, Egyptologist and Director General of the Giza Plateau, believes that the greatest issue archaeologists face globally is preserving the past, conservation of cultural and tourist sites and the ever growing controversy of public access to sites. His greatest concern is preserving sites in countries with limited annual budgets along with controlling the massive tourist industry. Public access to the Egyptian tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens is a controversy today. Some people believe that the tombs should remain sealed while others want them open for all to view.

Getty Conservation Institute: Nefertari

Nefertari's Tomb

World Monuments Fund List of Most Endangered Sites

The Tomb of Nefertari Lesson Plan