Skip to main content

*Original paper documents for Chapter 11 are in archival boxes K04 and K05 in the Egyptian Section archives of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Details

  • Classification
    Documentation-Unpublished manuscripts
  • Department
    Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition
  • Credit Line
    Harvard University–Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition
  • Date
    about 1934–1942
  • Mentioned on page
    Hetepheres I (G 7000 X)
    Khufu
    Merptahankh-meryre Nekhebu (G 2381)
    Merptahankh-meryre Ptahshepses Impy (G 2386/G 2381)
    Neferirkare
    Pepi II
  • Author
    George Andrew Reisner, American, 1867–1942

Tombs and Monuments 6

People 7

Ancient People

  • Hetepheres I (G 7000 X)

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Wife of King Snefru, founder of Egypt’s Fourth Dynasty, and mother of King Khufu, builder of the Great Pyramid. Her burial was hidden in a secret chamber (labeled G 7000 X) nearly 90 feet underground, and contained beautiful pieces of gilded and inlaid wooden furniture, silver jewelry, and a large alabaster sarcophagus that was found to be mysteriously empty.
  • Khufu

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Second king of Dynasty 4, son of Snefru. Builder of the Great Pyramid at Giza, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing. Known two thousand years later by the Greeks as King Cheops. Horus name: [mDdw] Medjedu. Full birth-name: Khnum-Khufu.
  • Merptahankh-meryre Nekhebu (G 2381)

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Owner of G 2381, buried in sloping-passage shaft G 2382 A. Son of Khnumenti (?) (owner of G 2374). Father of Merptahankh-meryre Ptahshepses Impy, Sabuptah Ibebi, and Tjemat; Nekhebu identified variously as [jmj-r kAt jmj-r kAt nbt nt nswt jmj-r wpwt nswt mnnfr-mrjra ppj jmj-r xntjw-S mnnfr-mrjra ppj jmj-r qdw aA dwAw mtj n sA mDH nswt mDH nswt qdw mDH nswt qdw m prwj Hrj-sStA n wabtj xrp SnDt nbt Xrj-Hb Xrj-Hb Hrj-tp Xrj-tp nswt sm smr watj smsw snwt sHD qdw Sps nswt qdw n aSAt qdw m prwj kAwtj] overseer of works, overseer of all royal works, overseer of royal commissions of the pyramid of Pepi I, overseer of palace attendants of the pyramid of Pepi I, overseer of builders, assistant of (the god) Duau, regulator of a phyle, royal carpenter, royal architect, royal architect in the two houses, secretary of the two wabets, director of every kilt, lector-priest, chief lector-priest, royal chamberlain, sem-priest, sole companion, elder of the snwt-house, inspector of builders, noble of the king, ordinary builder, builder in the two houses, workman. Appears in chapel relief and wall paintings: 1) relief scene (13-3-545 = MFA 13.4335) probably from lintel depicting six standing figures (three facing right, three facing left) of Nekhebu holding staff and scepter with columns of hieroglyphic text between figures identifying Nekhebu with his names, titles, and honorific epithets; 2) painted scene (13-1-546 = MFA 13.4339) of at least three registers depicting Nekhebu striding to right with name and titles in black in front of each figure; 3) autobiographical inscription of Nekhebu (13-1-547 = MFA 13.4331) with eight vertical columns and one horizontal line of text above seated figure of Nekhebu (facing left); 4) autobiographical inscription of Nekhebu (13-1-548 = MFA 13.5969 + Cairo JE 44608) with ten vertical columns and one horizontal line of text above seated figure of Nekhebu (facing right); 5) relief scene (13-1-549 = MFA 13.4331 + possibly one fragment from 13-1-558a = MFA 13.5975) from wall adjoining autobiographical inscription (13-1-547) depicting Nekhebu spear fishing in marsh; 6) relief scene (13-1-550 = MFA 13.4351) depicting figure of Nekhebu (facing right, only top of head preserved) with five vertical columns of inscription (above) and offering list (in front); 7) two door jambs (13-1-551: left jamb = MFA 13.4348; right jamb = MFA 13.4349) depicting standing figures of Nekhebu with accompanying inscription; 8) relief scene (13-1-553 + 13-1-556j + 13-1-558i = MFA 13.5834) depicting aging Nekhebu kneeling in boat in marsh; 9) relief scene (13-1-554 = MFA 13.4349) from section of facade adjoining right door jamb (13-1-551) depicting registers of Nile boats, on one boat in middle register (MFA 13.4349.2) seated figure of Nekhebu faced by his wife Hatkau playing harp; 10) relief scene (13-1-555 = MFA 13.4346 + possibly 13-1-558d = MFA 13.5974) depicting seated figure of Nekhebu (facing right) and three registers of offering bearers (facing left) leading cattle and gazelle; 11) relief scene (13-1-555 + 13-1-556 + 13-1-558o = MFA 13.5830) depicting Nekhebu seated in carrying chair; 12) relief scene (13-1-556d + 13-1-558j = MFA 13.5934) depicting seated figure of Nekhebu (facing right) and two registers of family members and offering bearers (facing left); 13) relief scene (13-1-556l + 13-1-558k = MFA 13.5935) depicting seated figure of Nekhebu (facing left) with vertical columns of inscription above; 14) relief scene (13-1-558l = MFA 13.5936) depicting seated figure of Nekhebu (facing right) with vertical columns of inscription above (original position to left of section of facade with ceremonial dancers and offering bearers MFA 13.4348). Chapel almost completely destroyed with most blocks and fragments of relief and inscription found scattered in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Fragmentary limestone seated statue (12-12-14 + 12-12-22 = MFA 13.3161a-b) inscribed for Nekhebu, identified as [smr watj mDH qd nswt m prwj] sole companion, royal architect in the two houses; fragments found scattered in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Fragmentary limestone seated statue (12-11-26) inscribed for Nekhebu, identified as [smr watj mDH qd nswt m prwj] sole companion, royal architect in the two houses; fragments found scattered in G 2370 and Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Fragment of limestone seated statue (12-12-595 = MFA 13.3159) inscribed for Nekhebu, identified as [smr watj mDH qd nswt m prwj] sole companion, royal architect in the two houses; found in debris west of G 2381 A. Fragmentary incomplete limestone seated statue (12-11-58 + 12-12-176a = MFA 13.3149a-c), preserved fragments uninscribed, attributed to Nekhebu; fragments found scattered in G 2381. Fragment of limestone seated statue (12-12-9 = MFA 13.3156), preserved fragment uninscribed, attributed to Nekhebu; found in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Fragment of limestone seated statue (12-12-16 = MFA 13.3154), preserved fragment uninscribed, attributed to Nekhebu; found in G 2381. Limestone obelisk (12-12-23 = MFA 13.4353 deaccessioned = Memphis 1981.1.5) inscribed for Nekhebu, identified as [jmj-r kAt nbt nt nswt smr watj] overseer of all royal works, sole companion; found in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382). Fragments of diorite offering table (12-12-20 = MFA 13.3143a-b) inscribed for Nekhebu; found in Senedjemib Complex court (G 2382).
  • Merptahankh-meryre Ptahshepses Impy (G 2386/G 2381)

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Possible owner of one of two stone built chapels G 2386a or G 2386b, buried in sloping-passage shaft G 2381 A. Merptahankh-meryre, [rn=f nfr] his good name Ptahshepses Impy. Son of Merptahankh-meryre Nekhebu (owner of G 2381). Wood coffin (12-12-575 = MFA 13.3085) inscribed for Impy, identified as [HAtj-a sm xrp SnDt nbt Xrj-Hb Hrj-tp jmA-a xtmw-bjtj jmj-r kAt nbt nt nswt smr watj mDH nswt qdw m prwj jmj-r wabtj] count, sem-priest, director of every kilt, chief lector-priest, gracious of arm, sealer of the king of Lower Egypt, overseer of all royal works, sole companion, royal architect in the two houses, overseer of the two wabets; found in situ in G 2381 A. Copper flaring basin (12-12-265 = MFA 13.2940) inscribed for Impy, identified as [HAtj-a jmj-r kAt nbt nt nswt smr watj mDH nswt qdw] count, overseer of all royal works, sole companion, royal architect; found in situ in G 2381 A. Wesekh broadcollar (12-12-583 = MFA 13.3086) with terminals inscribed for Impy, identified as [HAtj-a jmj-r kAt] count, overseer of works; found (more than one-half intact) in situ in G 2381 A.
  • Neferirkare

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Third king of Dynasty 5.
  • Pepi II

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Fourth king of Dynasty 6. Horus name: [nTr-xaw] Netjerkhau; other names: [nfr-kA-ra] Neferkare, [pjpj] Pepi

Modern People

  • George Andrew Reisner

    • Type Author
    • Nationality & Dates American, 1867–1942
    • Remarks Egyptologist, archaeologist; Referred to as "the doctor" and "mudir" (Arabic for "director") in the excavation records. Nationality and life dates from Who was Who in Egyptology.