Itakayt was an ancient Egyptian princess and queen [1] of the 12th Dynasty, around 1800 BC. She is mainly known from her small pyramid next to the one of Senusret III at Dahshur. [2] She had the titles king's daughter of his body, powerful, graceful and beloved.
Her pyramid at the North side of the king's pyramid measured about 16.80 m at the base, and was once perhaps also 16.80 m high. It was built of mud bricks and covered with limestone slabs. In front of the pyramid was a small chapel decorated with reliefs. The remains of the reliefs preserved Itakayt's name. Her burial chamber contained a sarcophagus, a canopic chest and two canopic jars. [2]
Itakayt is perhaps also known from a papyrus fragment found at Lahun. Here, family members of a king are listed, including Itakayt. It is uncertain to which king these members of a royal family are related. Senusret II seems to be most likely candidate, as the papyrus fragment was found at his funerary temple. This would make Itakayt a sister of Senusret III. [2] [3]
Amenemhat III, also known as Amenemhet III, was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt and the sixth king of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. He was elevated to throne as co-regent by his father Senusret III, with whom he shared the throne as the active king for twenty years. During his reign, Egypt attained its cultural and economic zenith of the Middle Kingdom.
The Middle Kingdom of Egypt is the period in the history of ancient Egypt following a period of political division known as the First Intermediate Period. The Middle Kingdom lasted from approximately 2040 to 1782 BC, stretching from the reunification of Egypt under the reign of Mentuhotep II in the Eleventh Dynasty to the end of the Twelfth Dynasty. The kings of the Eleventh Dynasty ruled from Thebes and the kings of the Twelfth Dynasty ruled from el-Lisht.
Sobekneferu or Neferusobek was the first confirmed queen regnant of ancient Egypt and the last pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. She ascended to the throne following the death of Amenemhat IV, possibly her brother or husband, though their relationship is unproven. Instead, she asserted legitimacy through her father Amenemhat III. Her reign lasted 3 years, 10 months, and 24 days, according to the Turin King List.
The Twelfth Dynasty of ancient Egypt is a series of rulers reigning from 1991–1802 BC, at what is often considered to be the apex of the Middle Kingdom. The dynasty periodically expanded its territory from the Nile delta and valley South beyond the second cataract and East into Canaan.
Senusret I also anglicized as Sesostris I and Senwosret I, was the second pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled from 1971 BC to 1926 BC, and was one of the most powerful kings of this Dynasty. He was the son of Amenemhat I. Senusret I was known by his prenomen, Kheperkare, which means "the Ka of Re is created." He expanded the territory of Egypt allowing him to rule over an age of prosperity.
Senusret II or Sesostris II was the fourth pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. He ruled from 1897 BC to 1878 BC. His pyramid was constructed at El-Lahun. Senusret II took a great deal of interest in the Faiyum oasis region and began work on an extensive irrigation system from Bahr Yussef through to Lake Moeris through the construction of a dike at El-Lahun and the addition of a network of drainage canals. The purpose of his project was to increase the amount of cultivable land in that area. The importance of this project is emphasized by Senusret II's decision to move the royal necropolis from Dahshur to El-Lahun where he built his pyramid. This location would remain the political capital for the 12th and 13th Dynasties of Egypt. Senusret II was known by his prenomen Khakheperre, which means "The Ka of Re comes into being". The king also established the first known workers' quarter in the nearby town of Senusrethotep (Kahun).
Khakaure Senusret III was a pharaoh of Egypt. He ruled from 1878 BC to 1839 BC during a time of great power and prosperity, and was the fifth king of the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. He was a great pharaoh of the Twelfth Dynasty and is considered to rule at the height of the Middle Kingdom. Consequently, he is regarded as one of the sources for the legend about Sesostris. His military campaigns gave rise to an era of peace and economic prosperity that reduced the power of regional rulers and led to a revival in craftwork, trade, and urban development. Senusret III was among the few Egyptian kings who were deified and honored with a cult during their own lifetime.
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.
Sithathoriunet was an Ancient Egyptian king's daughter of the 12th Dynasty, mainly known from her burial at El-Lahun in which a treasure trove of jewellery was found. She was possibly a daughter of Senusret II since her burial site was found next to the pyramid of this king. If so, this would make her one of five known children and one of three daughters of Senusret II—the other children were Senusret III, Senusretseneb, Itakayt and Nofret.
Neferthenut was an ancient Egyptian queen of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. She was most likely the wife of Senusret III.
Neferu was an ancient Egyptian queen of the 12th Dynasty. She was a daughter of Amenemhat I, sister-wife of Senusret I and the mother of Amenemhat II.
Khenemetneferhedjet I Weret was an ancient Egyptian queen of the 12th Dynasty, a wife of Senusret II and the mother of Senusret III.
Khenemetneferhedjet II(Weret) was an ancient Egyptian queen of the 12th Dynasty, a wife of Senusret III.
Sobekemhat was an ancient Egyptian treasurer under the king Senusret III in the Twelfth Dynasty. Sobekemhat is only known from his mastaba excavated in 1894 next to the pyramid of Senusret III at Dahshur. The mastaba was decorated on the outside with reliefs. These were only found in small fragments, but the fragments record the name and the titles of Sobekemhat. On an offering table he bears the title of the treasurer. The mastaba is in a chain of three mastabas, north of the king's pyramid. It is closest to the pyramid. The next mastaba belongs to the vizier (Nebit) and the third to another high official, perhaps again a vizier. Therefore, it can be argued that Sobekemhat's tomb was the earliest of the three. For a long time it was thought that Sobekemhat was vizier, but the relief fragments with the vizier's title come from the mastaba of Nebit nearby.
Nebit was an ancient Egyptian official during the reign of king Senusret III. He held the position of vizier. Thus, he was the most important official at the royal court. Nebit is only known from his large mastaba, which was excavated next to the pyramid of the king at Dahshur. The mastaba was built of mud bricks and then covered with stones. Already in ancient times the high quality stone was looted and used for other building projects or just for burning lime. However, one wall of the mastaba facade had already collapsed and had been covered by sand before looters dismantled the rest of the building. The preserved facade bears the name and title of Nebit, but also the name of the king. Within the remains of the mastaba were found by Jacques de Morgan the bust of a statue made of granodiorite. The fragment is not inscribed but most likely depicts Nebit.
Sithathor was an ancient Egyptian princess with the title king's daughter. She is only known from her burial at Dahshur. Next to the pyramid of king Senusret III were found underground galleries as a burial place for royal women. Most of the burials were found looted, but there were two boxes for jewellery overlooked by tomb robbers. Both boxes contained an outstanding collection of jewellery. They were called the first and the second treasure of Dahshur. The first treasure was discovered on 6 March 1894 and belonged most likely once to Sithathor. Several scarabs with her name were found. The treasure contained a pectoral with the names of king Senusret II, one of the masterpieces of Egyptian goldwork. Other objects were golden shells, golden bracelets, a mirror and several stone vases. Sithathor is not known for sure outside her tomb. She was perhaps a daughter of Senusret III, or more likely she was the daughter of Senusret II and buried as a sister of king Senusret III next to Senusret III's pyramid complex. The other jewellery box belonged to a king's daughter with the name Mereret or Meret.
Menet was an ancient Egyptian king's daughter living in the Twelfth Dynasty most likely under the kings Senusret III and Amenemhat III. Menet had the titles king's daughter and the one united with the white crown (Khenemetneferhedjet). She is only known from her sarcophagus and burial in a gallery tomb buried with other members of the royal family next to the pyramid of Senusret III at Dahshur. From the position of the tomb it seems likely that she was the daughter of the latter king.
The pyramid of Senusret III is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located at Dahshur and built for pharaoh Senusret III of the 12th Dynasty.
Mereret was an Ancient Egyptian King's Daughter known from her burial next to the Pyramid of Pharaoh Senusret III at Dahshur. On the north side of the king's pyramid was a row of four pyramids belonging to the king's wives. These pyramids were connected by an underground gallery. On the west side of the gallery were further burials arranged for women with the title king's daughter. They were buried in sarcophagi that were placed into niches. All burials were found looted. However, the robbers missed two boxes for jewellery which contained an outstanding collection of jewellery filled with personal adornments found in 1894 by Jacques de Morgan. One of these boxes must have belonged to a king's daughter Sithathor, the other box to a king's daughter with the name Mereret or Meret.
Senetsenebtysy was an ancient Egyptian king's daughter of the Twelfth Dynasty, around 1800 BC. She was most likely a daughter of king Senusret III.