| Ankhhaf | |
|---|---|
| Prince of Egypt | |
 Bust of Prince Ankhhaf, now at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston | |
| Died | c. 2570 BC |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Hetepheres |
| Father | Sneferu |
Ankhhaf (died c. 2570 BC) was an Egyptian prince and served as an overseer during the reign of the Pharaoh Khufu, who is thought to have been Ankhhaf's half-brother. One of Ankhaf's titles is also as a vizier, but it is unknown under which pharaoh he would have held this title. He lived during Egypt's 4th Dynasty [1] (c. 2613 to c. 2494 BC).
Ankhhaf was likely a son of the pharaoh Sneferu and an unknown wife. [2] Ankhhaf's tomb in Giza (G 7510) depicts his sister-wife Hetepheres. Hetepheres is thought to have been the eldest daughter of Sneferu and Queen Hetepheres I and thus Ankhhaf's half-sister. [3] Hetepheres had the titles "eldest king's daughter of his body", "the one whom he loves" (sat nswt n khtf smst mrt.f) and "Priestess of Sneferu" (hmt-nTr Snfrw). [4] Ankhhaf and Hetepheres had a daughter, who was the mother of their grandson Ankhetef. [5]
Ankhhaf had the titles "eldest king's son of his body" ( sa nswt n khtf smsw ), "vizier" and "the great one of Five of the house of Thoth" ( wr djw pr-Djehuti ). [4]
Ankhhaf is thought to have been involved with the building of the Great Pyramid of Giza and likely played a role in the construction of the Sphinx [ citation needed ]. In 2013, a collection of papyri fragments, the Diary of Merer, was discovered at the ancient Harbor of Khufu at Wadi al-Jarf. The logs from an inspector named Merer appear to date from the 27th year of Khufu's reign and record months worth of operations transporting limestone from Tura to Giza. The records refer to an administrative center named Ro-She Khufu which was under the authority of the Vizier Ankhhaf. According to Egyptologist Pierre Tallet, this would place him in charge of the construction of the pyramid towards the end of the project. Though the diary does not specify, Tallet believes the operations refer to the delivery of the Tura limestone used for the casing. [6] In the papyrus, Ankhkhaf is called nobleman (iry-pat) and overseer of Ra-shi-Khufu. The latter place was the harbor at Giza where the stones for the pyramid building arrived. [7]
Ankhaf's mastaba tomb, G 7510, was one of the largest in the eastern cemetery at Giza. [5] The tomb was dated to the reign of Khafre by Reisner. More recently, a study of the architecture, iconography and titles of the occupants has led to a reassessment and the tomb likely spans the reigns of Khufu, Djedefre and Khafre. [4]
A superb and realistic painted limestone portrait bust of Ankhhaf discovered in his tomb is considered the work "of a master" of ancient Egyptian art from the time of the Old Kingdom, and can be seen at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. [8] Its catalog number is Museum Expedition 27.442.
Khufu or Cheops was an ancient Egyptian monarch who was the second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty, in the first half of the Old Kingdom period. Khufu succeeded his father Sneferu as king. He is generally accepted as having commissioned the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but many other aspects of his reign are poorly documented.
The Egyptian pyramids are ancient masonry structures located in Egypt. Sources cite at least 118 identified "Egyptian" pyramids. Approximately 80 pyramids were built within the Kingdom of Kush, now located in the modern country of Sudan. Of those located in modern Egypt, most were built as tombs for the country's pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods.
Hetepheres II was a queen of ancient Egypt during the 4th Dynasty.
The Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt is characterized as a "golden age" of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Dynasty IV lasted from c. 2613 to 2494 BC. It was a time of peace and prosperity as well as one during which trade with other countries is documented.
The Giza pyramid complex in Egypt is home to the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, along with their associated pyramid complexes and the Great Sphinx. All were built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt, between c. 2600 – c. 2500 BC. The site also includes several temples, cemeteries, and the remains of a workers' village.
Hetepheres I was a queen of Egypt during the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt who was a wife of one king, the mother of the next king, the grandmother of two more kings, and the figure who tied together two dynasties.
Sneferu, well known under his Hellenized name Soris, was the founding pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt during the Old Kingdom. Estimates of his reign vary, with for instance The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt suggesting a reign from around 2613 to 2589 BC, a reign of 24 years, while Rolf Krauss suggests a 30-year reign, and Rainer Stadelmann a 48-year reign. He built at least three pyramids that survive to this day and introduced major innovations in the design and construction of pyramids.
Queen Meresankh III was the daughter of Hetepheres II and Prince Kawab and a granddaughter of the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu. She was the wife of King Khafre.
Minkhaf I was an ancient Egyptian prince of the 4th Dynasty. He was a son of Pharaoh Khufu, half-brother of Pharaoh Djedefre and elder brother of Pharaoh Khafre. His mother may have been Queen Henutsen. Minkhaf had a wife and at least one son, but their names are not known. Minkhaf served as vizier possibly under Khufu or Khafre.
Meritites I was an ancient Egyptian queen of the 4th Dynasty. Her name means "Beloved of her Father". Several of her titles are known from a stela found at Giza. She was buried in the middle Queen’s Pyramid in Giza.
Djedefhor or Hordjedef was a noble Egyptian of the 4th Dynasty. He was the son of Pharaoh Khufu and his name means "Enduring Like Horus".
Kawab is the name of an ancient Egyptian prince of the 4th Dynasty. He was the eldest son of King Khufu and Queen Meritites I. Kawab served as vizier and was buried in the double mastaba G 7110–7120 in the east field which is part of the Giza Necropolis.
Nefermaat II was a member of the Egyptian royal family during the 4th Dynasty and vizier of Khafre.
Meresankh II was a queen consort of Egypt who lived during 4th Dynasty.
Princess Hetepheres was an Egyptian princess who lived during the 4th Dynasty. Hetepheres was the daughter of King Sneferu and the wife of vizier Ankhhaf.
Meritites II or Meritites A was a 4th Dynasty princess of ancient Egypt, probably a daughter of King Khufu. She may have been a daughter of Meritites I based on the fact that this queen is mentioned in mastaba G 7650. She married the Director of the Palace, Akhethotep, and she had several children with her husband. Meritites and her husband shared a mastaba G 7650 in Giza.
Nefertkau II was an Ancient Egyptian noble lady, the wife of Prince Khufukhaf I, son of pharaoh Khufu.
The East Field is located to the east of the Great Pyramid of Giza and contains cemetery G 7000. This cemetery was a burial place for some of the family members of Khufu. The cemetery also includes mastabas from tenants and priests of the pyramids dated to the 5th and 6th Dynasty.
Djaty I was an ancient Egyptian prince during the 4th Dynasty. He was an overseer of a royal expedition.
The Diary of Merer is the name for papyrus logbooks written over 4,500 years ago by Merer, a middle-ranking official with the title inspector. They are the oldest known papyri with text, dating to the 27th year of the reign of Pharaoh Khufu during the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt. The text, written with (hieratic) hieroglyphs, mostly consists of lists of the daily activities of Merer and his crew. The best preserved sections document the transportation of white limestone blocks from the Tura quarries to Giza by boat.