People often claim that Egyptian Queen Tiye was black based on the unpainted, darkened yew wood bust of her. This interpretation overlooks several important factors. For instance, her mummy displays natural, flowing brown hair that can be straight or wavy, along with a high-arched nose and moderately thin lips. Additionally, her parents’ mummies offer further context about her ancestry. Moreover, her DNA belongs to haplogroup K, which is of Eurasian origin.
Portrait Head of Queen Tiye
- Date: c. 1355 B.C.E.
- Period: Amarna Period, Dynasty 18, New Kingdom, Egypt
- Materials: Yew wood, lapis lazuli, silver, gold, faience
- Height: 22.5 cm
- Location: Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection at the Neues Museum, Berlin
Head of Queen Tiye
Mummy of Queen Tiye
Queen Tiye
Gilded Mummy Mask of Yuya
- Relation: Father of Queen Tiye
- Location: Cairo Museum
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