Khentetka
Encyclopedia
Khentetka or Khentetenka was a Queen
of Egypt
; the wife of King Djedefre during the 4th dynasty
.
It is not known who Khentetka's parents were. Khentetka was the wife of the 4th dynasty pharaoh Djedefre and it is possible she was the mother of some of his children. Djedefre had another wife named Hetepheres
. Djedefre had four sons (Hornit, Baka, Setka
and Nikaudjedefre) and two daughters (Hetepheres C and Neferhetepes
) but it is not known if Khentetka or Hetepheres (or even another woman) was the mother of these children. It has been suggested that Princess Neferhetepes was the daughter of Djedefre by Hetepheres.
. She is depicted kneeling besides the knee of king Djedefre. A structure in the southwest corner of Djedefre's pyramid complex at Abu Rawash
has been suggested as a possible burial place for Khentetka. Maragioglio and Rinaldi believe it may be the pyramid belonging to the Queen consort, and that could point to the pyramid belonging to Queen Khentetka.
It is not entirely clear however what the purpose of the pyramid was. Stadelmann and Jonosi believe it to be a cult pyramid. The cult pyramid usually stood in the southeast corner of the pyramid complex. The general orientation of the pyramid complex of Djedefre is north-west however and not east-south as is more common. The difference in orientation may mean the cult pyramid may not be located in its usual position, and the structure could be the cult pyramid for Djedefre's pyramid complex. Further excavations will be required to shed light on this question.
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
; the wife of King Djedefre during 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...
.
Biography
Khentetka's titles include King's Beloved Wife (ḥm.t-nỉswt mrỉỉt=f), She who sees Horus and Set (m33.t-ḥrw-stš), Attendant of Horus (ḫt-ḥrw), Priestess of Neith (ḥm.t-nṯr nt).It is not known who Khentetka's parents were. Khentetka was the wife of the 4th dynasty pharaoh Djedefre and it is possible she was the mother of some of his children. Djedefre had another wife named Hetepheres
Hetepheres II
- Birth and family :Queen Hetepheres II may have been one of the longest-lived members of the royal family of the Fourth dynasty of Egypt, which lasted from ca. 2723 to 2563 BC. She was a daughter of Khufu and was either born during the reign of her grandfather Sneferu or during the early years of...
. Djedefre had four sons (Hornit, Baka, Setka
Šetka
Šetka is a village in the municipality of Ražanj, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 471 people....
and Nikaudjedefre) and two daughters (Hetepheres C and Neferhetepes
Neferhetepes
Neferhetepes was an ancient Egyptian princess of the 4th dynasty; a daughter of Pharaoh Djedefre who ruled between his father Khufu and his brother Khafra. Her mother was Hetepheres II.- Biography :...
) but it is not known if Khentetka or Hetepheres (or even another woman) was the mother of these children. It has been suggested that Princess Neferhetepes was the daughter of Djedefre by Hetepheres.
Statues and Burial
Khentetka is known from statues found at Abu RawashAbu Rawash
Abu Rawash , 8 km to the North of Giza , is the site of Egypt's most northerly pyramid, Also known as the lost pyramid — the mostly ruined Pyramid of Djedefre, the son and successor of Khufu...
. She is depicted kneeling besides the knee of king Djedefre. A structure in the southwest corner of Djedefre's pyramid complex at Abu Rawash
Abu Rawash
Abu Rawash , 8 km to the North of Giza , is the site of Egypt's most northerly pyramid, Also known as the lost pyramid — the mostly ruined Pyramid of Djedefre, the son and successor of Khufu...
has been suggested as a possible burial place for Khentetka. Maragioglio and Rinaldi believe it may be the pyramid belonging to the Queen consort, and that could point to the pyramid belonging to Queen Khentetka.
It is not entirely clear however what the purpose of the pyramid was. Stadelmann and Jonosi believe it to be a cult pyramid. The cult pyramid usually stood in the southeast corner of the pyramid complex. The general orientation of the pyramid complex of Djedefre is north-west however and not east-south as is more common. The difference in orientation may mean the cult pyramid may not be located in its usual position, and the structure could be the cult pyramid for Djedefre's pyramid complex. Further excavations will be required to shed light on this question.