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*The original, paper version of this page in “Chapter 16: The Royal Family of Dynasty Four” can be found in archival box L01 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    Documentation-Unpublished manuscripts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
    Bunefer (G 8408)
    Khafre
    Khamerernebty [II] (G 8978 & G III-a)
    Khamerernebty [I] (in G 8978)
    Khufu
    Menkaure
    Meresankh III (G 7530-7540)
    Rekhetre (G 8530)
    Shepseskaf
    Shepsetkau (in G 8172)
    Userkaf
  • Author
    George Andrew Reisner, American, 1867–1942

Tombs and Monuments 6

  • G 8978

    • Site Name Central Field (Hassan)
  • G III-a

    • Site Name Menkaure Pyramid Complex
  • G III-b

    • Site Name Menkaure Pyramid Complex
  • G III-c

    • Site Name Menkaure Pyramid Complex
  • Khafre Quarry

    • Site Name Khafre Pyramid Complex
  • Khufu Quarry

    • Site Name Khufu Pyramid Complex

People 12

Ancient People

  • Bunefer (G 8408)

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Owner of G 8408. Daughter or wife of Shepseskaf. Southern, middle and northern chapel entrance lintels and drums, and northern and southern pilasters, inscribed for Bunefer, identified as [Hmt nswt wrt Hts Hm-nTr Spss-nbtj mAAt Hr stX sAt nswt n (Xt=f) Hm-nTr Hr (Spss-Xt) Hst wrt Hm-nTr TAspf] king's wife, great one of the hetes-sceptre, priestess of Shepses-Nebty (Shepseskaf), seer of Horus and Seth, king's daughter of (his body), priestess of the Horus Shepses-khet (Shepseskaf), great favorite, priestess of (the god) Tjasepef; in situ in G 8408. Secondary chapel entrance lintel and drum inscribed for Bunefer, identified as [mAAt Hr stX wrt Hts] seer of Horus and Seth, great one of the hetes-sceptre; in situ in G 8408. Also appears on limestone relief fragments, identified as [Hm-nTr HwtHr] priestess of Hathor; found displaced in chapel debris of G 8408.
  • Khafre

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Fourth king of Dynasty 4. Son of Khufu. Builder of the Second Pyramid at Giza and probably of the Great Sphinx as well. Known two thousand years later by the Greeks as King Khephren. A number of diorite and greywacke statues and statue fragments depicting the king have been discovered in Khafre's valley temple, including Cairo CG 9-17. The fragmentary head of an alabaster royal statue (MFA 21.351 + MFA 33.1113) is attributed to Khafre.
  • Khamerernebty [II] (G 8978 & G III-a)

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Wife of Menkaure, daughter of Khafre and Khamerernebty [I]. Identified on entrance lintel as [sAt nswt nt Xt=f Hmt nswt mAAt Hr StX] king's daughter of his body, king's wife, seer of Horus and Seth; found above entrance to G 8978, possibly not in situ. Two uninscribed statues: one fragmentary wearing pleated robe (JE 48828), the other seated (JE 48856), probably represent Khamerernebty II (or possibly her mother Khamerernebty I); JE 48828 found in serdab ("room B") of G 8978, JE 48856 found in pillared outer hall ("room C") of G 8978. Mother ([mwt=f] his mother) of Khuenre (owner of MQ 1). Appears in chapel relief, south wall (seated before her son), identified as [mAAt Hr StX wrt Hts xrpt sSmtjw SnDt Hmt nswt sAt nswt smswt] seer of Horus and Seth, great one of the hetes-scepter, directress of the butchers of the "Acacia House," king's wife, king's eldest daughter; in situ in Menkaure quarry cemetery MQ 1 = MQ 137. Also mentioned on entrance lintel of Washptah (owner of G 8976), identified as [sAt smswt nswt nt Xt=f mAAt Hr StX wrt Hts Hmt nswt] king's eldest daughter of his body, seer of Horus and Seth, great one of the hetes-scepter, king's wife; in situ in G 8976.
  • Khamerernebty [I] (in G 8978)

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Mother of Khamerernebty [II] and Menkaure and wife of Khafre (Chephren). Identified on entrance lintel as [mwt nswt-bjtj sAt nswt-bjtj sAt nTr] mother of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, daughter of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, daughter of the god; found above entrance to G 8978, possibly not in situ.
  • 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.
  • Menkaure

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Fifth king of Dynasty 4. Son of Khafre. Husband of Khamerernebti II. Builder of the Third Pyramid at Giza. Known two thousand years later by the Greeks as King Mycerinus.
  • Meresankh III (G 7530-7540)

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • 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).
  • Rekhetre (G 8530)

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Daughter of Khephren
  • Shepseskaf

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Last king of Dynasty 4. Son of Menkaure. Horus name: [SpsXt] Shepseskhet.
  • Shepsetkau (in G 8172)

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks Sister ([snt=f] his sister) of Nebemakhet (owner of G 8172 [Lepsius 86]); daughter of Queen Meresankh III. Originally appeared seated with her brother (neither figure preserved) on southern wall of outer chapel, identified as [sAt nswt n Xt=f] king's daughter of his body; in situ in G 8172. Also appears in reliefs from inner chapel (above doorway in eastern wall and in fragment from northern wall), in both cases identified as [sAt nswt n Xt=f] king's daughter of his body; in situ in G 8172. Stated by Reisner also to be represented by uninscribed statues on north wall of north room of G 7530-sub (G 7530-7540, tomb of Queen Meresankh III).
  • Userkaf

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks First king of Dynasty 5. Horus name: [jrjmAat] Irymaat.

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.