 Text by Mayati & Ankhie
Meritaten - Beloved of Aten the eldest daughter of the Pharaoh Akhenaten and his Great Queen Nefertiti . My nickname was "Mayati". I was born in year 2 or 3 of the reign of my father, when he was still known as Amenhotep IV. In fact, I may have been born when he was still only the Crown Prince. I have five younger sisters, Meketaten, Ankhesenpaaten , Neferneferuaten-Tasherit, Neferneferure and Setepenre. Meketaten, Ankhesenpaaten, and I, as the elder three, were represented in relief more often than the younger three girls. It seems that the three of us were the favorites. Each of may have been a Queen of my father at one point. I, like my Aunt Sitamun before me, was the oldest, and had a special recognition at court. I am most closely associated with my Royal parents. You might say I was the favorite. I married Prince Smenkhkare possibly in year 16 of Akhenaten's reign, and may have been my father's Queen before that. I married Smenkhkare around the time of my father's death and when Smenkhkare was made co-ruler. I may actually have been married in year 15, because my name replaces Nefertiti's at this time. I also seemed to have had a daughter, Meritaten ta-Sherit ("Meritaten the Little" or "Meritaten Junior"). The parentage of this little princess is up to debate. She could have been the child of Smenkhkare and I, my father and I, or even a child of my father and Queen Kiya.
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