Neferneferure

Neferneferure probably died in the 13th or 14th regnal year, possibly in the plague that swept across Egypt during this time. She is absent from one scene and her name was plastered over in another scene in the Royal Tomb in Amarna. To be specific, on Wall C of the chamber ${\displaystyle \alpha }$ of the Royal Tomb her name was mentioned among the five princesses (the list excluded the youngest, Setepenre, who was possibly dead by this time), but was later covered by plaster. On Wall B of the chamber ${\displaystyle \gamma }$ she is missing from the scene which shows her parents and three elder sisters – Meritaten, Ankhesenpaaten and Neferneferuaten Tasherit – mourning the dead second princess, Meketaten. This suggests that she is likely to have died shortly before the decoration of these chambers was finished.^[4] It is possible that Neferneferure was actually buried in chamber ${\displaystyle \alpha }$ of the royal tomb.^[5]

Alternatively she may have been buried in Tomb 29 in Amarna.^[7] This theory is based on an amphora handle bearing an inscription mentioning the inner (burial) chamber of Neferneferure.^[6] If Neferneferure was buried in tomb 29, then this may mean the Royal Tomb was already sealed at the time of her burial and that she may have died after the death of her father Akhenaten.^[8]

A lid of a small box (JdE 61498) bearing her picture was found among the treasures of Tutankhamun. It shows the princess crouching, with a finger pressed to her mouth, as very young children were often depicted.^[9] On the lid Re's name in her name was written phonetically instead of with the usual circled dot.

• Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt: Tutankhamen – Life and Death of a Pharaoh