Nebwawi (fl. 15th century b.c.e.) To Neferu-Re (fl. 15th century b.c.e.)

Priestly official of the Eighteenth Dynasty

Nebwawi was the high priest of osiris at abydos in the reigns of tuthmosis iii (1479-1425 b.c.e.) and amenhotep ii (1427-1401 b.c.e.). He served hatshepsut (r. 1473-1458 b.c.e.) in several capacities but managed to stay in favor with her successors. on occasion, Nebwawi was summoned to the court to serve as a counselor to the pharaohs, as his advice was valued. His mortuary stela provides details of his life, and a statue was erected in thebes in his honor. Another stela honoring Nebwawi was found in abydos.

Nebwenef (fl. 13th century b.c.e.)

Priestly official of the Nineteenth Dynasty

He served in the reign of ramesses ii (1290-1224 b.c.e.). Nebwenef was the high priest of amun and the first prophet of hathor and anhur, an exalted rank in the temple system. Priests were often required to assume positions beyond their original offices, especially if they were competent. His mortuary temple was built near seti i, whom he had served at the beginning of his career. Nebwenef’s tomb depicted Ramesses II and Queen nefertari making the announcement of his appointment as high priest. Nebwenef retired at an advanced age and was succeeded in his office in the temple and in the royal court by nebenteru.

Nebyet (fl. 22nd century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Eighth Dynasty

The daughter of neferku-hor (reign uncertain), she was the wife of shemay, the vizier of the reign. Documents from the ancient city of koptos relate the power of She-may and the marriage. Another text attests to the appointment of a new man named Kha’redni as her bodyguard. He was given the rank of commandant of soldiers. shemay’s power outlived the reign of Neferku-Hor.


Necho I (Nekau I) (d. 664 b.c.e.)

Founder of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty

He ruled from 672 b.c.e. until his death in sais and was called Nekau in some lists. Necho i was possibly a descendant of a Libyan prince of an earlier era and assumed royal titles for himself and his line. assurbanipal, the Assyrian king who invaded the territory c. 667 b.c.e., found Necho I to be a cultured, realistic individual. As a result, Assurbani-pal spared him and his son, psammetichus i.
Necho I remained the ruler in sais even as taharqa (r. 690-664 b.c.e.) won Egypt’s independence. When tanutamun (r. 664-657 b.c.e.), the Nubian leader, began a campaign of his own to establish his rule in Egypt, Necho i became the Nubian’s main target for revenge. When the two met in battle, Necho I was slain.

Necho II (Wehemibre) (d. 595 b.c.e.)

Third ruler of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty

He reigned from 610 b.c.e. until his death. The son of psammetichus i and Queen mekhtemweskhet (2), Necho II supported the Assyrians as buffers to the Persian advances. He also sponsored military programs and refurbished the Egyptian navy with Greek mercenaries and vessels. Necho II even sent a fleet of hired Phoenicians to successfully circumnavigate Africa.
Necho II had military successes until c. 605 b.c.e., when Prince nebuchadnezzer, the heir to the throne of Babylon, defeated the Egyptians at carchemish. Necho II withdrew from his military interventions and built a grain trade system with Greece to spur the Nile Valley economy. He dug a canal, called the sweet water canal, at wadi timulat through the Pelusiac Nile, to link the Nile to the Red Sea. He also built Per-Temu-Tjeju, modern Tell el-Mashkuta, on the canal. Necho II also controlled all of the western oases. Necho II was buried in a tomb in sais by his son and heir, psammetichus ii.

Nectanebo I (Kheperkare) (d. 362 b.c.e.)

Founder of the Thirtieth Dynasty

He ruled from 380 b.c.e. until his death. Nectanebo I was a military commander from sebennytos, the son of General Djehor. Named Nakhtnebef at birth, he served hako-ris (r. 393-380 b.c.e.) and nephrites ii (r. 380 b.c.e.) and assumed the throne when the latter died. He also married ptolemais (1), the daughter of the Greek General khabrias, and a woman named Audjashu, who was his Great Wife.
Egypt was almost invaded by the persian army during Nectanebo I’s reign, led by pharnabazus, the Persian satrap of the region, but the Nile armies proved victorious. Nectanebo I’s son, teos, led a campaign in Syria and Palestine during this military action. Actually, the Persians and their Greek mercenaries had the advantage in this confrontation, but Pharnabazus and the Greek general iphikrates quarreled and lost the campaign in the eastern Delta.
Nectanebo I built in karnak and philae, revived the sacred animal cults, and constructed or refurbished monuments at edfu, hermopolis magna, and mendes.A stela discovered in abydos depicts him offering to the gods ma’at and thoth. He also built an avenue of sphinxes at the temple of thebes. A black granite stela from naukratis documents Nectanebo I’s decree granting the temple of the goddess neith the right to collect one-tenth of all goods brought into the city from other countries. Nectanebo I also erected a black granite naos,a small shrine, to the goddess Neith (1) in damanhur in the Delta. Teos served as coruler for the last three years of Nectanebo I’s reign and buried his father in Sebennytos.

Nectanebo II (Senedjemibre’setepenahur) (d. 343 b.c.e.)

Third ruler of the Thirtieth Dynasty He usurped the throne from his uncle teos, who was considered unfit by the royal family, and reigned from 360 b.c.e. until his death. Nectanebo II, who was named Nakhthoreb at birth, is believed to be the last native ruler of Egypt. He was the grandson of nectanebo i and a nephew of Teos. When Teos was on a military campaign, Nectanebo Il’s father, Tjahepimu, declared him the rightful ruler. The Spartan ruler agesilaus aided Nectanebo II in overthrowing Teos, who fled to the Persians.
artaxerxes iii ochus attacked Egypt in 350 but was repulsed by Nectanebo Il’s armies. Nectanebo II then turned his attention to the Nile Valley and refurbished and rebuilt cities and temples. He rebuilt at behbeit el-hagar, erment, bubastis, and saqqara. He also built a gate at philae. Nectanebo II was active in the bull cults of his era. He buried the sacred animals at Erment and rebuilt the bucheum.
In 343, Artaxerxes III Ochus attacked Egypt again, defeating Nectanebo II at Pelusium. He fled to nubia but then returned to sebennytos. When he died he was to be buried at Sebennytos or at Rhakotis, the future city of Alexandria. A tomb prepared in sais was never used, but his black granite sarcophagus was later taken to Alexandria to be used as a public bath.
A legend developed about Nectanebo II after his death. it was stated that he went to Macedonia and attracted olympias, the wife of King Philip, seducing her. Alexander iii the great was supposedly the offspring of that affair, thus making him eligible to rule Egypt as a true pharaoh.

Nefat

This is a site south of thebes, probably modern el-Mu’allah. Located near tod, Nefat served as a necropolis area for the First Intermediate Period (2134-2040 b.c.e.) nomarchs of the region. The tombs of ankhtify and sobekhotep were cut into the rocky cliffs at Nefat.

Nefer (1)

This was the hieroglyphic symbol for both “good” and “beautiful,” in both the material and spiritual sense.

Nefer (2)

This was an amulet used by ancient Egyptians to promote happiness and good fortune. Nefer amulets were placed on the areas of the stomach and windpipes of mummies in order to protect these organs.

Neferefre (Ra’neferef) (d. 2416 b.c.e.)

Ruler of the Fifth Dynasty

The successor of shepseskare (Ini; 2426-2419 b.c.e.), Neferefre reigned from 2419 b.c.e. until his death. He was possibly the son of kakai (Neferirkare) and Queen khentakawes (2). He is also listed in some records as a son of sahure. Neferefre built a sun temple at abu ghurob and sent an expedition to the sinai. His unfinished pyramid at abusir contained a cache of papyri and plaques. Wooden boats, statues of prisoners, and sculptures were also uncovered there. The papyri discovered dealt with cultic rituals and the personnel serving the pyramid.

Neferhent (1) (fl. 19th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Twelfth Dynasty

She was a consort of senwosret ii (r. 1897-1878 b.c.e.). Her tomb in el-lahun contained two maceheads, fashioned out of granite and quartz. Neferhent was the mother of sit-hathor yunet.

Neferhent (2) (fl. 19th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Twelfth Dynasty

She was a consort of senwosret iii (r. 1878-1841 b.c.e.) but was not the mother of the heir. Neferhent was buried in dashur in a mastaba tomb in the vast royal complex of the reign.

Neferhetepes (1) (fl. 26th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Fourth Dynasty

She was the daughter of ra’djedef (r. 2528-2520 b.c.e.) and possibly Queen hetepheres (2). Neferhetepes is believed to have been the mother of userkhaf, the founder of the Fifth Dynasty. A beautiful bust of Neferhetepes is in the Louvre in Paris. She is recorded as having married a priest of Re, “the Lord of sokhebu,” near abu rowash. Neferhetepes was mentioned in the west-car papyrus. She was called “the King’s Daughter of His Body, Prophetess of Ra’djedef.”

Neferhetepes (2) (fl. 25th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Fifth Dynasty

The daughter of kakai (Neferirkare; r. 2446-2426 b.c.e.), she married an official named Ti. Neferhetepes’s sons were allowed to inherit the rank of prince, despite their commoner father.

Neferhetepes (3) (fl. 25th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Fifth Dynasty
She was a consort of userkhaf (r. 2465-2458 b.c.e.) and probably his sister. Neferhetepes was possibly the mother of sahure. A tomb inscription depicts Neferhetepes as receiving offerings from the temple of ptah.
Nefer-Hor He was an ancient form of the god ptah, worshiped in Memphis and honored as “the Fair of Face.” The name was associated with certain cultic rituals of other deities in later times.

Nefer-Horen-Ptah (fl. 24th century b.c.e.)

Official of the Fifth Dynasty whose tomb has become famous because of its paintings
He was buried in a small rock-cut site below the causeway of the burial complex of unis (r. 2356-2323 b.c.e.) in saqqara. Called the tomb of the birds, Nefer-Horen-Ptah’s resting place was never completed or used. The structure, however, contains magnificent friezes depicting the capture and caging of the wild birds of the Nile Valley.

Neferhotep (1) (fl. c. 18th century b.c.e.)

Noted harpist in the late Twelfth or Thirteenth Dynasty
Neferhotep’s life and ability were memorialized on a small but beautifully carved mortuary stela that was donated by a friend, Nebsumenu. The stela was discovered in the tomb of a powerful courtier, iki. Neferhotep is described on the monument as “True of Voice, Born of the Housewife Henu.” The funerary monument depicts Neferhotep as a rather stout harpist enjoying bread, beer, meat and fowls, alabaster, and linen, all anticipated aspects of life beyond the grave.

Neferhotep (2) (fl. 14th century b.c.e.)

Official of the Eighteenth Dynasty

He served both aya (2) (r. 1323-1319 b.c.e.) and horemhab (r. 1319-1307 b.c.e.) as the chief scribe of amun and superintendent of the royal domain. Nefer-hotep’s tomb near deir el-bahri on the western shore of thebes is magnificently decorated and contains compelling images. He is greeted there as one “intent upon eternity, as you go to the land where all is changed.”

Neferhotep (3) (fl. 13th century b.c.e.)

Official of artisans at Deir el-Medina in the Nineteenth Dynasty Neferhotep was the chief workman at deir el-medina on the western shore of Thebes, in the reign of amenmesses, who usurped the throne in the reign of seti ii (r. 1214-1204 b.c.e.). Deir el-Medina was a community dedicated to providing the necropolis called the valley of the kings with skilled artisans and craftsmen. During this period, the community was led by Neferhotep and prospered until his son, Paneb, threatened him.
unable to control his son, who had some power in the court of Amenmesses, Neferhotep went before Vizier Amenmose, who judged the case. As a result, Amenmose was removed from office, and Paneb was given Nefer-hotep’s position as chief worker at Deir el-Medina by Amenmesses. Paneb raped, stole, and took bribes until Amenmesses died and seti ii was restored to the throne. Paneb was then dismissed from Deir el-Medina.

Neferhotep I (Kha’sekhemre) (d. c. 1730 b.c.e.)

Ruler of the Thirteenth Dynasty
He reigned from c. 1741 b.c.e. until his death or possible retirement. Neferhotep i was the son of one Ha’ankhaf and the Lady Kemi. His father is portrayed in an aswan rock inscription as a priest, and his mother is described as “royal.” Neferhotep I’s consort was Queen senebsen. He was the brother of sobekhotep iv and sahathor (1). His cartouche was discovered in byblos, modern Lebanon, and Prince Yantin of that city was a vassal of Egypt.
Neferhotep I ruled the entire Delta region, with the exception of xois and the hyksos territories of avaris. An Aswan inscription describes Neferhotep’s search for a proper stone for a statue of osiris. Such a statue was carved and taken to abydos. Neferhotep I then closed the necropolis to more public burials and erected a stela declaring his intent. people from all across Egypt brought their deceased loved ones to Abydos to inter them in the god osiris’s domain in order to provide them with eternal bliss. The crown finally had to control the number of individual burials in the area, and Neferhotep was one of several rulers who made such restrictions over the centuries. His portrait statue is in the museum in Bologna, italy. He also participated in the osirian passion plays. Neferhotep I’s son was Wahnefer-Hotep, whose shabtis, miniature tomb figures believed to act as proxies for the deceased in the Underworld, were found in el-LiSHT. Another son, Ha’ankhaf, died young. Records indicate that Neferhotep I was succeeded by sahathor and then by SOBEKHOTEP IV.

Neferhotep III (Sekhemre’sankhtawy) (fl. 17th century b.c.e.)

One of the last rulers of the Thirteenth Dynasty His date of reign is unknown. A stela in karnak mentions his aid to the temples and shrines of Thebes. He is supposed to have worn the khepresh, the war crown made of electrum. This appears to be the first reference to that particular style of royal headdress. Neferhotep III conducted military campaigns against the hyksos, but the Asiatics were in full control of their Delta territories by that time.

Neferkara (fl. c. 27th century b.c.e.)

Obscure ruler of the Second Dynasty
He was possibly the seventh in that line, but his date of reign is unknown. manetho, the Ptolemaic Period (304-30 b.c.e.) historian, states that Neferkara ruled for a quarter of a century. He is also on the Abydos king list. The contemporary comment on Neferkara was that “the Nile flowed with honey for eleven days during his reign. …”

Neferkau (fl. 21st century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Eleventh Dynasty
She was probably a consort of inyotef ii (r. 2118-2069 b.c.e.), who ruled only Thebes and Upper Egypt at the time. Neferkau’s name was discovered on a shaft dug in the tomb of Inyotef II at el-TARiF, on the shore at thebes.

Neferkhewet (fl. 15th century b.c.e.)

Highly skilled artistic official of the Eighteenth Dynasty He served hatshepsut (r. 1473-1458 b.c.e.) as royal architect. Her reign sponsored tremendous building projects in both the north and the south, and many talented individuals worked to provide splendid monuments throughout the Nile Valley. Neferkhewet’s tomb on the western shore of thebes provides documentation of his accomplishments and his honors as a servant of the court. Also honored are his wife, Ren-nefer, and his son, Amenenhet.

Neferku-Hor (Neterybau, Kapu-Yeby) (fl. 22nd century b.c.e.)

Fourteenth ruler of the obscure Eighth Dynasty Neferku-Hor issued four decrees in one afternoon during his first year of rule, the dates of which are unknown. One decree lists the titles of his eldest daughter, NEBYET;a second orders the construction of a solar bark for the deity Horus-Min; and another provides honors for the house of shemay, the vizier who married Nebyet. She-may’s family outlived Neferku-Hor.

Neferku-Min (Neferes) (fl. 22nd century b.c.e.)

Obscure ruler of the Eighth Dynasty

Listed in the TURIN canon, Neferku-Min ruled less than two and one half years, but the dates of his reign are unknown.

Neferkure (fl. 2150 b.c.e.)

Founder of the Eighth Dynasty
Neferkure reportedly was a son or grandson of pepi ii and Queen ankhnes-pepi. He is listed in the turin canon as having a reign of four years and two months, but the actual dates are not documented. Neferkure built a small pyramid in saqqara. He also buried Queen Ankhnes-pepi in a borrowed sarcophagus. His pyramid was named “enduring is the life of Neferkure.”

Neferma’at (fl. 26th century b.c.e.)

Royal prince of the Fourth Dynasty

He was the son of snefru (r. 2575-2551 b.c.e.) and Princess nefert-kau, Snefru’s daughter, who became her father’s consort. Neferma’at married Princess Itet or Atet, and their son was hemiunu, the vizier of khufu. Neferma’at was buried at meidum. The famous Meidum Geese, the exquisitely painted fowls, were discovered in Princess Itet’s tomb. Neferma’at also served as the vizier of Khufu and supervised the construction of the Great Pyramid at giza. The Fourth Dynasty maintained control by only using royal family members in positions of authority.

Neferperet (fl. 16th century b.c.e.)

Building official of the Eighteenth Dynasty

He served ‘ahmose (r. 1550-1525 b.c.e.) as the superintendent of royal building projects. Neferperet directed the quarrying of stone at masara, south of modern Cairo. He also brought limestone to thebes from hyksos ruins in the Delta. Used for the temples of ptah and amun at opet, the stone was carried on sledges. In an inscription on the walls of a Masara quarry, Neferperet announced that ‘Ahmose opened the site in the 22nd year of his reign. He also describes himself as a hereditary prince and as a “sole companion of the King.” Neferperet was buried in Thebes.

Neferrenpet (fl. 13th century b.c.e.)

Vizier of the Nineteenth Dynasty

He served ramesses ii (r. 1290-1224 b.c.e.) as a treasury scribe and vizier. Neferrenpet’s name and portrait were discovered in the Speos of horemhab at gebel el-sil-sileh. His tomb in thebes depicts him as tallying pieces of jewelry. This relief is the last detailed account of the manufacture of jewelry in the New Kingdom Period (1550-1070 b.c.e.), a time of exquisite workmanship, using a variety of metals and gemstones. Neferrenpet traveled throughout Egypt to maintain order in his role of vizier.

Nefer-rohu’s Prophecy

An Egyptian text attributed to a sage in the reign of snefru (2575-2551 b.c.e.) but actually dating to the Twelfth Dynasty (1991-1783 b.c.e.), it is contained in the Leningrad Papyrus. Nefer-rohu, seeing the chaos engulfing Egypt at the end of the old Kingdom, announced: “A king shall come from the south (upper Egypt) . . . called Ameni. …” This prophecy was probably a propaganda device for amenemhet i (r. 1991-1962 b.c.e.), a usurper of the throne. He is described as a savior of Egypt and reportedly the son of a “Woman of Nubia.”
Nefer-rohu also predicted the raising up of the wall of the prince, the series of fortresses on the eastern and western borders of the Delta, to defend Egypt from marauding nomadic tribes, especially in the northeast. The prophecy has also been found on tablets and ostraka, indicating that it was used in Egypt’s educational system for centuries after it was first made public on the Nile. Nefer-rohu was a lector priest at bubastis in the reign of Amenemhet i.

Nefersekheru (fl. 14th century b.c.e.)

Court official of the Eighteenth Dynasty

He served amenhotep iii (r. 1391-1353 b.c.e.) as a steward of the royal palaces. Amenhotep iii had several royal residences in thebes, including malkata, the great pleasure complex on the western shore. Malkata was a small city made of palaces and shrines and boasted a man-made lake. Nefersekheru was buried at Thebes. The royal families of that historical period used Thebes and Memphis as capitals, but Amenhotep iii preferred Thebes and his pleasure palaces there.

Nefert (Nofret, Nefertet) (fl. 19th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Twelfth Dynasty

She was a consort of senwosret ii (r. 1878-1841 b.c.e.). Two black granite statues portraying Nefert have been discovered. one shows her wearing a headdress of the goddess hathor. She was the daughter of amenemhet ii and was praised as “the ruler of all women.” Nefert was buried in the royal cemetery complex at el-lahun.

Nefertari (Nefertari Merymut) (fl. 13th century b.c.e.)

Beloved royal woman of the Nineteenth Dynasty She was the consort of ramesses ii (r. 1290-1224 b.c.e.) and his favorite wife. Nefertari is believed to have been the daughter of bakenkhonsu or some other official of the court. she married Ramesses ii when he was 15 and she died in the 24th year of his reign. A tomb fragment also connects Nefertari to the family of aya (2) (1323-1319 b.c.e.), and she is believed to have come from Thebes. Her brother, Amenmose, was the mayor of Thebes.
Nefertari was the mother of Princes Amenhirwon-mef, Prehirwonmef, and Meryre, as well as Princesses Meryatum and Hentawi. None of her sons succeeded their father, as he outlived them, but they served in various capacities.
A temple in abu simbel honored Nefertari, who was deified while she lived. The temple was dedicated to the goddess hathor. Nefertari probably retired to the harem palace at mi-wer in the faiyum soon after the Abu Simbel temple was dedicated. While serving as the Great Wife, she took an active role in court affairs and corresponded with the families of foreign rulers. she was the constant companion of Ramesses ii throughout their marriage, and he honored her in life and in death.
Her tomb in the valley of the queens at Thebes is one of the largest and most beautifully decorated sites in that necropolis. The tomb has an entry stairway and a central ramp. The interior is bi-level, and reliefs and paintings are elaborate and beautiful, depicting Nefertari in mortuary rituals and in daily routines of life. The burial chamber has pillars and annexes. The entire tomb is now being restored, having suffered considerable damage over the centuries.
The monument honoring Queen Nefertari Merymut, the favorite consort of Ramesses II (r. 1290-1224 b.c.e.). This temple is at Abu Simbel.
The monument honoring Queen Nefertari Merymut, the favorite consort of Ramesses II (r. 1290-1224 b.c.e.). This temple is at Abu Simbel.

Nefertem

An Egyptian deity, called “the Lord of the Lotus Blossoms,” and “the Protector of the Two Kingdoms,” Nefertem was a sun god whose cult was established early in Memphis. His name indicates that he was the personification of tem (1) at heliopolis, the solar cult center. He was the son of ptah and sekhmet, forming the Memphite trinity. At heliopolis he was considered the son of bastet, and in buto he was called the son of wadjet. Nefertem was portrayed as a young man wearing an open lotus flower crown with feathers and ornaments. The lotus was a symbol of creation and resurrection and played a role in the cosmogonic traditions of Egypt. In Heliopolis, Nefertem was depicted as the setting sun, and at other sites he was shown as a lion. The lotus was his symbol and perfumes were sacred to him. Nefertem was associated with re in some cultic rituals.

Nefertiabet (fl. 26th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Fourth Dynasty

She was a princess of the royal family, a daughter of khufu (r. 2551-2528 b.c.e.). Her mastaba at giza contains her portrait depicting her in the leopard skin of a priestess. A stela also commemorated Nefertiabet’s service to Egypt in the cultic ceremonies maintained by the royal court.

Nefertiru (fl. 15th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Eighteenth Dynasty

A daughter of tuthmosis iii (r. 1479-1425 b.c.e.), Nefer-tiru died young. she was commemorated in her father’s tomb in the valley of the kings on the western shore of thebes.

Nefertiti (fl. 14th century b.c.e.)

One of the most famous royal women of the Eighteenth Dynasty She was the consort of akhenaten (r. 1353-1335 b.c.e.) and a leading figure at ‘amarna. Her name meant “the Beautiful Woman Has Come,” and she is one of the most beloved and famous of all ancient Egyptians. Nefertiti’s sculpted bust in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin is one of the best known of all Egyptian treasures. Little information is available concerning her origins, although there has been a great deal of speculation about her family ties. she may have been the daughter of aya (2), the successor of tut’ankhamun. Her sister was possibly mutnodjmet (1), who married horemhab, the last pharaoh of the dynasty
In the fourth year of Akhenaten’s reign, she appeared with him at the site of Akhetaten (el-’amarna), the city dedicated to the god aten. In the sixth year of Akhenaten’s reign, Nefertiti’s name was changed again to reflect the cult of Aten. Nefertiti lived with Akhenaten in ‘Amarna, where he conducted religious ceremonies to Aten. They raised six daughters, but no sons. One of the daughters, Maketaten, died giving birth to a child, probably sired by her father, and the couple’s grief was depicted in wall paintings. Nefertiti disappeared from the court after that. There is some evidence that she remained in ‘Amarna, living in a villa called hat-aten, but another daughter replaced her as the pharaoh’s principal wife. smenkhare, who became Akhenaten’s successor in 1335 b.c.e., reportedly assumed Nefertiti’s religious name, leading to the speculation that Nefertiti actually played this role at the ‘Amarna court. she was called Neferneferu-Aten, “the Exquisite Beauty of the Sun Disk.”
A granite head and other unfinished portraits of Nefertiti have survived. In the Aten temple at karnak, Nefertiti is shown smiting Egypt’s enemies. Her funerary regalia, along with the remains and effects of other ‘Amarna royal family members, were removed from ‘Amarna burial sites during the reign of Tut’ankhamun, but her remains have not been identified. she outlived Akhenaten but probably did not have political power because she represented a period that was being reviled across Egypt. When Smenkhare died, Nefertiti may have served as a counselor for the young Tut’ankhamun during his brief reign. she remains a symbol of Egypt’s beauty and mystery.

Nefert-kau (fl. 26th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Fourth Dynasty

She was both the daughter and consort of snefru (r. 2575-2551 b.c.e.). Nefert-kau bore Snefru a son, Prince neferma’at, who served later pharaohs in the high offices of the court restricted to the royal family during this period. She was probably the daughter of Queen het-epheres (1).

Neferu (1) (fl. 21st century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Eleventh Dynasty

She was the consort of montuhotep ii (r. 2061-2010 b.c.e.) and his sister, being the daughter of montuhotep i and Queen aoh (Yah). With Queen tem (2), Neferu served as a Great Wife. She was buried just north of the main deir el-bahri complex of the pharaoh, and her gravesite was covered by hatshepsut’s (1473-1458 b.c.e.) structures.
Neferu’s tomb contained a chapel, sloping corridor, and a burial chamber. The walls were decorated with limestone and reliefs. The site became an ancient pilgrimage destination during the New Kingdom era. Hatshepsut’s builders opened a passageway to Neferu’s tomb chapel, which was visited by many devout Egyptians of the period.

Neferu (2) (fl. 20th century b.c.e.)

Trade official of the Twelfth Dynasty

Neferu served senwosret i (r. 1971-1926 b.c.e.) as overseer of transportation and trade in nubia (modern Sudan), particularly in the region surrounding the fortress at buhen, south of the first cataract of the Nile. Buhen was fortified and served as an important garrison for protecting the expanding trade of the Middle Kingdom (2040-1640 b.c.e.) during Neferu’s term of office. His mortuary stela provides information about this historical period and is in the British Museum in London.

Neferu-Khayet (1) (fl. 21st century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Eleventh Dynasty

She was the consort of inyotef ii (r. 2118-2069 b.c.e.) and the mother of inyotef iii. Neferu-Khayet was the grandmother of montuhotep ii, the unifier of Egypt in 2061 b.c.e. The Inyotef line ruled thebes before Montuhotep II marched on the Delta clans to end their powers. Neferu-Khayet was buried at Thebes.

Neferu-Khayet (2) (fl. 21st century b.c.e.)

Royal woman and nome heiress of the Eleventh Dynasty She was a consort of montuhotep ii (r. 2061-2010 b.c.e.) and a powerful nome aristocrat in her own right. Neferu-Khayet was the daughter of Princess nebt, an heiress of elephantine Island. A learned woman with considerable wealth, Neferu-Khayet maintained libraries and artworks as the Elephantine island ranking woman.

Neferukheb (fl. 15th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Eighteenth Dynasty

The daughter of tuthmosis i (r. 1504-1492 b.c.e.) and Queen ‘ahmose (1), Neferukheb was the elder sister of hatshepsut, outranking her in the court. She died, however, before she could become politically powerful. Neferukheb was buried in thebes.

Neferu-ptah (1) (fl. 19th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Twelfth Dynasty

She was probably the sister of amenemhet iii (r. 1844-1797 b.c.e.). Neferu-ptah was buried in a mud-brick pyramid in the hawara royal mortuary complex near the labyrinth. Her mortuary regalia, including jewelry and silver pieces, have been recovered, although her tomb was flooded and her sarcophagus was destroyed.

Neferu-ptah (2) (fl. 20th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Twelfth Dynasty

She was the daughter of senwosret i (r. 1971-1926 b.c.e.). An ivory wand bearing her name was discovered in senwosret i’s tomb. Neferu-ptah was buried near her father’s pyramid at el-LiSHT.

Neferu-Re (fl. 15th century b.c.e.)

Royal woman of the Eighteenth Dynasty

She was the daughter of tuthmosis ii (r. 1492-1479 b.c.e.) and Queen-Pharaoh hatshepsut (r. 1473-1458 b.c.e.) and possibly the consort of tuthmosis iii (r. 1479-1425 b.c.e.). Her most important role, however, was as the god’s wife of amun, and she was educated to be a political partner to Hatshepsut when she assumed the throne as a female ruler.
senenmut, the powerful temple ally of Hatshepsut, and ‘ahmose-pen nekhebet were her official tutors. senenmut was also named as her steward and as “Great Father Nurse.” six statues of senenmut and Neferu-Re have been discovered, as well as a statue of her as a young woman. A sinai tablet refers to her as “King’s Daughter, King’s Wife.” She reportedly gave birth to a son and heir, Amenemhet, but the child died in infancy.
Neferu-Re aided Hatshepsut’s reign and remained in the palace, even as Tuthmosis iii was overshadowed by his stepmother and moved to Memphis to maintain the great naval base there, called peru-nefer. Neferu-Re died, however, in the 16th year of Hatshepsut’s reign, weakening the queen-pharaoh.
Her tomb in a high cliff area on the western shore of Thebes contained a yellow quartzite sarcophagus but was never used. Neferu-Re’s body has not been found, but a cartouche was discovered near the site. She was depicted on the walls of a small temple as a God’s wife of Amun and was being trained as Hatshepsut’s successor.

Next post:

Previous post: