Bunefer
Encyclopedia
Bunefer was an Ancient Egypt
ian queen from the 4th
or 5th dynasty
. 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. Her name contains a word for beautiful - "nefer".
and Seth
(m33t-hrw-stsh), King’s wife, his beloved (hmt-nisw meryt.f), King’s daughter of his body (s3t-niswt-nt-kht.f), Priestess of Hathor
(hmt-ntr-hwt-hrw), Priestess of Tjazepef (hmt-ntr-t3-zp.f), Priestess of the Horus
Shepsesket (hmt-ntr-hrw-shpss-ht), and Beloved and revered priestess of Shepses-nebti (hmt-ntr-shpss-nbti-mryt.f-im3kht.f).
Bunefer's titles as a priestess of Shepseskaf have led to the theory that Bunefer may have been a wife or daughter of Shepseskaf
. Her tomb is located near the complex of Khentkaus I
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
.
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.
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. The burial chamber of Bunefer contained a while 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.
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian queen from the 4th
Fourth dynasty of Egypt
The fourth dynasty of ancient Egypt is characterized as a "golden age" of the Old Kingdom. Dynasty IV lasted from ca. 2613 to 2494 BC...
or 5th dynasty
Fifth dynasty of Egypt
The fifth dynasty of ancient Egypt is often combined with Dynasties III, IV and VI under the group title the Old Kingdom. Dynasty V dates approximately from 2494 to 2345 BC.-Rulers:...
. It is not known which king she was married to. Bunefer was buried in tomb G 8408 in the Central Field
Central Field, Giza
The Central Field is located to the east of Khafre's causeway and extends to the pyramid town of Queen Khentkaus I. One of the main excavators of the central field is Selim Hassan. The central field is located at the site of some large stone quarries that provided the stones for the construction of...
of the Giza Necropolis. Her name contains a word for beautiful - "nefer".
Life
Bunefer's titles were preserved in her tomb in Giza: King’s wife (hmt-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 HorusHorus
Horus is one of the oldest and most significant deities in the Ancient Egyptian religion, who was worshipped from at least the late Predynastic period through to Greco-Roman times. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists...
and Seth
Seth
Seth , in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, is the third listed son of Adam and Eve and brother of Cain and Abel, who are the only other of their children mentioned by name...
(m33t-hrw-stsh), King’s wife, his beloved (hmt-nisw meryt.f), King’s daughter of his body (s3t-niswt-nt-kht.f), Priestess of Hathor
Hathor
Hathor , is an Ancient Egyptian goddess who personified the principles of love, beauty, music, motherhood and joy. She was one of the most important and popular deities throughout the history of Ancient Egypt...
(hmt-ntr-hwt-hrw), Priestess of Tjazepef (hmt-ntr-t3-zp.f), Priestess of the Horus
Horus
Horus is one of the oldest and most significant deities in the Ancient Egyptian religion, who was worshipped from at least the late Predynastic period through to Greco-Roman times. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists...
Shepsesket (hmt-ntr-hrw-shpss-ht), and Beloved and revered priestess of Shepses-nebti (hmt-ntr-shpss-nbti-mryt.f-im3kht.f).
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
Shepseskaf was a son of Menkaure who succeeded his father on the throne. Shepseskaf's name means "His Soul is Noble."- Family :Shepseskaf was a son of Menkaure and grandson of Khafra, but his mother's name is not known. His mother can be either Khamerernebty II or Rekhetre...
. Her tomb is located near the complex of Khentkaus I
Khentkaus I
Khentkaus I was a Queen of Ancient Egypt during the 4th dynasty. She may have been a daughter of Pharaoh Menkaure, wife of Shepseskaf and mother of Userkaf, but this is by no means certain. Her Mastaba at Giza - tomb LG100 - is located very close to Menkaure's pyramid complex...
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
Thamphthis is the Greek name of an ancient Egyptian ruler of the 4th dynasty in the Old Kingdom, who may have ruled around 2500 BC for between two to nine years. His original Egyptian name is lost, but it may have been Djedefptah or Ptahdjedef after William C. Hayes...
.
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 Khentkaus IKhentkaus I
Khentkaus I was a Queen of Ancient Egypt during the 4th dynasty. She may have been a daughter of Pharaoh Menkaure, wife of Shepseskaf and mother of Userkaf, but this is by no means certain. Her Mastaba at Giza - tomb LG100 - is located very close to Menkaure's pyramid complex...
in the central field
Central Field, Giza
The Central Field is located to the east of Khafre's causeway and extends to the pyramid town of Queen Khentkaus I. One of the main excavators of the central field is Selim Hassan. The central field is located at the site of some large stone quarries that provided the stones for the construction of...
. 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. The burial chamber of Bunefer contained a while 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.