Queen Meritites (“Beloved of her father”) lived during the fourth dynasty (Old Kingdom) of Ancient Egypt. She may have been the daughter of Sneferu (although she is sometimes considered to have been a lesser wife of Sneferu) and the wife of Khufu. She was the mother of Crown Prince Kawab, Prince Djedefhor, Prince Baufra, Princess Meritites II, Queen Hetepheres II, and Queen Meresankh II.
The location of her burial is disputed. Some experts consider that the Queens Pyramid G1a of the Great Pyramid Complex at Giza was built for her (although it is also ascribed to Queen Hetepheres I by others) while some link her to G1b. However, an inscription on a false door in a mastaba close to the Great Pyramid describes a noblewoman called Mertitiotes as “King’s wife, his beloved to Horus, Mertitiotes: beloved of the Favourite of the Two Goddesses; she who says anything whatsoever and it is done for her. Great in the favour of Snefru; Great in the favour of Khufu, devoted to Horus, honoured under Khafre, Mertitiotes” and it is suggested that this may have been her burial place.
She is mentioned in the tomb of Crown Prince Kawab where she is given the titles “Great one of the hetes-scepter of Sneferu, Great one of the hetes-scepter of Khufu, (Beloved) King’s Wife, Attendant of Horus, Consort of the one of the Two Ladies”.
Bibliography
- Dodson, A and Hilton, D. (2004) The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt
- Lehner, Mark (1997) The Complete Pyramids
- Rice, Michael (1999) Who’s Who in Ancient Egypt
- Verner, Miroslav (1997)The Pyramids
Copyright J Hill 2015