Hemetre (Hemetra) was an ancient Egyptian royal woman of the

Fourth Dynasty The Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty IV) is characterized as a "golden age" of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Dynasty IV lasted from to 2494 BC. It was a time of peace and prosperity as well as one during which trade with other ...

. Hemetre may have been a daughter or granddaughter of

Khafre Khafre (also read as Khafra and gr, Χεφρήν Khephren or Chephren) was an ancient Egyptian King (pharaoh) of the 4th Dynasty during the Old Kingdom. He was the son of Khufu and the successor of Djedefre. According to the ancient historia ...

. She did not hold the title ''king's wife'' and may have even married a non-royal. She is mainly known from her tomb, which is located in the central field of Giza. Her name honors the god Ra.

Titles

Hemetre was a ''King's daughter of his body'' and thus a daughter of one of the kings of the

Fourth dynasty of Egypt The Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty IV) is characterized as a "golden age" of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Dynasty IV lasted from to 2494 BC. It was a time of peace and prosperity as well as one during which trade with other ...

. Hemetre was also a priestess of the goddess

Hathor Hathor ( egy, ḥwt-ḥr, lit=House of Horus, grc, Ἁθώρ , cop, ϩⲁⲑⲱⲣ, Meroitic: ) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion who played a wide variety of roles. As a sky deity, she was the mother or consort of the sky ...

. One inscription mentions that she is "an honored one by the great god" and "she who does what her father likes every day".

Family

The location of her tomb (Central Field in

Giza Giza (; sometimes spelled ''Gizah'' arz, الجيزة ' ) is the second-largest city in Egypt after Cairo and fourth-largest city in Africa after Kinshasa, Lagos and Cairo. It is the capital of Giza Governorate with a total population of 9.2 ...

) suggests that she may be a daughter of

.Dodson, Aidan and Hilton, Dyan. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. 2004. His name is attested in her tomb. Hassan suggests she may be a daughter or granddaughter of Khafre, but may have been married to a commoner. Hemetre is never called a ''King's wife'' in her tomb. Several children of Hemetre are depicted in her tomb. Included are her sons Shepseska(u), Akhetre and Shepsesre(-sheri), and her daughters Hetepheres, Khentkaus, and Meresankh. Hemetre is depicted with her sons and daughters on one of the pillars in the chapel. Hemetre is faced by her sons Akh(et)re and Shepsesre-sheri in one register, while her daughters Hetepheres and Meresankh are depicted below their brothers. Her daughter Khentkaues is shown behind her mother. All five children appear as adults in this scene.Hassan, Selim. Excavations at Gîza 6: 1934-1935. Part 3: The Mastabas of the Sixth Season and their Description. Cairo: Government Press, 1950.; obtained fro
gizapyramids.org
Hemetre

Tomb

Hemetre's tomb (G 8464) is located in the Central Field which is part of the

Giza Necropolis The Giza pyramid complex ( ar, مجمع أهرامات الجيزة), also called the Giza necropolis, is the site on the Giza Plateau in Greater Cairo, Egypt that includes the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of M ...

.Porter, Bertha and Moss, Rosalind, Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Statues, Reliefs an d Paintings Volume III: Memphis, Part I Abu Rawash to Abusir. 2nd edition; revised and augmented by Dr Jaromir Malek, 1974. Retrieved from gizapyramids.org The entrance of the tomb leads to a pillared hall. The hall contains a large burial chamber as well as two smaller shafts. Off the chapel is another smaller chapel, again containing a burial shaft. Scenes in the tomb include offering bearers representing offerings from royal estates. These are all related to

. In the passageway of the tomb the upper part of a false door belonging to the Royal chamberlain Nebsen was found. One of the offering bearers shown in the tomb is named Senebuka. This official was buried nearby.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hemetre Princesses of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt 26th-century BC women Khafre Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown