Queen Nefertnebty (Neferet-ha-Nebti, Neferetnebti) was the wife of Sahure, a pharaoh of the fifth dynasty (Old Kingdom) of Ancient Egypt. Her name means “the beautiful two ladies”, referring to Wadjet and Nekhbet the patrons of upper and lower Egypt.
She had at least two children, Prince Ranefer and Prince Netjerirenre. It is proposed by some that both of these princes became pharaohs (Ranefer took the throne as Neferirkare, and Netjerirenre as Shepseskare) but she is never referred to as “King’s mother” and no inscription positively confirms that the princes did in fact change their names, so it is also possible that her son’s position was usurped by their uncle Neferirkare. She is depicted with her husband and her two sons in her husband’s pyramid complex.
Her other titles include “Great of Praises”, “She who sees Horus and Set“, “King’s Wife”, and “Companion of Horus”.
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