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Details

  • Format
    Journal Article
  • Language
    ENGLISH
  • Year Published
    1998
  • Number of Pages
    9
  • Citation Text
    Rzepka, Slawomir. "Hidden Statues and Reliefs in Old Kingdom Tombs." Göttinger Miszellen 164 (1998), pp. 101-109.
  • Individual - Ancient
    Duaenre (G 5110)
    Hetepheres II (G 7110-7120)
    Inkaf (in G 8172)
    Iskha (in G 8172)
    Kawab (G 7110-7120)
    Khemetnu (G 5210)
    Khemetnu-nedjes (in G 7530-7540)
    Meresankh III (G 7530-7540)
    Nebemakhet (G 8172 and Lepsius 12)
    Niuserreankh (in G 7530-7540)
    Semerka (in G 8172)
  • Individual - Modern
    Selim Hassan (Bey), Egyptian, 1886–1961
  • Publisher
    Ägyptologischen Seminars der Universität Göttingen
  • Author
    Slawomir Rzepka

Tombs and Monuments 1

  • G 8172

    • Site Name Central Field (Hassan)

People 13

Ancient People

  • Duaenre (G 5110)

    • Type Individual - Ancient
    • Remarks Owner of G 5110. Appears in chapel relief (west, south, east, and north walls [only lower legs and feet preserved in situ on west, east, and north walls], and chapel entrance north and south door jambs), and displaced fragment of lintel (MFA 34.1465), identified as [sA nswt n Xt=f jrj(-pat) HAtj-a tAjtj sS mDAt-nTr r nxn r p nb] king's son of his body, hereditary (prince), count, vizier, scribe of the divine book, mouth of Nekhen, mouth of every Butite; in situ in G 5110. Uninscribed sarcohpagus of Duaenre (Turin S.1838, Turin S.1839); Schiaparelli excavations. Possibly same individual as Duare (in G 3098b) and/or Duaenre (in G 8172).
  • Hetepheres II (G 7110-7120)

    • Type Individual - Ancient
    • Remarks Original owner of G 7110, along with Kawab (owner of G 7120). Appears with her daughter Meresankh III in G 7530-7540 (east and west walls, main room), and in pair statue MFA 30.1456 (= 27-4-963 + 27-4-964 + 27-4-965). Later married to a king, possibly Djedefre (Radjedef) according to Reisner, but Khafre is also a possibility. Her association with G 7350, and its sarcophagus is uncertain. Also mentioned in tomb of her steward Khemetnu (owner of G 5210).
  • Inkaf (in G 8172)

    • Type Individual - Ancient
    • Remarks Appears on right outer reveal of doorway to inner chapel, identified as [mHnk=f] his confidant(?); in situ in G 8172.
  • Iskha (in G 8172)

    • Type Individual - Ancient
    • Remarks Central figure of limestone statue group of three seated men, identified as [Hm-kA] ka-priest; found in debris of inner chapel of G 8172.
  • Kawab (G 7110-7120)

    • Type Individual - Ancient
    • Remarks Owner of G 7120, along with Hetepheres [II] (original owner of G 7110). Son of Khufu and Meretites [I]. Appears in chapel relief in tomb of his daughter Meresankh III (owner of G 7530-7540), main room (east wall), identified as [jrj-pat sA nswt smsw n Xt=f Xrj-Hb Hrj-tp xrp jAwt nTrt aA dwAw] hereditary prince, king's eldest son of his body, chief lector-priest, director of divine offices, assistant of (the god) Duau; in situ in G 7530-7540). Also mentioned in tomb of his steward Khemetnu (owner of G 5210).
  • Khemetnu (G 5210)

    • Type Individual - Ancient
    • Remarks Owner of G 5210. Architectural element (frieze-text, including back side of one block also inscribed for Khemetnu) and upper lintels of north and south niches (south niche also includes tablet and cross-bar = lower lintel) inscribed for Khemetnu, identified as [rx nswt jmj-r Hmw-kA wab nswt Hm-nTr xwfw jmj-r pr n jrj-pat sa nswt kAwab jmj-r pr n wrt Hzt sAt nswt mrsanx jmj-r pr n (sAt?)- nswt ... HtpHrs] royal acquaintance, overseer of ka-priests, royal wab-priest, priest of Khufu, steward of the hereditary prince, king's son Kawab, steward of "Great-of-Praise", king's daughter Meresankh, steward of the king's daughter ... Hetepheres; in situ in G 5210. Also appears chapel relief in tomb of Meresankh III (owner of G 7530-7540: G 7530), chapel entrance south door jamb, and room a (= main room), west wall (panel of relief south of false door) with same titles.
  • Khemetnu-nedjes (in G 7530-7540)

    • Type Individual - Ancient
    • Remarks Appears on pillar in east wall of west room, tomb of Meresankh III, identified as [jmj-r pr jmj-r Hmw-kA sS] steward, overseer of ka-priests, scribe; in situ. Probable son of Khemetnu (owner of G 5210).
  • Meresankh III (G 7530-7540)

    • Type Individual - Ancient
    • Remarks Owner of G 7530-7540.Granddaughter of King Khufu, builder of the Great Pyramid, and wife of either Khafre or Menkaure. Her unique underground chapel (labeled G 7530-7540) preserves beautifully carved and painted scenes of the queen and her royal family, as well as servants, artisans, and funerary priests. The scenes also depict the sort of rich burial goods that would have been placed in Meresankh’s tomb: statues and fine furniture; boxes containing food, clothing, and jewelry; even a representation of the black granite sarcophagus that was actually found in situ in her burial chamber. Chapel entrance architrave, jambs, reveals and drum inscribed for Meresankh, idenitifed as [mAAt Hr stX wrt Hts nbwj xt Hr wrt Hst DHwtj smrt Hr mrt=f sAt nswt n Xt=f Hmt nswt mrt] seer of Horus and Seth, great one of the hetes-scepter of the Two Lords, khet-priestess of Horus, great of praises of Thoth, companion of Horus, his beloved, king's daughter of his body, beloved king's wife; in situ in G 7530-7540. Appears in chapel relief of main room: seated holding lotus (south wall); standing with her mother (east wall), idenitifed as [wrt Hts] great one of the hetes-scepter; on pillars (north wall), idenitifed as [tjst Hr] intimate(?) of Horus; seated at offering table, standing north of false door and on central pillar, and with her mother and son (west wall), idenitifed as [Hm-nTr DHwtj wrt Hts nbtj Hm-nTr bApf Hm-nTr HwtHr nbt jwnt smAwt mrjj nbtj] priestess of Thoth, great one of the hetes-scepter of the Two Ladies, priestess of Bapef, priestess of Hathor Mistress-of-Dendera, consort of him who is beloved of the Two Ladies; in situ in G 7530-7540. Also appears on all walls of offering (west) room; in situ in G 7530-7540. Architrave on north wall of north room inscribed for Meresankh; uninscribed statues may also represent Meresankh (along with other female family members); in situ in G 7530-7540. Black granite sarcophagus (Cairo JE 54935) inscribed for Meresankh, idenitifed as [xrp sSmtjw SnDt] director of butchers of the 'Acacia House'; in situ in burial chamber of G 7530-7540. Incomplete limestone statue of Meresankh (MFA 30.1457) and pair statue of Meresankh and Hetepheres II (MFA 30.1456); found displaced in debris of main room. Mother ([mwt=f] his mother) of Nebemakhet (owner of G 8172 = Lepsius 86). Appears in relief of inner chapel (above doorway in eastern wall), identified as [mAAt Hr stX wrt Hts wrt Hst Hmt nswt] seer of Horus and Seth, great one of the hetes-scepter, great of praises, king's wife; in situ in G 8172. Also mentioned in the tomb of her steward Khemetnu (owner of G 5210).
  • Nebemakhet (G 8172 and Lepsius 12)

    • Type Individual - Ancient
    • Remarks Owner of G 8172 (Lepsius 86) and Lepsius 12. Son of Khafre and Meresankh III. Fragmentary entrance lintel and drum inscribed for Nebemakhet, identified as [sS mDAt(-nTr) smsw snwt n jt=f tAjtj sAb TAtj jrj-pat sA nswt n Xt=f Xrj-Hb Hrj-tp xt wr xt (?)] scribe of the (divine) book, elder of the snwt-house of his father, chief justice and vizier, hereditary prince, king's son of his body, chief lector-priest, khet-priest of the Great One, khet-priest of (?); found fallen in debris in front of entrance of G 8172. Originally appeared in chapel relief seated with his sister (neither figure preserved) on southern wall of outer chapel, identified as [sS mDAt-nTr n jt=f smr watj n jt=f] scribe of the divine book of his father, sole companion of his father; in situ in G 8172. Appears with his mother and sister above doorway in eastern wall of inner chapel, identified as [smr watj] sole companion, and with his wife on same wall, identified as [Hrj-sStA n jt=f] secretary of his father; in situ in G 8172. Originally appeared with his wife (figures not preserved) on southern wall of inner chapel; in situ in G 8172. Nebemakhet's name and titles also appear on fragments of relief originally from northern wall of inner chapel; found in debris of chapel of G 8172. Also entrance architrave, drum and jambs (very poorly preserved) originally inscribed for Nebemakhet (name partially preserved on northern door jamb), identified as [jrj-pat sA nswt n Xt=f smr watj] hereditary prince, king's son of his body, sole companion; in situ in Lepsius 12. Also attested (main room, west wall) in tomb of his mother Meresankh III (G 7530-7540), and on back pillar (MFA 30.1457a) of fragmentary limestone statue of her; found in debris of forecourt of G 7530-7540.
  • Niuserreankh (in G 7530-7540)

    • Type Individual - Ancient
    • Remarks Appears as small boy standing in front of Meresankh III on western pillar of north wall in main room, identified as [sA nswt n Xt=f] king's son of his body; in situ in G 7530-7540. Both figure and inscription are painted rather than carved, and his name (compounded with that of a later Fifth Dynasty king) seems to indicate that he is a subsequent addition to the tomb (perhaps a grandson or great-grandson of Meresankh III?) Alternately, he may be the same individual as Niuserre, owner of G 8140 and brother of Nebemakhet (owner of G 8130); hence a son of Meresankh III, whose name was later altered in G 7530-7540.
  • Semerka (in G 8172)

    • Type Individual - Ancient
    • Remarks Appears on right outer reveal of doorway to inner chapel, identified as [mHnk=f sS qdwt] his confidant(?), outline draughtsman; in situ in G 8172.

Modern People

  • Selim Hassan (Bey)

    • Type Individual - Modern
    • Nationality & Dates Egyptian, 1886–1961
    • Remarks Egyptologist; Sub Director General. Nationality and life dates from Who was Who in Egyptology. (1886-1961) Egyptian Egyptologist; born Mit-Nagi, 15 April 1886, he studied at the Higher Teacher's College, Cairo under Kamal (q.v.); in 1912 he became a teacher and in 1921 obtained a post in the Egyptian Museum as assistant keeper; he studied in Paris 1923-7 at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes; he was the first Egyptian to be appointed as a Professor of Egyptology in the Universitv of Cairo, 1928 - 36; he was later made Deputy Director of the Egyptian Antiquities Service responsible for the care of all monuments in the Nile valley, 1936-39; Ph.D. Vienna University, 1935; stimulated by the archaeological work of P. E. Newberry (q.v.) and Junker (q.v.)he began an active career in excavations with the clearance of some of the Giza mastabas in 1929; the excavations carried on by him in this necropolis continued until 1939 by which time a great deal of digging had been achieved, published in 10 parts; he also cleared the Sphinx and its temple, for the first time completely digging out the great amphitheatre around it and ensuring that it would not be buried by send again so easily; he wrote a study on this work and on the temple of Amenhotep II here; in addition the so-called Fourth Pyramid or the palace-façade tomb of Queen Khent-kawes of the Fourth Dynasty was investigated and also the funerary town of the priests associated with it; he later worked on the Unas causeway at Saqqara and at the valley temple of this king, discovering some of the mastabas in this area and two great subterranean tombs dated to the Second Dynasty; his final excavations at Giza were carried out on the east and south faces of the Great Pyramid and at the mortuary temple of King Khufu, 1938-9; he also took part in the campaign to save the monments of Nubia, and wrote a report on this subject; he published about 53 books and articles on Egyptological subjects in English, French, and Arabic, Hymnes religieux du Moyen Empire, 1928; Le Poème dit de Pentaour et Le rapport officiel sur la bataiILe de Qadesh , 1929; Excavations at Giza, 10 pts., 1929-60; The Sphinx. Its History in the Light of recent Excavations, 1949; Report on the Monunents of Nubia,1955Excavations at Saqqara 1937-8, 3 vols., 1975; in Arabic Literature of Ancient Egpt, 2 vols.; Ancient Egypt from Prehistoric Times to the Age of Rameses 11, 6 vols.; he died in Giza, 30 Sept. 1961. AfO 20 (1963), 310 (H. Brunner); Archaeology 14, no, 4 (1961, 293; ASAE 58 (1964), 61- 84 (bibl.) (Dia Abou-Ghazi); Orientalia 31 (1962), 271; Goettinger Miszellen 76 (1984), 78-80; Reid, JAOS 105 (1985), 237, 241-44.
  • Slawomir Rzepka

    • Type Author
    • Nationality & Dates

Institutions 1