Sneferu
Encyclopedia
Sneferu, also spelled as Snephru, Snefru or Snofru (in Greek
known as Soris), was the founder of the Fourth dynasty of Egypt
. Estimates of his reign vary, with for instance The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt suggesting a reign from around 2613 BC to 2589 BC, a reign of 24 years, while Rolf Krauss suggests a 30-year reign and Stadelmann a 48-year reign. He built at least three famous pyramids that survive to this day and introduced major innovations in the design and construction of pyramids in Ancient Egypt.
reigned for 24 years (2613-2589 BC).
Manetho was an Egyptian priest, living in the third century BC, who categorized the pharaohs of dynastic Egypt into 31 dynasties. Manetho’s schematic has its flaws, nevertheless, modern scholars conventionally follow his method of grouping. The Papyrus Prisse, a Middle Kingdom source, supports the fact that King Huni was indeed Snefru’s predecessor. It states that “the majesty of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Huni, came to the landing place (i.e., died), and the majesty of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Snefru, was raised up as a beneficent king in this entire land…” Aside from Sneferu’s succession, we learn from this text that later generations considered him to be a “beneficent” ruler. This idea may stem from the etymology of the king’s name, for it can be interpreted as the infinitive “to make beautiful.” It is uncertain whether Huni was Sneferu’s father, however, the Cairo Annals Stone denotes that his mother may have been a woman named Meresankh
. Hetepheres I
was Sneferu’s main wife and the mother of Khufu
, the builder of the Great Pyramid on the Giza Plateau.
Daughters of Sneferu:
(the Bent Pyramid
and the Red Pyramid
) and Meidum
(Meidum pyramid). Under Sneferu, there was a major evolution in monumental pyramid structures, which would lead to Khufu’s Great Pyramid, which would be seen as the pinnacle of the Egyptian Old Kingdom’s majesty and splendour, and as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The first of Sneferu’s massive undertakings is the Pyramid at Meidum. There is some debate among scholars as to Sneferu’s claim to the Meidum pyramid, and many credit its origin to King Huni. Nonetheless, the pyramid is a remarkable example of the progression of technology and ideology surrounding the king’s burial site.
The immense stone structure serves as physical testimony to the transition from the stepped pyramid structure to that of a “true” pyramid structure. Archaeological investigations of the pyramid show that it was first conceived as a seven-stepped structure, built in a similar manner to the Djoser complex at Saqqara. Modifications later were made to add another platform, and at an even later stage limestone facing was added to create the smooth, angled finish characteristic of a “true” pyramid. Complete with a descending northern passage, two underground chambers, and a burial vault, the pyramid mainly follows the conventions of previous tombs in most aspects other than one: instead of being situated underneath the colossal structure, the burial chamber is built directly within the main body albeit very near ground level.
The Bent Pyramid, also known as the Rhomboidal or Blunted Pyramid, attests to an even greater increase in architectural innovations. As the name suggests, the angle of the inclination changes from 55° to about 43° in the upper levels of the pyramid. It is likely that the pyramid initially was not designed to be built this way, but was modified during construction due to unstable accretion layers. As a means of stabilising the monolith, the top layers were laid horizontally, marking the abandonment of the step pyramid concept. The internal components of the Rhomboidal pyramid have also evolved. There are two entrances, one from the north and another from the west. The subterranean chambers are much larger, and distinguished by corbel walls and ceilings with more complex diagonal portcullis systems in place. J.P Lepre asserts:
The satellite pyramid complementing Sneferu’s Bent Pyramid introduces more change in the architecture of the time, when the passage way is built ascending westward (as
opposed to the conventionally descending northward direction of the passages of previously build pyramids) towards the burial chambers.
With the increase of innovation in Sneferu's building projects, one expects that his last pyramid, the Red Pyramid, will show the greatest complexity and change in architecture yet. Upon first glance, one may be disappointed seeing that the construction of the Red Pyramid seemingly is simpler than its predecessor. Lepre points out that some of the internal innovations that the previous pyramids boast seem to be missing in the king’s last monument. Although the chambers and burial vaults are all present in the monument’s main body, no ascending passageway has been excavated, nor is there evidence of a western entrance or diagonal portcullis. Although the absence of these features have dissuaded many archaeologists from further studying the Red Pyramid, Lepre is convinced that there are secret chambers waiting to be uncovered within the stone superstructure. Considering that the remains of King Sneferu have not yet been found, it still may be possible that his sarcophagus and mummy lie hidden in his mysterious last structure. Lepre claims: “the Red pyramid remains one of the chief pyramids that may possibly contain secret chambers, not the least of which may be the true burial chamber of King Sneferu himself.” Whether or not this conjecture is true needs to be left to modern archaeologists to determine.
Sneferu’s architectural innovations served as a catalyst for later pyramid builders to build on. The first king of the fourth dynasty set a challenging precedent for his successors to match, and only Khufu’s Great Pyramid can rival Sneferu’s accomplishments. As time progressed and ideology changed in Ancient Egypt, the monuments of the kings decreased greatly in size. As the Pyramid of Menkaure is only a fraction of the size of the previous pyramids, the focus of Egyptian ideology might have shifted from the worship of the king to the direct worship of the sun god, Ra
.
:
According to this inscription, Sneferu was able to capture large numbers of people from other nations, make them his prisoners and then add them into his labour force. During his raids into Nubia and Libya, he also captured cattle for the sustenance of his massive labour force. Such incursions must have been incredibly devastating to the populations of the raided countries, and it is suggested that the campaigns into Nubia
may have contributed to the dissemination of the A group culture of that region. Sneferu's military efforts in Libya
led to the capture of 11,000 prisoners and 13,100 head of cattle. Aside from the extensive import of cedar (most likely from Lebanon) described above, there is evidence of activity in the turquoise mines on the Sinai Peninsula. There would also have been large-scale quarrying projects to provide Sneferu with the stone he needed for his pyramids.
Sneferu's ancient cedar wood ship Praise of the Two Lands
is the first recording of a ship being referred to by name.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
known as Soris), was the founder of the Fourth dynasty of Egypt
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...
. Estimates of his reign vary, with for instance The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt suggesting a reign from around 2613 BC to 2589 BC, a reign of 24 years, while Rolf Krauss suggests a 30-year reign and Stadelmann a 48-year reign. He built at least three famous pyramids that survive to this day and introduced major innovations in the design and construction of pyramids in Ancient Egypt.
Succession and family
Snefru was the first king of the fourth dynasty of Ancient Egypt, who according to ManethoManetho
Manetho was an Egyptian historian and priest from Sebennytos who lived during the Ptolemaic era, approximately during the 3rd century BC. Manetho wrote the Aegyptiaca...
reigned for 24 years (2613-2589 BC).
Manetho was an Egyptian priest, living in the third century BC, who categorized the pharaohs of dynastic Egypt into 31 dynasties. Manetho’s schematic has its flaws, nevertheless, modern scholars conventionally follow his method of grouping. The Papyrus Prisse, a Middle Kingdom source, supports the fact that King Huni was indeed Snefru’s predecessor. It states that “the majesty of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Huni, came to the landing place (i.e., died), and the majesty of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Snefru, was raised up as a beneficent king in this entire land…” Aside from Sneferu’s succession, we learn from this text that later generations considered him to be a “beneficent” ruler. This idea may stem from the etymology of the king’s name, for it can be interpreted as the infinitive “to make beautiful.” It is uncertain whether Huni was Sneferu’s father, however, the Cairo Annals Stone denotes that his mother may have been a woman named Meresankh
Meresankh I
Meresankh I was Ancient Egyptian king's wife and the mother of King Sneferu. She may have been a wife of King Huni, the last king of the 3rd dynasty....
. Hetepheres I
Hetepheres I
Queen Hetepheres I was a Queen of Egypt during the 4th dynasty.- Biography :Hetepheres I may have been a daughter of pharaoh Huni. Her title God's Daughter suggests she was the daughter of a king and the most likely candidate is Huni, the predecessor of Sneferu...
was Sneferu’s main wife and the mother of Khufu
Khufu
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...
, the builder of the Great Pyramid on the Giza Plateau.
Children
Sons of Sneferu:- KhufuKhufuKhufu , 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...
- son of Sneferu and Hetepheres I, successor to Sneferu. - AnkhhafAnkhhafPrince Ankhhaf was an Egyptian prince and served as vizier and overseer of works to the Pharaoh Khafre, who was Ankhhaf's nephew. He lived during 4th dynasty of Egypt.-Biography:...
- King’s Son of his Body, King’s vizier (under his nephew Khafre). Buried in G 7510. A famous bust of Ankhhaf is now in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Ankhhaf was married to the King’s Daughter HetepheresPrincess HetepheresPrincess Hetepheres was an Egyptian princess who lived during the 4th dynasty. Hetepheres was the daughter of King Sneferu and the wife of vizier Ankhhaf.- Biography :...
. - KaneferKaneferKanefer was an Egyptian prince. He lived during 4th or 5th dynasty of Egypt.His name means "Soul is Beautiful" .- Biography :...
- King’s eldest son and Son of his Body. Buried in tomb 28 in Dashur. Second Vizier of Snefru, who continued to serve under Khufu. - Nefermaat I - eldest son of Sneferu and husband of ItetItetItet, also known as Atet, was an Egyptian noblewoman, a wife of Prince Nefermaat, and daughter-in-law of pharaoh Sneferu. She was, with Nefermaat, a mother of three daughters and many sons. Her most famous son was Hemiunu...
. Titles included: Priest of Bastet, Hereditary Prince, Guardian of Nekhen, great one of the five at the house of ThothThothThoth was considered one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon, animals sacred to him. His feminine counterpart was Seshat...
. First Vizier of Snefru. - NetjeraperefNetjeraperefNetjeraperef was an Egyptian prince, a son of pharaoh Sneferu. He was buried in tomb II/I at Dashur, and his title was King's son. He was a half-brother of pharaoh Khufu....
, buried in Dashur. - RahotepPrince RahotepPrince 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:...
- King’s Son of his Body, High Priest of ReRaRa is the ancient Egyptian sun god. By the Fifth Dynasty he had become a major deity in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the mid-day sun...
in HeliopolisHeliopolis (ancient)Heliopolis was one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, the capital of the 13th Lower Egyptian nome that was located five miles east of the Nile to the north of the apex of the Nile Delta...
. Buried in Meidum with his wife NofretNofretNofret was a noblewoman and princess who lived in Ancient Egypt during the 4th dynasty of Egypt.- Biography :Nofret's parents are not known. Nofret married Prince Rahotep, who was a son of Pharaoh Sneferu. She had three daughters and three sons with Rahotep....
. Owner of the famous statues now in the Cairo Museum. - RaneferRaneferRanefer or Ranofer was a Prince of Egypt during the 4th dynasty.Ranefer means "Ra is beautiful". Ra is the Sun god, and nefer means "beautiful".- Biography :...
. Buried in Meidum. - Iynefer I. Buried in Dashur.
Daughters of Sneferu:
- Hetepheres APrincess HetepheresPrincess Hetepheres was an Egyptian princess who lived during the 4th dynasty. Hetepheres was the daughter of King Sneferu and the wife of vizier Ankhhaf.- Biography :...
, married Ankhhaf. She was named after her mother, Queen Hetepheres. - Nefertkau I - King’s Daughter of his Body, eldest daughter of Sneferu and his third wife. Buried in mastaba G 7050 at Giza. Her tomb dates to the time of Khafra. In the tomb Sneferu is mentioned as well as Nefertkau's son Nefermaat IINefermaat IINefermaat II was an Egyptian prince during the 4th dynasty and vizier of his cousin Khafra.- Etymology :Nefer means "beautiful", and maat means "order". Ma'at is a goddess of order and justice. So, Nefermaat means "beautiful Ma'at".- Biography :...
and her grandson SneferukhafSneferukhafs-nfr-f:r-wSneferukhaf was an Egyptian prince who lived during 4th dynasty. He was a son of Prince Nefermaat II and unknown woman, and thus a grandson of Princess Nefertkau I. He was named after his great-grandfather, Pharaoh Sneferu. He had two sons. He was buried in mastaba G 7070 at Giza.-...
. - NefertnesuNefertnesuNefertnesu was a fourth dynasty Princess of Egypt.She was a daughter of pharaoh Sneferu and she was a half-sister to pharaoh Khufu. Nefertnesu is known from the false door of her son Kaemqed....
- King’s daughter, God’s Daughter. Had a son named KaemqedKaemqedKaemqed was a Fourth dynasty Egyptian prince, a son of Princess Nefertnesu and grandson of Pharaoh Sneferu.Kaemqed is known from a false door. He was buried in Dashur in the 5th dynasty....
. - Meritites IMeritites IMeritites 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...
, Great of Sceptre and King’s Wife, married to her brother Khufu. - HenutsenHenutsenHenutsen was an ancient Egyptian queen of the 4th dynasty.- Biography :Henutsen was a daughter of Pharaoh Sneferu and his third wife. Henutsen married her elder half-brother Khufu. Her name is known only from a 16th dynasty stela, found next to an Isis' temple which was built during the reign of...
- King's daughter, married to Khufu.
Building projects
The most well known monuments from Sneferu’s reign are the three pyramids he is considered to have built in DahshurDahshur
Dahshur , is a royal necropolis located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile approximately 40 kilometres south of Cairo...
(the Bent Pyramid
Bent Pyramid
The Bent Pyramid is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located at the royal necropolis of Dahshur, approximately 40 kilometres south of Cairo, built under the Old Kingdom Pharaoh Sneferu...
and the Red Pyramid
Red Pyramid
The Red Pyramid, also called the North Pyramid, is the largest of the three major pyramids located at the Dahshur necropolis. Named for the rusty reddish hue of its stones, it is also the third largest Egyptian pyramid, after those of Khufu and Khafra at Giza. At the time of its completion, it was...
) and Meidum
Meidum
Located about 100 km south of modern Cairo, Meidum or Maidum is the location of a large pyramid, and several large mud-brick mastabas.-Pyramid:...
(Meidum pyramid). Under Sneferu, there was a major evolution in monumental pyramid structures, which would lead to Khufu’s Great Pyramid, which would be seen as the pinnacle of the Egyptian Old Kingdom’s majesty and splendour, and as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The first of Sneferu’s massive undertakings is the Pyramid at Meidum. There is some debate among scholars as to Sneferu’s claim to the Meidum pyramid, and many credit its origin to King Huni. Nonetheless, the pyramid is a remarkable example of the progression of technology and ideology surrounding the king’s burial site.
The immense stone structure serves as physical testimony to the transition from the stepped pyramid structure to that of a “true” pyramid structure. Archaeological investigations of the pyramid show that it was first conceived as a seven-stepped structure, built in a similar manner to the Djoser complex at Saqqara. Modifications later were made to add another platform, and at an even later stage limestone facing was added to create the smooth, angled finish characteristic of a “true” pyramid. Complete with a descending northern passage, two underground chambers, and a burial vault, the pyramid mainly follows the conventions of previous tombs in most aspects other than one: instead of being situated underneath the colossal structure, the burial chamber is built directly within the main body albeit very near ground level.
The Bent Pyramid, also known as the Rhomboidal or Blunted Pyramid, attests to an even greater increase in architectural innovations. As the name suggests, the angle of the inclination changes from 55° to about 43° in the upper levels of the pyramid. It is likely that the pyramid initially was not designed to be built this way, but was modified during construction due to unstable accretion layers. As a means of stabilising the monolith, the top layers were laid horizontally, marking the abandonment of the step pyramid concept. The internal components of the Rhomboidal pyramid have also evolved. There are two entrances, one from the north and another from the west. The subterranean chambers are much larger, and distinguished by corbel walls and ceilings with more complex diagonal portcullis systems in place. J.P Lepre asserts:
The satellite pyramid complementing Sneferu’s Bent Pyramid introduces more change in the architecture of the time, when the passage way is built ascending westward (as
opposed to the conventionally descending northward direction of the passages of previously build pyramids) towards the burial chambers.
Sneferu’s architectural innovations served as a catalyst for later pyramid builders to build on. The first king of the fourth dynasty set a challenging precedent for his successors to match, and only Khufu’s Great Pyramid can rival Sneferu’s accomplishments. As time progressed and ideology changed in Ancient Egypt, the monuments of the kings decreased greatly in size. As the Pyramid of Menkaure is only a fraction of the size of the previous pyramids, the focus of Egyptian ideology might have shifted from the worship of the king to the direct worship of the sun god, Ra
Ra
Ra is the ancient Egyptian sun god. By the Fifth Dynasty he had become a major deity in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the mid-day sun...
.
Foreign relations
To enable Sneferu to undertake such massive building projects, he would have had to secure an extensive store of labour and materials. According to Guillemette Andreu, this is where the king’s foreign policy played a large part. Sneferu’s conquests into Libya and Nubia served two purposes: the first goal was to establish an extensive labour force, and the second goal was to gain access to the raw materials and special products that were available in these countries. This is alluded to in the Palermo stonePalermo stone
The Palermo Stone is a large fragment of a stele known as the Royal Annals of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. It contains records of the kings of Egypt from the first dynasty through the fifth dynasty....
:
-
-
- “[Reign of] Sneferu. Year ...
- The building of Tuataua ships of mer wood
- of a hundred capacity, and 60 royal boats of sixteen capacity.
- Raid in the Land of the Blacks, and the bringing in of seven thousand
- prisoners, men and women, and twenty thousand cattle, sheep, and
- goats…
- The bringing of forty ships of cedar wood (or perhaps "laden with cedar
- wood")…”
-
According to this inscription, Sneferu was able to capture large numbers of people from other nations, make them his prisoners and then add them into his labour force. During his raids into Nubia and Libya, he also captured cattle for the sustenance of his massive labour force. Such incursions must have been incredibly devastating to the populations of the raided countries, and it is suggested that the campaigns into Nubia
Nubia
Nubia is a region along the Nile river, which is located in northern Sudan and southern Egypt.There were a number of small Nubian kingdoms throughout the Middle Ages, the last of which collapsed in 1504, when Nubia became divided between Egypt and the Sennar sultanate resulting in the Arabization...
may have contributed to the dissemination of the A group culture of that region. Sneferu's military efforts in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
led to the capture of 11,000 prisoners and 13,100 head of cattle. Aside from the extensive import of cedar (most likely from Lebanon) described above, there is evidence of activity in the turquoise mines on the Sinai Peninsula. There would also have been large-scale quarrying projects to provide Sneferu with the stone he needed for his pyramids.
Sneferu's ancient cedar wood ship Praise of the Two Lands
Praise of the Two Lands (ship)
"Praise of the Two Lands", appearing in an inscription of boat building projects of Egyptian pharaoh Sneferu, is the first reference to a ship bearing a name.- Description :...
is the first recording of a ship being referred to by name.