Meketre | |
---|---|
chancellor and high steward | |
![]() Model of a paddling boat with a canopy and chair on it from the Tomb of Meketre | |
Dynasty | 11th Dynasty |
Pharaoh | Mentuhotep II, Mentuhotep III, and Amenemhat I (possibly) |
Burial | TT280 |
The ancient Egyptian official Meketre was chancellor and high steward during the reign of Mentuhotep II, Mentuhotep III and perhaps Amenemhat I, during the Middle Kingdom.
| |||||
Meketre in hieroglyphs | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Era: Middle Kingdom (2055–1650 BC) | |||||
Meketre is first attested in a rock inscription in the Wadi Shatt el-Rigala, bearing the simple title sealer. The inscription is dated to year 41 of king Mentuhotep II. On reliefs from the mortuary temple of the same king in Deir el-Bahari Meketre bears the title of chancellor and was evidently promoted in the meantime, succeeding Kheti.[1] The same title was found on a statue in Meketre's tomb while on relief fragments in the tomb he held the main title of high steward. The tomb (TT280) is located in Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, part of the Theban Necropolis, and lies next to a large, unfinished royal tomb which was originally attributed to king Mentuhotep III and, after new research, to Amenemhat I. Therefore, Meketre most likely died under the latter king.[2]
Meketre's tomb TT280 contained several wooden replicas, representing the daily activities and life in Ancient Egypt, together with figurines of ships and cattle were, miniature buildings and gardens.[3] Selections of the replicas and other items from the tomb are on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.[4]