Tjuyu

Tjuyu (sometimes transliterated as Thuya or Thuyu) was an Egyptian noblewoman and descendant of Ahmose-Nefertari. She was the wife of Yuya, a powerful Egyptian courtier of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt. She was involved in many religious cults, and her titles included 'Singer of Hathor,' and Chief of the Entertainers of both Amun and Min. [Tyldesley, Joyce. "Chronicles of the Queens of Egypt". Thames & Hudson, 2006. p.116] She also held the influential office of 'Superintendent of the Harem' of the god Min of Akhmin and of Amun of Thebes. [Cyril Aldred: Akhenaten, King of Egypt Thames and Hudson, 1989. p.96]

Yuya and Thuya had a daughter named Tiye who became Queen of Egypt as the chief royal wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Yuya and Thuya also had a son named Anen, who carried the titles Chancellor of Lower Egypt, Second Prophet of Amun, sm-priest of Heliopolis and Divine Father. [Rice, Michael (1999). Who's Who in Ancient Egypt. Routledge, p.20] They may also have been the parents of Ay, [Rice, op. cit., p.222] an Egyptian courtier active during the reign of pharaoh Akhenaten, and who eventually became pharaoh himself, as "Kheperkheprure Ay". However, there is no conclusive evidence regarding the kinship of Yuya and Ay, although both men certainly came from Akhmim. [David, Anthony, E. and Rosalie David. A Biographical Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. London: Seaby, 1992. p.167]

Together with her husband, Tjuyu was buried in the Valley of the Kings, in KV46, where their largely unpillaged remains were found in 1905. It was the best-preserved tomb discovered before that of Tutankhamun.

References

External links

* [http://www.kv5.com/sites/browse_tomb_860.html KV 46 (Yuya and Thuyu) - Theban Mapping Project]
* [http://anubis4_2000.tripod.com/mummypages1/18B.htm The Theban Royal Mummy Project - View 18th Dynasty Mummies from the Theban Royal Necropolis]