At the end of the reign of Akhenaten, Nefertiti disappeared from historical Egyptian records. For years, scientists have believed that she had withdrawn to the king of modesty however, it really was a case of mistaken identity. It was Kaija's name and images which were deleted from the monuments and replaced by those of Meritaten, one of the daughters of Akhenaten.
There is a presumption, although no supporting evidence that, at the twelfth year of the reign of Akhenaten after it was donated by the son and possibly her daughter, Kaija has become a big rival of Nefertiti which has become the cause of falling into disfavor of Kaija. It is possible that Nefertiti had disappeared a few years after Kaija, which means that she has died aged about thirty years.
Soon after the disappearance of Nefertiti, Archaeological evidence suggests that Akhenaten had adopted a co-regent with whom to share the throne of Egypt. One theory is that this co-regent is none other than Nefertiti.
Another theory is that there were actually two co-regents, one of the sons of Akhenaten, Smenkare and Nefertiti under the name Neferneferaten. Undoubtedly, like her husband, who was originally named Amenhotep, she too could take a new name in honor of Neferneferaten God Athena.
Jacobs Van Dyke from Oxford University, explores the history of Ancient Egypt, and believes that it really was Nefertiti who became co-regent with her husband and that her role as royal wife was taken by the eldest daughter Meritaten.
Another scholar, Cyril Aldred examines the burial object, called shawabti. He argues that property according to ancient inscription belonged to Nefertiti and not, as some scientists argue that it was donated for the burial of Akhenaten. Probably, that idea is made after the death of the queen, because such was the custom at that time to make such objects the process of mummification. Akhenaten rejected this practice as part of his new religion, however, two of his own shawabti remain unresolved.
Aldred also notes that the question of shawabti presents Nefertiti as the ruling queen, not a co-regent. He believes that Nefertiti died on the fourteenth year of the reign of Akhenaten. If this is indeed true that Nefertiti died during the reign of her husband, the year designated by Aldred is most likely correct. Nefertiti is depicted on a number of reliefs, including one from the funeral of her second daughter, which is believed to have died during the thirteenth year of the reign of Akhenaten.
Recent information on Nefertiti dating back to the fourteenth year of the reign of Akhenaten are uncovered, but these are the documents for the supply of wine from her estate, which then are missing data. According to Aldred it is presumed to be assumed that Nefertiti disappeared somewhere around the fourteenth year of the reign of Akhenaten.
