| Henutsen in hieroglyphs | ||||||
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Personal name:
Henutsen ḥnw.t-sn | ||||||
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Henutsen is the name of an ancient Egyptian queen consort who lived during the 4th dynasty of the Old Kingdom Period. She was the second or third wife of pharaoh Khufu and most possibly buried at Giza.
Little is known about Henutsen's life. Some scholars believe, that she was the daughter of pharaoh Sneferu, [1] but this is not commonly accepted. Henutsen is not known to have ever borne the title "king's daughter" or "king's bodily daughter", both titles which would have unmistakably designated her as a princess. The only document describing her as a princess is the famous Inventory Stela from the 26th Dynasty (Saite Period). The artifact is identified by scholars as a contemporary fake created by Saitic priests, thus the information about Henutsen's royal status as a princess are questioned. [2] The only royal title that is proven for her is the title of a "king's wife". [3]
Henutsen is known to have given birth to at least two princes, Khufukhaf and Minkhaf. In case that Khufukhaf was not identical to king Khafre, Henutsen was Khafre's mother, too. All her sons are buried at Giza. The mastaba tomb of Khufukhaf was partially destroyed during the Middle Kingdom Period in attempt to make place for a temple of the goddess Isis. [3] [4]
Henutsen was most possibly interred in Pyramid G1-c. [5] Egyptologists believe that this pyramid was originally not part of Khufu's pyramid complex, but later added, as its southern side is not aligned with that of the Great Pyramid. In fact, the pyramid's southern side is aligned with Khufukhaf's mastaba tomb nearby. Rainer Stadelmann additionally believes that prince Khufukhaf was identical to king Khafre and that Khafre erected G1-c as the tomb for his (now royal) mother. [4] Pyramid G1-c was long time thought to be a satellite pyramid, because it did not come with a boat pit, as it was the case for the pyramids Pyramid G1-a and Pyramid G1-b. G1-c was later identified as an unfinished pyramid which was constructed in a hurry. [5]
The 26th century BCE was a century that lasted from the year 2600 BCE to 2501 BCE.
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.
Khafre or Khafra, also known as Khephren or Chephren, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty during the Old Kingdom. He was the son of Khufu and the successor of Djedefre.
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 pyramid of Khafre or of Chephren is the middle of the three Ancient Egyptian Pyramids of Giza, the second tallest and second largest of the group. It is the tomb of the Fourth-Dynasty pharaoh Khafre (Chefren), who ruled c. 2558−2532 BC.
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.
Ankhhaf 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 which pharaoh he would have held this title under. He lived during Egypt's 4th Dynasty.
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.
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.
Khufukhaf I was an ancient Egyptian prince and vizier of the 4th Dynasty.
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.
Persenet was an ancient Egyptian queen consort of the 4th Dynasty. She may have been a daughter of King Khufu and a wife of King Khafre. She is mainly known from her tomb at Giza.
Nefertkau II was an Ancient Egyptian noble lady, the wife of Prince Khufukhaf I, son of pharaoh Khufu.
Wetka was an ancient Egyptian high official, bearing the honorary title of "king's son". He is also called Tuka or Tuwka. He lived in the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt.
Iuenka was a Prince of Egypt, a man with the title "king's son". He is also called Iunka, Yuwenka, Iun-ka and Iuwenka. He lived in the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt.
Khufukhaf II was an ancient Egyptian high official during the Old Kingdom period. Likely born during the 4th Dynasty, Khufukhaf died during the reign of pharaoh Nyuserre Ini of the mid 5th Dynasty. In modern Egyptology, he is also called Khufukhaf B or Khufukhaf the Younger to distinguish him from his probable father or grandfather Khufukhaf I.
Khentkaus was an Ancient Egyptian princess. She lived during the 4th and 5th Dynasty. Her parents are unknown but since she bore the title "King's daughter of his body" her father is likely to have been a king, possibly Pharaoh Khafre. His son Menkaura had a daughter, Khentkaus I. Thus, Princess Khentkaus was possibly a daughter of Khafra and aunt of Khentkaus I.
G1-c is one of the subsidiary pyramids of the Giza East Field of the Giza Necropolis immediately to the eastern side of the Great Pyramid of Giza, built during the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt. It is the southern of the three pyramids of the queens and is the one of Queen Henutsen. It is 46.25 metres wide and had a height of 29.60 metres. A niche, four inches deep was dug in the south wall of the burial chamber. Pyramid G1-c was originally not a part of Khufu's pyramid complex, as its southern side is aligned not with the side of the Great Pyramid, but with Khufukhaf I's mastaba tomb nearby. Pyramid G1-c was at some point thought to possibly be a satellite pyramid, because it did not come with a boat pit like pyramids G1-a and G1-b. It was later determined to be an unfinished pyramid however which was constructed in a hurry. Henutsen is thought to have been buried in the tomb. Dr. Rainer Stadelmann believes Khufukhaf is the same person as Khafra and the pyramid was built by him for his mother, but this identification is doubtful.
Bikheris is the Hellenized name of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, who may have ruled during the 4th Dynasty around 2570 BC. Next to nothing is known about this ruler and some Egyptologists even believe him to be fictitious.
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