The Fourth Dynasty
The Fourth Dynasty (2723-2563 B.C.)
The kings of this
dynasty are the following:
1-
Senefru
2-
Khufu
3-
Djedefrea
4-
Khafrea
5-
Menkaurea
6-
Shepseskaf
7-
Queen Khentkawes
They are famous
for their huge pyramids and temples which indicate that the government was very
powerful and well organised during this dynasty.
Senefru
Snefru is the
first king of Egypt
Snefru
was the son of Huni, his predecessor.
His mother was Meresankh I, who was probably a secondary wife and therefore not
of royal blood. Snefru was married to Hetepheres I, his half sister, in
order to legitimize his rule. She was the mother of his son, Khufu, who became Egypt
Snefru is the
first owner of a true pyramid. This was the Red Pyramid at Dahshur, also known
as the Northern Pyramid. He also built the Bent Pyramids at Dahshur (also known as the
Southern Pyramid). The Red and Bent Pyramids are, respectively, the third and
fourth largest pyramids known to have been built in Egypt Egypt
In addition,
Snefru is credited with a "regional" or provincial pyramid, at Seila. This is a small, step pyramid with no
substructure. It was probably associated with provincial cult worship of the
king, or may have been located near to the king's "rural" palace.
Limestone Stele from Snefru's Bent
Pyramid
Senefru's achievements
in pyramid building extended beyond the pyramid structure
itself, and incorporated evolving religious beliefs. During his reign, we see
the first real elements of the sun worship.
For the
first time in the orientation of the building plan the main axis was oriented
from east to west rather than north to south, as were earlier pyramids. This
was apparently a move away from the astronomical "star" oriented
beliefs, toward the east-west passage of the sun and the worship of Ra.
From now on, the
mortuary temple is on the east rather than on the north side like in the Djoser Step Pyramid complex at Saqqara. Furthermore, we see the first of the
small satellite pyramids placed near the southern face of the main pyramid, a
structure that we still do not completely understand today. Furthermore, the
pyramid and mortuary temple elements were now linked by a causeway to a valley
temple located on the edge of the cultivation closer to the Nile. The valley temple operated as a
monumental gateway to the whole of the pyramid complex.
Snefru sent
several expeditions to the quarries. His name has been found on rock
inscriptions at the turquoise and copper mines of the Wadi Maghara in Sinai.
Snefru is also
credited with keeping the administrative power of the country within the royal
family. Two of his sons became viziers and it is likely that many other royal
children held important posts. Senefru also reorganized land ownership among
his nobles, to prevent them from becoming too powerful, and to stimulate the
cultivation of marshlands. By the end of the 6th Dynasty, administrative
power within Egypt was greatly
decentralized which is considered one of the reasons Egypt
According to the Palermo Stone, he led a military campaign against the Nubians and
Libyans. The expedition to Nubia Nubia
initiated to obtain raw material and goods, and to protect Egypt Libya
The Palermo
Stone also provides a record of forty ships that brought wood (probably cedar) from an unnamed
region, perhaps Lebanon Nile river boats up to about 50
meters in length.
Snefru's
later deification was perhaps due to his status as an "ideal" king,
whose deeds were emulated by later kings to justify their legitimacy to the
throne. His reputation was enhanced by the Westcar Papyrus (now in Berlin
During
the Middle Kingdom, his cult was particularly strong among the Sinai miners.
Because of his massive building projects, considerable resources from Snefru's
reign were employed to develop those quarries. Therefore, Snefru became
especially associated with this quarry district.
Snefru was buried
in the Red Pyramid at Dahshur. In 1950, the remains of his mummy were found
there. The tomb of his wife Hetepheres was discovered in 1925 and her excellent
monuments are exhibited in the Egyptian
Museum
Khufu
Khufu’s Horus name
was Medjedu, and his full birth-name was Khnum-khwi-f-wi, meaning, "the
god Khnum protects me." Khnum was considered the local god of Elephantine,
near the first Nile cataract, who created mankind on his "potter’s
wheel" and was also responsible for the proper flooding of the Nile .
The vizier Hemiunu
His vizier, Hemiunu,
was also the architect of the Great Pyramid. Khufu’s senior wife was named Merityotes,
and she and his other two wives were each buried in one of the three smaller
subsidiary pyramids that lie just south of the mortuary temple of the main
pyramid. Khufu had several sons, among them Kawa'b, who would have been his
heir, Khufu-khaf, Min-khaf, and Djedef-hor, Djedef-re and Khaf-re. The
so-called Papyrus Westcar contains tales of some of these sons.
Unfortunately,
there is little recorded information of Khufu's actual reign. Khufu probably
reigned for 23 or 24 years. There is evidence that he sent expeditions to
Sinai, and to the diorite stone quarries deep in the Nubian desert, north-west
of Abu Simbel. Inscriptions on the rocks at Wadi Maghara record the
presence of his troops there to exploit the turquoise mines, and a very faint
inscription at Elephantine indicates that he probably mined the red granite of Aswan
Herodotus as well
as the author of the document now known as the Papyrus Westcar depicted Khufu
as cruel. The text of Papyrus Westcar was inscribed in the Hyksos period
prior to the 18th Dynasty, though its composition seems to date from the 12th
Dynasty. One story, Khufu and the Magicians, relates that a magician named Djedi
who can reputedly bring back the dead to life. He is presented to Khufu, who
orders a prisoner to be brought to him, so that he may see a demonstration of
the magician’s talents. Khufu further orders that the prisoner should be
killed, and then Djedi can bring him back to life. When Djedi objects, the King
relents his initial decision, and Djedi then demonstrates his talent on a
goose.
The Great Pyramid
originally stood 147m high complete with its original casing, but since it lost
its top, its current height is 137m. The base of the Great Pyramid is square,
each side measuring 230m. It covers about 13 acres. The exterior casing was
shining white limestone, laid from the top downwards. His sarcophagus was found
empty in the King's Chamber. The structure of the pyramid and its complex was
largely robbed in the Middle Ages to build medieval Cairo village
of Nazlet
Along with the
pyramid itself, the remains of a magnificent 141-foot long ship of cedar wood
had also been found in a rock-cut pit close to the south side of the Great
Pyramid. A second ship may also rest in a second sealed pit, though not in as
good condition as this first. The ship was restored over many years, and now
lies in a special museum built near the pyramid itself. The ship may have
symbolized the solar journey of the deceased king with the gods, particularly
the sun-god Ra.
It is ironic
indeed that for all the magnificence of his pyramid, his funeral boat, and the
wonders of the funerary furnishings of his mother, Queen Hetepheres, wife of Sneferu,
the only portrait we have of Khufu is a tiny 9cm-high statue sculpted in ivory.
Statue of Khufu
Continuing Excavation-work
at Giza
The Great Pyramid
How the Great Pyramid was built is
a question that may never be answered. Herodotus said that it would have taken
30 years and 100,000 slaves to have built it. Another theory is that it was
built by peasants who were unable to work the land while the Nile
flooded between July and November. They may have been paid with food for their labor.
The flooded waters would have also aided in the moving of the casing stones.
These stones were brought from Aswan
The base of the pyramid covers 13
acres. The original entrance to the pyramid was about 15m higher than the
entrance that is used today. Apparently Al Maamum, who opened up the new
passage, could not find the original opening. The new passageway leads straight
across and joins in with the original passage, the descending passage. The
descending passage led only to a subterranean chamber. This descending passage
that leads down is set at a 26 degree angle that descends down 105m into the
earth under the pyramid. The passageway is only 1.1m wide and 1.2m high. The
chamber is closed to the public. The purpose of the subterranean chamber is
uncertain. It is possible that it could have been the burial chamber, but after
a change of plan, it was abandoned.
The ascending passage rises at the
same angle 26 degrees leading up into the pyramid. The ascending passage is the
same dimensions as the descending, 1.1m wide and 1.2m high. The passage is 47m
long and 8m high.
The ascending passage levels off horizontally
into the Queen's Chamber. The Queen's Chamber was never used. The floor in this
room was never polished, it's still rough. Egyptologists believe that the
chamber was brought to this point and then the builders changed their minds and
moved to the King's Chamber.
There are two ventilating shafts. These shafts are sealed at the extremities on
both shafts. The shafts must have been made as the pyramid went up, since the
builders most likely would not have continued to make the shafts after the
decision to abandon the chamber. It is also thought that these are not actually
ventilation shafts, but more of a religious significance. This could be related
to the Ancient Egyptian's beliefs that the stars are inhabited by gods and
souls of the dead.
The second way at the leveling off
point of the ascending passage is to continue upwards to the Grand Gallery. The
gallery is 48m long and 8.5m high and is at the same 26 degree angle as the
passages. The roof of the gallery is corbelled. The gallery is 1.6m wide at the
bottom and is only 1m wide at the top.
The Grand Gallery leads into the
King's Chamber. The walls of the chamber are made of pink Aswan Aswan Nile in the sky. The southern shaft from the King's Chamber
points directly to where Orion's Belt would have been in the sky. The southern
shaft of the Queen's Chamber points to Syrius. The northern shaft of the King's
Chamber points to the circumpolar stars. These stars never disappear in the
sky. It is thought that these shafts were to help the spirit of the dead
pharaoh find the important stars.
Above this chamber is a
series of five relieving chambers which are essential to support the weight of
the stones above and to distribute the weight away from the burial chamber. The
top chamber has a pointed roof made of limestone blocks. This is the most
important of the relieving chambers. In these chambers, are found the only
inscriptions in the whole pyramid.
The remains of the original
enclosure wall are still evident on the north and east side. It lies about 10m
from the base of the pyramid. Little remains of Khufu's Mortuary Temple
To the west of the great pyramid is
the Royal Cemetery
At the base of the south face of
the Great Pyramid, are the Boat Pits and Museum. The five boat pits were
discovered in 1982. One boat is located at the site and can be seen at the
museum. The boat, which is encased in the stones, has no nails. It was held
together with ropes and pegs, but not nails, and is amazingly intact. The
purpose of these boats may have been intended for travel to the after-life or
to accompany the Sun-God on his journey.
Djedefre
Djedefre was the
3rd King of Egypt's 4th Dynasty. He was the son
of Khufu by a minor wife.
He was the first king to adopt the name, "son of Re". The Turin King
list gives Djedefre eight years of rule. We know of two of Djedefre's wives,
who were apparently named Hetepheres II, his sister, and Khentetenka. Djedefre
had at least three sons, named Setka, Baka and Hernet, all by Khentetenka, and
perhaps two daughters, of which one was Neferhetepes. Fragmentary statues of
these children were found in his pyramid complex.
Statue of Setka, Djedefre's son, as
a scribe
The king, whose
birthname was Djedef-re, meaning Enduring like Re, is also know as Ra-djed-ef.
Djedefre built a pyramid at Abu Rawash. His pyramid has a number of elements that seem
to revert to earlier times, while his adoption of a "son of Re" name
also suggests religious new traditions.
Head of Djedefre
Djedefre is
further attested to by an inscription in the quarries deep in the Nubian Western
Desert
Khafre
Khafre is the
builder of the second pyramid on the famous Giza Plateau. His birth name was Khafre, which means
"Appearing like Re". He was possibly a younger son of Khufu by his consort, Henutsen, so he was required
to wait out the reign of Djedefre, his older brother, prior to ascending to
the throne of Egypt
Khafre continued
Djedefre’s promotion of the cult of the sun god Re by using the title “Son of Re” for himself and by incorporating the
name of the god in his own. We know of several of Khafre's wives, including
Meresankh II (the daughter of his brother, Kawab) and his chief wife, Khamerernebty
I. His sons include Nikaure, Sekhemkare and Menkaure, who succeeded him and married Khamerernebty II,
Khafre's daughter and Menkaure's sister.
He ruled Egypt for 24 years according to the Turin Egypt
It is clearly
evident from the fine mastaba tombs of the nobles in his court that Egypt
Khafre
participated in some foreign trade, or at least diplomacy, for objects dating
from his reign have been found at Byblos as well
as in Syria
Khafre's great
architectural projects include his pyramid complex at Giza Egyptian Museum Egyptian Museum
Menkaure
The last
and smallest of the Giza Pyramids was built by
Menkaure and named, "Menkaure is Divine". Menkaure is the king's
birth name meaning "Eternal like the Souls of Re". He succeeded his
father Khafre. His mother was Khamerernebty
I. His body was discovered in his basalt sarcophagus inside the pyramid.
Unfortunately, the sarcophagus was lost when the ship which was transporting it
to England foundered off the
coast of Spain , but the
remains of the body were saved and are now in the British Museum
He was married
perhaps to three different queens, including Khamerernebty II, who was his
eldest sister. He had two sons that we know of, Khuenre, his eldest son who
apparently died prior to Menkaure and was buried in a rock tomb (MQ 1)
southeast of his father's pyramid, and Shepses-ka-f, who was his successor. He
also had a daughter named Khent-kaw-es.
Menkaure's reign
was apparently very prosperous. He probably ruled for at least 26 years. Several
members of his court are known, including the viziers Neb-m-akhet and Sekhem-ka-re.
There was probably commercial or diplomatic relations between Egypt and the East during his reign, as Egyptian
objects have been found at Byblos
Menkaure with Hathor on his right
and nome figures on his left
Reisner leading
the Harvard University/Boston Museum expeditions in 1905 at Menkaure's pyramid
complex, discovered a number of triad groups-statues in the valley temple. They
represent Menkaure accompanied by the goddess Hathor, who was given the features of his queen,
Khamerernebty II and different nome figures. The workmanship of these statues,
which are now in the Egyptian Museum, is very high. However, many of
the statues that were discovered were not completed, as was his pyramid, which
was later finished by his son and successor, suggesting that Menkaure may have
met a sudden death.
Shepseskaf
He was the last
king of Egypt
Unlike his
immediate predecessors and his successors, Shepseskaf built no pyramid for
himself, but a huge Mastaba in Saqqara , known
as Mastabat' Fara'un. It was connected to a mortuary temple, a valley temple and a causeway.
Mastabat Fara'un of Shepseskaf
A part of a
statue of the king was found in the mortuary temple. Shepseskaf's mastaba
was huge, measuring 99 meters long and 74 meters wide, and oriented north to
south. The core of the mastaba was built in two levels of limestone blocks from the stone quarries at Dahshur. The mastaba was
encased with fine white limestone except for the very bottom course of red
granite. On some of the casing blocks may be found inscriptions of Prince Khaemwaset's later restoration of this monument.
The burial chamber
has a pink granite ceiling, like that of the burial chamber of his father,
Menkaure. Moreover fragments of his dark, basalt sarcophagus unearthed in the
burial chamber indicate that it was decorated very similarly to that of his
father. Unlike other royal tombs of this period, there appears to have been no
tombs for Shepseskaf's family members and officials within the area around his
tomb.
Shepseskaf's tomb
in the form of a mastaba rather than a pyramid may be interpreted as a protest
against the priesthood of Re, taking into consideration Shepseskaf's
abandonment of Re's reference within his name.
It seems that
Shepseskaf had no son to succeed him on the throne and thus his sister Khentkawes, being a royal daughter,
reigned over Egypt , adopting
for herself the title of “King of Upper and Lower Egypt ”.
It is quite probable that she married the high priest of Heliopolis Giza
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