Bunefer was an ancient Egyptian queen from the 4th or

5th dynasty The Fifth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty V) is often combined with Dynasties III, IV and VI under the group title the Old Kingdom. The Fifth Dynasty pharaohs reigned for approximately 150 years, from the early 25th century BC until ...

. It is not known which king she was married to. Bunefer was buried in tomb G 8408 in the Central Field 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 Men ...

Life

Bunefer's titles were preserved in her tomb in Giza: King’s wife (''ḥmt-nisw''), Great one of the hetes-sceptre (''wrt-hetes''), Great one of the hetes-sceptre of the two ladies (''wrt-hetes-nbti''), She who sees

Horus Horus or Heru, Hor, Har in Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as god of kingship and the sky. He was worshipped from at least the late prehistoric Egypt until the P ...

and

Seth Seth,; el, Σήθ ''Sḗth''; ; "placed", "appointed") in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Mandaeism, and Sethianism, was the third son of Adam and Eve and brother of Cain and Abel, their only other child mentioned by name in the Hebrew Bible. A ...

(''m33t-ḥrw-stẖ''), King’s wife, his beloved (''ḥmt-nisw mryt.f''), King’s daughter of his body (''z3t-niswt-nt-ẖt.f''),

Priestess of Hathor Priestess of Hathor or Prophetess of Hathor was the title of the Priestess of the goddess Hathor in the Temple of Dendera in Ancient Egypt. Title The title is known to be given during the Old Kingdom of Egypt, and was at that point very powerful ...

(''ḥmt-ntr-ḥwt-ḥrw''), Priestess of Tjazepef (''ḥmt-ntr-t3-zp.f''), Priestess of the

Shepsesket (''ḥmt-ntr-hrw-špss-ht''), and Beloved and revered priestess of Shepses-nebti (''ḥmt-ntr-špss-nbti-mryt.f-im3ḫt.f'').Grajetzki, Ancient Egyptian Queens: A Hieroglyphic Dictionary, Golden House Publications, London, 2005, Bunefer's titles as a priestess of Shepseskaf have led to the theory that Bunefer may have been a wife or daughter of

Shepseskaf Shepseskaf (meaning "His Ka is noble") was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt, the sixth and probably last ruler of the fourth dynasty during the Old Kingdom period. He reigned most probably for four but possibly up to seven years in the late 26th t ...

.Dodson, Aidan and Hilton, Dyan. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. 2004, pp. 52-53, 55, 56. Her tomb is located near the complex of

Khentkaus I Khentkaus I, also referred to as Khentkawes, was a royal woman who lived in ancient Egypt during both the Fourth Dynasty and the Fifth Dynasty. She may have been a daughter of king Menkaure, the wife of both king Shepseskaf and king Userkaf (the ...

which further suggests she lived towards the end of the 4th or beginning of the 5th dynasty. It has also been suggested she was the wife of enigmatic king

Thamphthis Thamphthis is the hellenized name of an ancient Egyptian ruler (pharaoh) of the 4th Dynasty in the Old Kingdom, who may have ruled around 2500 BC under the name Djedefptah for between two and nine years. His original Egyptian name is lost, but i ...

. Janosi has pointed out that the construction of Bunefer's tomb dates to some time after the tomb of Khentkaus was constructed. But the precise date of that monument is similarly not clear. It seems that Bunefer's tomb is more likely to date to the 5th dynasty however.

Burial

Bunefer's rock-cut tomb is located to the north of the funerary complex of Queen

in the central field. The facade of the tomb opens to the south and a large doorway leads to a large chapel. Off to the east another doorway allows one to enter the tomb. Bunefer's name and titles appear on the walls and the pillars of the room. A son is mentioned in one of the scenes, but he has the simple titles of judge and inspector of the scribes.Hassan, Selim. Excavations at Gîza 3: 1931-1932. Cairo: Faculty of Arts, Fouad I University & Government Press, 1941, pp. 176-199, figs. 146-166, pls. 54-58. The burial chamber of Bunefer contained a white limestone sarcophagus. Inside the sarcophagus a female skull was found of a woman estimated to be in her mid thirties. It is possible this is Queen Bunefer's skull.

References

{{Queens of Ancient Egypt Queens consort of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt Queens consort of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt