| Metjen in hieroglyphs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Personal name:
Metjen mṯn The leader | |||||
Honorary title:
Rekh-neswt rḫ-nsw.t Confidant of the king | |||||
Metjen (also read as Methen) was an ancient Egyptian high official at the transition time from 3rd Dynasty to 4th Dynasty. He is famous for his tomb inscription, which states that he worked and lived under the kings (pharaohs) Huni and Sneferu. [1]
According to his tomb inscriptions, Metjen was a son of the high official Inpu-em-Ankh, a judge at the royal court of justice and a royal scribe. Metjen's mother was a high priestess named Neb-senet. Metjen's children were mentioned, but not named. [1] [2]
As a high-ranking official, Metjen bore several elite titularies:
Metjen's tomb inscriptions are of the highest interest to Egyptologists and historians alike. They are the earliest known Ancient Egyptian texts detailing more than titles or instructions for offerings. Metjen was one of the first officials in high office, that reported on his own professional and curatorial career. His official and honorary titles are listed in chronological order.
According to Metjen's autobiography, some high ranking titles were assigned to him by his father. He also inherited his father's titles after his death. These titles included several decrees which allowed Metjen to found his own estates and some small towns.
Metjen began his career as a royal scribe. He later became the overseer of the royal scribes and confidant to the king. He progressed to an administrator of several palatinates and royal storages. Finally, he became "the Great One of the 'Ten of Upper Egypt'" and a member of a type of privy council. The royal house gave several estates to Metjen. He founded a town called Sheret-Metjen (Egyptian: Šr.t-Mṯn) at his favorite estate.
As a sign of gratitude, Metjen donated hundreds of precious trees to other royal domains. At the peak of his career, Metjen was the mayor of several cities, the curator of the endowment estate of King Huni, and supervisor of the mortuary cult for Queen Nimaathapi. [1] [2]
His contemporary office holders included Netjeraperef, [8] Khabawsokar, Pehernefer and Akhetaa, [9] They were fellow administrators under the reigns of both Huni and Sneferu. Tomb inscriptions reveal that the reigns of both of these kings were very prosperous. The economy flourished, along with the administrators. [10]
Metjen's tomb, mastaba L6, was found in 1842 by the German Egyptologist Carl Richard Lepsius at Saqqara. He excavated the tomb and ordered it's dismantling for preservation. Metjen's tomb chapels are on display at the Egyptian Museum of Berlin. [1] [2] A 47 cm tall granite sculpture was found on site. The Statue of Metjen has an inscription of Metjem's name and titles.
Hesy-Ra was an ancient Egyptian high official during the early Third Dynasty of Egypt. His most notable title was Wer-ibeḥsenjw, meaning either "Great one of the ivory cutters" or "Great one of the dentists", which makes him the earliest named dentist. His tomb is noted for its paintings and cedar wood panels.
Huni was an ancient Egyptian king, the last pharaoh of the Third Dynasty of Egypt during the Old Kingdom period. Based on the Turin king list, he is commonly credited with a reign of 24 years, ending c. 2613 BC.
Khaba was a pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, active during the 3rd Dynasty of the Old Kingdom period. The exact time during which Khaba ruled is unknown but may have been around 2670 BC, and almost definitely towards the end of the dynasty.
Khentkaus II was a royal woman who lived in ancient Egypt. She was a wife of Egyptian king Neferirkare Kakai of the Fifth Dynasty. She was the mother of two kings, Neferefre and Nyuserre Ini.
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.
Nebka is the throne name of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Third Dynasty during the Old Kingdom period, in the 27th century BCE. He is thought to be identical with the Hellenized name Νεχέρωχις recorded by the Egyptian priest Manetho of the much later Ptolemaic period.
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.
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".
Khufukhaf I was an ancient Egyptian prince and vizier of the 4th Dynasty.
Meresankh I was an ancient Egyptian kingʻs wife and the mother of King Sneferu. She may have been a wife of King Huni, the last king of the 3rd Dynasty.
Netjeraperef is the name of an ancient Egyptian high official and prince. He lived and worked at the transition time between 3rd and 4th Dynasty during the Old Kingdom period.
Nefermaat II was a member of the Egyptian royal family during the 4th Dynasty and vizier of Khafre.
Sabef (s3b.f) was an ancient Egyptian official under king Qa'a in the First Dynasty, around 2900 BC.
Inykhnum was an ancient Egyptian high-ranking official who worked and lived during the transition time between Second and Third Dynasty of Egypt. The king(s) under which he served are not known for certain, the subject being currently highly disputed.
Pehernefer is the personal name of an ancient Egyptian high official, who held office under the reigns of the pharaohs Huni and Sneferu, in the time between the end of 3rd Dynasty and the beginning of the 4th Dynasty during the Old Kingdom period.
Khabawsokar was an Ancient Egyptian high official during the early to mid 3rd dynasty. He is famous for his tomb inscription and his unique nickname.
Akhetaa was an ancient Egyptian high official during the mid to late 3rd Dynasty. He is mostly known for his tomb inscriptions, which refer to various seldom used titles as well as to the shadowy king Nebka, in whose cult Akhetaa served.
The Mastaba of Hesy-re is an ancient Egyptian tomb complex in the great necropolis of Saqqara in Egypt. It is the final resting place of the high official Hesy-re, who served in office during the Third Dynasty under King Djoser (Netjerikhet). His large mastaba is renowned for its well-preserved wall paintings and relief panels made from imported Lebanese cedar, which are today considered masterpieces of Old Kingdom wood carving. The mastaba itself is the earliest example of a painted tomb from the Old Kingdom and the only known example from the Third Dynasty. The tomb was excavated by the Egyptologists Auguste Mariette and James Edward Quibell.
Kaemtjenent was an ancient Egyptian official under pharaoh Djedkare Isesi in the late Fifth Dynasty, during the Old Kingdom period.
Idu was an official during the Sixth Dynasty, buried in Giza East Field, tomb G7102. He probably lived and served during the reign of Pepi I Meryre. He is the father of Qar whose tomb is nearby and Bendjet, buried in G7215.
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