Isitnofret

Isitnofret, or more accurately Isetnofret or Isis-nofret, was a 'Lady of the House' during the Eighteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt—that is, an adult woman in charge of a household, which is essentially a housewife.^[1] She was also known as 'Singer of the Mistress of the Southern Ima-Tree' and was possibly a daughter of Horemheb, the last pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt.

Isitnofret
Title	Lady of the House Singer of the Mistress of the Southern Ima-Tree
Spouse	Probably Nemtimose
Children	Probably Nemtimose Probably Isetnofret
Father	Probably Horemheb

Life

A stela of Isitnofret was unearthed in the Tomb of Horemheb in Saqqara, where she is referred to as the 'Osiris Isitnofret' and is shown worshiping Osiris and other Ancient Egyptian deities, depicting her in the afterlife. Another stela related to her was also discovered in Saqqara; the owner of this stela is Nemtimose, who is called 'Charioteer of His Majesty'. The exact relationship between the two is not specified; Isitnofret may have been Nemtimose’s wife or possibly his mother.^[2]

In both stelae, Isitnofret's hairstyle and clothing,^[3] are the same as those of princesses from the Eighteenth Dynasty,^[4] and the Ramesside period.^[2] which suggests that she may have been a royal daughter.^[2] In the stelae, her hairstyle is the "Sidelock of Youth."^[3] As ancient Egypt entered the New Kingdom period, the Sidelock of Youth became a distinctive symbol of royal children during the 18th Dynasty, carrying significant meaning. The association between this hairstyle and princesses was particularly emphasized. Since Isitnofret is depicted in the image not as a child (another group that typically wore the Sidelock of Youth), her identity is further confirmed as that of a royal daughter. Since one of her stelae was discovered in the Tomb of Horemheb, it is very likely that she was Horemheb’s daughter, born before he became Pharaoh, by his first wife, Amenia. If this is the case, she may have been the mother of Queen Isetnofret. Various pieces of evidence indicate that Queen Isetnofret had a familial relationship with Horemheb.^[5]

Isitnofret's confirmed titles are 'Lady of the House' and 'Singer of the Mistress of the Southern Ima-Tree'.^[2] The 'Mistress of the Ima-Tree' (nbt imꜣt) may have been the goddess Sekhmet.^[6]