Djedefhor
Encyclopedia
Djedefhor or Hordjedef was an ancient Egypt
ian prince of the 4th dynasty
. His name means "Enduring Like Horus
".
and half-brother of pharaohs Djedefre and Khafre. Queen Meritites I
is named in the tomb G 7220 of Djedefhor and it is possible she is his mother.
He is mentioned on an inscription in Wadi Hammamat, his name appears in a cartouche
, written after the names of Khufu, Djedefre and Khafre, preceding the name of another of his brothers, Baufra
. There is no evidence that either Djedefhor or Baufra ruled as a pharaoh, even though only pharaohs' names were written in cartouches during the 4th dynasty.
The Teachings of Djedefhor
, a document of which only fragments remain, is attributed to him. Djedefhor seems to have been deified after his death. The wisdom text by Djedefhor was written as advice to his son, Prince Auibra.
. Djedefhor was buried in mastaba G 7210-7220 in the east field
which is part of the Giza Necropolis in Giza. His sarcophagus is now in the Cairo Museum.
, who was a son of Prince Rahotep
and nephew to Khufu.
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 prince of the 4th dynasty
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...
. His name means "Enduring Like 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...
".
Biography
Djedefhor was a son of Pharaoh KhufuKhufu
Khufu , also known as Cheops or, in Manetho, Suphis , was a Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt's Old Kingdom. He reigned from around 2589 to 2566 BC. Khufu was the second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty. He is generally accepted as being the builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of...
and half-brother of pharaohs Djedefre and Khafre. Queen Meritites I
Meritites I
Meritites I was an ancient Egyptian Queen of the 4th dynasty.She was a daughter of King Sneferu and the wife of King Khufu. Her name means "Beloved of her Father". Several of her titles are known from a stela found at Giza. She was the mother of Crown Prince Kawab and may have had several more...
is named in the tomb G 7220 of Djedefhor and it is possible she is his mother.
He is mentioned on an inscription in Wadi Hammamat, his name appears in a cartouche
Cartouche
In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an ellipse with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name, coming into use during the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty under Pharaoh Sneferu, replacing the earlier serekh...
, written after the names of Khufu, Djedefre and Khafre, preceding the name of another of his brothers, Baufra
Baufra
Baufra was a son of King Khufu from the 4th dynasty of ancient Egypt. He is known from a story in the Papyrus Westcar and an inscription in Wadi Hammamat. He may have been buried in the double mastaba G 7310 - 7320 in Giza....
. There is no evidence that either Djedefhor or Baufra ruled as a pharaoh, even though only pharaohs' names were written in cartouches during the 4th dynasty.
The Teachings of Djedefhor
Instruction of Hardjedef
The Instruction of Hardjedef, also known as the Teaching of Hordedef and Teaching of Djedefhor, belongs to the didactic literature of the Egyptian Old Kingdom. It is possibly the oldest of all known Instructions, composed during the 5th Dynasty according to Miriam Lichtheim, predating The...
, a document of which only fragments remain, is attributed to him. Djedefhor seems to have been deified after his death. The wisdom text by Djedefhor was written as advice to his son, Prince Auibra.
Burial
He was still alive during the reign of Menkaure, Khufu's grandson. Hence he must have been buried towards the end of the Fourth DynastyFourth 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...
. Djedefhor was buried in mastaba G 7210-7220 in the east field
Giza East Field
The East Field is located to the east of Khufu’s pyramid and contains cemetery G 7000. This cemetery was a burial place for some of the family members of Khufu....
which is part of the Giza Necropolis in Giza. His sarcophagus is now in the Cairo Museum.
Appearance in ancient Egyptian fiction
He is one of the main characters in a story included in the Papyrus Westcar. In the text of that papyrus, Djedefhor is mentioned as one who brought the soothsayer and magician called Djedi to the court of Khufu. This Djedi was inspired by real Prince DjediPrince Djedi
Djedi was an Egyptian prince who lived during 4th dynasty. He was a son of Rahotep and Nofret, grandson of pharaoh Sneferu and nephew of pharaoh Khufu...
, who was a son of Prince Rahotep
Prince Rahotep
Prince Rahotep was a Prince in Ancient Egypt during the 4th dynasty. He was probably a son of pharaoh Sneferu and his first wife, although Zahi Hawass suggests his father was Huni.-Biography:...
and nephew to Khufu.