Skin color deemed ‘too fair’ in 3D reconstruction of Egypt’s Queen Nefertiti

Arab News
The bust of Queen Nefertiti on display in the Neues Museum in Berlin. A 3D reconstruction of the Egyptian queen’s face has drawn criticism for being ‘too fair.’ (Getty Images)

CAIRO: The face of Egypt’s ancient Queen Nefertiti has been brought to life using a 3D imaging technology by scientists at a UK university.
It took 500 hours to recreate the bust, while the necklace was handcrafted by designers from Dior, local and international media outlets reported.
But the color of the queen’s skin has raised controversy, with some arguing that she would have been darker in reality.
The reconstruction was undertaken by scientists from the University of Bristol who digitally painted the ancient queen to embody her true features.
Before the painting work, the photographer, Idan Dodson received permission from the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and the Egyptian Museum to remove the protective glass case that covers the Nefertiti mummy to examine it.
The digitally mapped face will be aired on US Travel Channel’s Expedition Unknown.
The 3,400-year-old queen ruled Egypt from 1353 to 1336 BC and is thought to be the mother of King Tutankhamun.

Topics: Egypt Queen Nefertiti