Henhenet

Sarcophagus of Henhenet
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Henhenet
in hieroglyphs
Era: Middle Kingdom
(2055–1650 BC)

Henhenet was an ancient Egyptian queen consort, a lower ranking wife of Pharaoh Mentuhotep II of the 11th dynasty. Her tomb (DBXI.11) and small decorated chapel were found in her husband's Deir el-Bahari temple complex,[1] behind the main building, along with the tombs of five other ladies, Ashayet, Kawit, Kemsit, Sadeh and Mayet. Most of them were priestesses of Hathor, so it is possible that they were buried there as part of the goddess's cult, but it is also possible that they were the daughters of nobles the king wanted to keep an eye upon.

Unlike the sarcophagi of the other queens, hers was not decorated, only a single line of inscription runs on both sides. Her mummy shows that she died in childbirth when she was about 21 years old.[2] Her mummy is now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, her sarcophagus is in New York City.[1][3][4]

Her titles were: King's Beloved Wife (ḥmt-nỉswt mrỉỉ.t=f ), King's Ornament (ẖkr.t-nỉswt), King's Sole Ornament (ẖkr.t-nỉswt wˁtỉ.t), Priestess of Hathor (ḥm.t-nṯr ḥwt-ḥrw).[2]

  1. ^ a b Dodson, Aidan, Hilton, Dyan. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05128-3 (2004), p.88
  2. ^ a b Grajetzki, Wolfram. Ancient Egyptian Queens: A Hieroglyphic Dictionary. London: Golden House Publications. ISBN 0-9547218-9-6 (2005), p.30
  3. ^ Sarcophagus of the Hathor Priestess Henhenet. Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York.
  4. ^ Part of the shrine of Queen Henhenet. Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York.