Nefermaat I was the eldest son of Sneferu by a minor wife. He was given the title “Eldest son of the King”, however, it is sometimes suggested that he was not actually the son of Sneferu and that this title was simply honorary. He was Sneferu’s vizier and was also a seal bearer and prophet of Bast.
His wife, Atet (or Itet), was a noble woman given the title “She who is known to the king”. Nefertmaat and Atet were buried together in a mastaba (M16) in the necropolis at Meidum. His tomb contains a famous relief known as the “Meidum Geese”.
In his tomb it is recorded that he had fifteen children. His sons Hemiunu (who is credited as the architect of the Great Pyramid), Isu, Teta, and Khentimeresh, and daughters Djefatsen and Isesu are depicted as adults, while his sons Itisen, Inkaef, Serfka, Wehemka, Shepseska, Kakhent, Ankhersheretef, Ankherfenedjef, Buneb, Shepsesneb, and Nebkhenet, and his daughter Pageti are depicted as children.
Bibliography
- The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt (2004) Aidan Dodson and Dyan Hilton
- An Introduction to the Archeology of Ancient Egypt (2008) Kathryn A. Bard
- “The Old Kingdom”, J Malek in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000) Ed I. Shaw
- Who’s Who in Ancient Egypt (1999) Michael Rice
Copyright J Hill 2015