As well as the most famous sons of Sneferu (Khufu, Anhkhaf, Nefermaat I, Rahotep) and his better known daughters (Queen Meritetes I and Queen Henutsen) there are a number of lesser known children and grandchildren who are only attested by inscription or by the presence of their burial mastabas in Dashur or Meidum.
Netjeraperef
Netjeraperef was another of the sons of Sneferu by a minor wife. He was a priest and was given the title “King’s son” but we know little else about his life. He was buried in a mastaba in Dashur and a stele from his tomb was used to frame the doorway of the bent pyramid of Sneferu during the Middle Kingdom.
Hetepheres (A)
Princess Hetepheres (A) was the daughter of Sneferu and Queen Hetepheres I. She married her half-brother, Ankhaf the Vizier of Khafre, but they do not seem to have had any children. She is depicted in Ankhaf’s tomb in which she is described as “Priestess of Sneferu, eldest King’s daughter of his body, the one whom he loves”.
Nefertkau
Nefertkau was the daughter of Sneferu and an unknown wife. She may have been one of the wives of her half-brother Khufu. Nefertkau had one son named Nefermaat II who may have been the son of Khufu. She was the grandmother of Seneferu-khaf. Nefertkau was buried in the royal necropolis of Giza in mastaba G7050.
Kanefer
Kanefer was the sons of Sneferu by an unknown queen. He held the post of Vizier, “Overseer of the troops” (general) and “Greatest of seers” (high priest) and was given the title “eldest son of the king” (although this does not actually confirm that he was the firstborn son of Sneferu. He was buried in a mastaba in Dashur, where Sneferu chose to build his Bent and Red pyramids after abandoning the necropolis of Meidum which implies that he died after Nefermaat I and Rahotep who were both buried at Meidum.
Ranefer
Ranefer (“Re is beautiful”) was another of the sons of Sneferu but we know little about him. He was buried in a mastaba in Meidum.
Iynefer
Iynefer (“the beautiful one has come”) was another of the sons of Sneferu about whom we know little other than his name.
Nefertnesu
Nefertnesu was the daughter of Sneferu by an unknown wife. As far as we know she had one child Nefertnesu, Kaemqed, but little else is know about her or her son.
Bibliography
- Bard, Kathryn (2008) An introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
- Dodson, A and Hilton, D. (2004) The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt
- Rice, Michael (1999) Who’s Who in Ancient Egypt
Copyright J Hill 2010