On December 6, 1912, Egyptologists Ludwig Borchardt uncovered the bust of Queen Nefertiti
during the excavation of a sculptor’s workshop at Tell el-Amarna.

… I am convinced that my words cannot convey the impression of this work of art
Ludwig Borchardt, 1913 

Queen Nefertiti
Issued by Egyptian post in 1953

The portrait bust of Nefertiti is one of the most famous icons of Ancient Egypt, yet the queen herself is still shrouded in mystery and intrigue. As consort to Pharaoh Akhenaten the couple ruled from 1353 to 1336 BCE during one of the most contentious periods of Egypt’s cultural history … 

Although not pharaoh herself, Nefertiti’s name has persisted because written evidence suggests she held a uniquely influential role as wife and queen in the court. Historians have gleaned that Nefertiti was a major proponent of Akhenaten’s religious and cultural movement. She represented the female element of Aten while her husband represented the male—and both acted as a bridge between Aten and the Egyptian people. The Nefertiti bust is identified as her likeness because of the characteristic blue crown, which she wears in all other inscribed depictions of her. The limestone sculpture was believed to have been completed by the artist Thutmose in 1345 BCE. Upon its discovery in 1912, the portrait immortalized Nefertiti as the symbol of ideal feminine beauty and continues to be a popular attraction at the Neues Museum in Berlin.
11 Facts About the Ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti

The statue is composed of painted limestone, stucco; black beeswax, and rock crystal

 Then just a short distance in front of the east wall – 0.20 m from it, 0.35 m from the north wall – in front of us at about knee height first a skin-coloured neck with painted red ribbons was laid bare … above the neck the lower portion of the bust appeared, below it the back of the queen’s wig. It took some time, however, before the piece was completely freed from the rubble, because first a portrait head of the king, found directly north of it, had to be carefully retrieved. Only after that was the colourful bust lifted out and we had the most lifelike Egyptian work of art in our hands.
The Find: Where was the bust of Nefertiti found? | Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung