Menkauhor Kaiu: Difference between revisions

Menkauhor Kaiu
Menkauhor Kaiu
Mencheres, Menkaouhor, Ikaouhor, Hor-A-Kau
	Statue of Menkauhor, probably from Memphis, now in the Egyptian Museum.
Pharaoh
Reign	2422–2414, 2421–2414 BC, 2389–2380 BC, 2373–2366 BC
Predecessor	Nyuserre Ini
Successor	Djedkare Isesi
Horus name
Horus name
	Menkhau; Mn-ḫ3w; He whose apparitions are eternal
Golden Horus
Prenomen (Praenomen)
Nomen
Consort	uncertain, possibly 5th dynasty

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Menkauhor Kaiu (also Menkaouhor and in

Old Kingdom period.^[5] Menkauhor enjoyed a reign of 8 or 9 years, succeeding king Nyuserre Ini and in turn succeeded by the longer lived Djedkare Isesi

. Very few attestations datable to Menkauhor's reign have survived to this day and Menkauhor is thus one of the least known pharaohs of the 5th Dynasty.

Menkauhor sent an expedition to the mines of copper and turquoise in the Sinai and built a sun temple known as "Akhet-Ra", meaning The Horizon of Ra, the last of its kind. Menkauhor was buried in a pyramid in Saqqara called "Netjer-Isut Menkauhor" (The Divine Places of Menkauhor) and known today as the Headless Pyramid.

Attestations

Wadi Maghara.^[8]

Compared to the other kings of the 5th Dynasty, relatively few attestations dating to Menkauhor's reign have survived to this day.

Wadi Maghara in the Sinai showing his titulary. There is also a rough stele inscribed with his cartouche from Mastaba 904 at Saqqara.^[9] A few reliefs dating to the New Kingdom

, almost 1000 years after Menkauhor's reign, represent him standing or enthroned and demonstrate that his funerary cult endured long after his death.

The only two small artefacts known to date to Menkauhor's reign are a single cylinder seal with Menkauhor's horus name, from the pyramid complex of Nyuserre Ini in Abusir, and a small alabaster statue, probably from Memphis.^[10] Two gold cylinder seals dating to the reign of Menkauhor's successor Djedkare Isesi also bear Menkauhor's cartouche as part of the name of his pyramid complex.

In contrast, Menkauhor is well attested by historical sources. He is mentioned on the 3rd column, 23rd row of the

Ramses II.^[9] Finally, Menkauhor is mentioned under the hellenized name Mencheres in Manetho's Aegyptiaca, an history of Egypt written in the 3rd century BC.^[9]

Family

Owing to the paucity of contemporaneous sources for Menkauhor, his relation to his predecessor, Nyuserre Ini, and to his successor, Djedkare Isesi, cannot be ascertained. Menkauhor may have been a son of Nyuserre Ini: indeed reliefs from the mortuary temple of Khentkaus II may point to such a relationship, although this remains largely uncertain.^[11]

Similarly no consort for Menkauhor is known for certain: queen Meresankh IV has been suggested as a possibility.^[12] It is possible however that she was a wife of Djedkare Isesi instead. Another possible consort of Menkauhor is queen Khuit I although this is uncertain again. A tomb discovered in January 2015 belonging to a "King's mother" Khentkaus III of the mid-fifth dynasty might point to her being Menkauhor Kaiu's mother.^[7]

Menkauhor's successor Djedkare Isesi could possibly be Menkauhor's son.^[11] Other possible children include the princes Raemka and Khaemtjenent, but it is also possible they are sons of Djedkare Isesi,^[12] so they could be his grandsons instead.

Reign

Duration

The Turin canon credits Menkauhor with 8 years of reign, while Manetho gives him 9 years on the throne. Remarkably, the small alabaster statue of Menkauhor represent him dressed with the ceremonial robe of the

Egyptologists consider his reign to have been between 8 and 9 years long, as indicated by the historical sources.^[9]

Activities

Thanks to a large inscription showing the titulary of Menkauhor in the Wadi Maghara, it is known that Menkauhor sent an expedition there to exploit the mines of turquoise and copper.^[9]

Menkauhor had a

Akhet-Ra", meaning The Horizon of Ra. In addition, Menkauhor built a pyramid called "Netjer-Isut Menkauhor", The Divine Places of Menkauhor.^[10]

Records from

First Intermediate Period and which has yet to be found.^[14] However in 2008, Lepsius' Headless Pyramid was rediscovered and excavations at the site quickly established a Fifth Dynasty datation for it.^[15]^[16]

Since Menkauhor is the only king of this dynasty whose pyramid had not yet been formally recognized, the Headless Pyramid must belong to him.

Funerary cult

Musée du Louvre

.

Menkauhor enjoyed a funerary cult after his death and several agricultural domains were established to provide the necessary goods. Several priests serving this cult are known thanks to their tombs, located in Saqqara North and Abusir South.[17] The funerary cult of Menkauhor seems to have continued into the New Kingdom period (1550– 1077 BC), as evidenced by reliefs showing Menkauhor in the tombs of Imeneminet and Thuthu in Saqqara-North, both of which lived during the 18th Dynasty (1550–1292 BC).^[17]

An inscribed block dating to the later

Pepi II. The owner of the tomb stands before the kings, in worship.^[18] A lintel from the tomb chapel of Mahy from Saqqara North shows a similar scene: four deified kings of the Old Kingdom are shown, all of whom built their pyramid at Saqqara: Djoser, Teti, Userkaf and Menkauhor.^[17]

References

^ Borchardt 1911, pp. 37–38.
^ ^a ^b Clayton 1994, pp. 60–61.
^ Malek 2000, p. 100.
^ Rice 1999, pp. 107–108.
^ ^a ^b von Beckerath 1999, pp. 58–59 & 283.
^ Hornung 2012, p. 491.
^ ^a ^b Charles University Press Release 2015.
^ Lepsius & Denkmäler II, p. 39.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Baker 2008, pp. 198–199.
^ ^a ^b Verner 2001, p. 405.
^ ^a ^b Miroslav Verner: The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt's Great Monuments, Grove Press (1997), ISBN 978-0802139351.
^ ^a ^b Dodson, Hilton, The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt, 2004
^ Jocelyne Berlandini: La pyramide ruinée de Sakkara-nord et le roi Ikaouhor-Menkaouhor, Revue d'Egyptologie 31, (1979), pp. 3-28. Available online
^ Jaromir Malek: King Merykare and his Pyramid, in C. Berger, G. Clerc and N. Grimal (eds) Hommages à Jean Leclant, Vol. 4., (Bibliothèque d'étude 106/4), Cairo 1994, pp. 203–214.
^ Wright 2008.
^ Kratovac 2008.
^ ^a ^b ^c Vymazalová & Coppens 2008, pp. 32–39.
^ Wildung 1969, pp. 197–198.

Bibliography

Baker, Darrell (2008). The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume I - Predynastic to the Twentieth Dynasty 3300–1069 BC. Stacey International.
ISBN 978-1-905299-37-9. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help
)

ISBN 978-3-8053-2591-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help
)

OCLC 7012471. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help
)

"Czech expedition discovers the tomb of an ancient Egyptian unknown queen".
Charles University in Prague
. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
Clayton, Peter (1994). Chronicle of the Pharaohs. Thames & Hudson.
ISBN 978-0-500-05074-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help
)

Hornung, Erik; Krauss, Rolf; Warburton, David, eds. (2012). Ancient Egyptian Chronology. Handbook of Oriental Studies. Leiden, Boston: Brill.
ISSN 0169-9423
.

Kratovac, Katarina (June 6, 2008). "Archaeologists Uncover 4,000-Year-Old Missing Egyptian Pyramid" (Press release). Associated Press. Retrieved 2015-01-31. {{cite press release}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
OCLC 60700892. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help
)

Malek, Jaromir (2000). "The Old Kingdom (c.2160-2055 BC)". In Shaw, Ian (ed.). The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press.
ISBN 978-0-19-815034-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help
)

Rice, Michael (1999). Who is who in Ancient Egypt. Routledge London & New York.
ISBN 978-0-203-44328-6. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help
)

Verner, Miroslav (2001). "Archaeological Remarks on the 4th and 5th Dynasty Chronology" (PDF). Archiv Orientální. 69 (3): 363–418. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Vymazalová, Hana; Coppens, Filip (2008). "König Menkauhor. Ein kaum bekannter Herrscher der 5. Dynastie". Sokar (in German). 17: 32–39. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Wildung, Dietrich (1969). "Die Rolle ägyptischer Könige im Bewußtsein ihrer Nachwelt. Teil I. Posthume Quellen über die Könige der ersten vier Dynastien". Münchener Ägyptologische Studien. (MÄS) (in German). 17. München–Berlin: Deutscher Kunstverlag. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Wright, Jonathan (June 5, 2008). "Eroded pyramid attributed to early pharaoh" (Press release). Reuters. Retrieved February 7, 2015. {{cite press release}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Jocelyne Berlandini, La pyramide "ruinée" de Sakkara-nord et le roi Ikaouhor-Menkaouhor, Bulletin de la Société Française d’Égyptologie 83 (1978), pp. 24–35.
Cecil Mallaby Firth, Report on the excavations of the Department of antiquities at Saqqara (November 1929–April 1930), Annales du Service des Antiquités de l'Égypte 30 (1930), pp. 393–396.

External links

Egyptian Kings
Menkauhor Pyramid Found (BBC)

Preceded by Nyuserre Ini	5th Dynasty	Succeeded by Djedkare Isesi

Template:Persondata

[FOOTNOTEBorchardt191137–38-1] Borchardt 1911, pp. 37–38.

[FOOTNOTEClayton199460–61-2] Clayton 1994, pp. 60–61.

[FOOTNOTEMalek2000100-3] Malek 2000, p. 100.

[FOOTNOTERice1999107–108-4] Rice 1999, pp. 107–108.

[FOOTNOTEvon_Beckerath199958–59_&_283-5] von Beckerath 1999, pp. 58–59 & 283.

[FOOTNOTEHornung2012491-6] Hornung 2012, p. 491.

[FOOTNOTECharles_University_Press_Release2015-7] Charles University Press Release 2015.

[FOOTNOTELepsiusDenkmäler_II39-8] Lepsius & Denkmäler II, p. 39.

[FOOTNOTEBaker2008198–199-9] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Baker 2008, pp. 198–199.

[FOOTNOTEVerner2001405-10] Verner 2001, p. 405.

[M._Verner,_The_Pyramids,_1997-11] Miroslav Verner: The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt's Great Monuments, Grove Press (1997), ISBN 978-0802139351.

[ReferenceA-12] Dodson, Hilton, The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt, 2004

[berlandini-13] Jocelyne Berlandini: La pyramide ruinée de Sakkara-nord et le roi Ikaouhor-Menkaouhor, Revue d'Egyptologie 31, (1979), pp. 3-28. Available online

[malek-14] Jaromir Malek: King Merykare and his Pyramid, in C. Berger, G. Clerc and N. Grimal (eds) Hommages à Jean Leclant, Vol. 4., (Bibliothèque d'étude 106/4), Cairo 1994, pp. 203–214.

[FOOTNOTEWright2008-15] Wright 2008.

[FOOTNOTEKratovac2008-16] Kratovac 2008.

[FOOTNOTEVymazalováCoppens200832–39-17] Vymazalová & Coppens 2008, pp. 32–39.

[FOOTNOTEWildung1969197–198-18] Wildung 1969, pp. 197–198.

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@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 Menkauhor had a [[Egyptian sun temple|sun temple]] built in [[Abu Gorab]],{{sfn|Baker|2008|pp=198&ndash;199}} it would be the last of the 5th Dynasty. Its ancient name was "[[akhet (hieroglyph and season)|Akhet]]-[[Ra]]", meaning ''The Horizon of Ra''. In addition, Menkauhor built a pyramid called "Netjer-Isut Menkauhor", ''The Divine Places of Menkauhor''.{{sfn|Verner|2001|p=405}}
-Records from [[Abusir]] contemporaneous with the Fifth Dynasty indicate that Menkauhor's pyramid was located either at [[Dahshur]] or at [[Saqqara]]. It is precisely in Saqqara that the German archaeologist [[Karl Richard Lepsius]] discovered a pyramid in 1842, which he listed under the number XXIX in his [[Lepsius list of pyramids|pioneering list]]. Owing to the ruined state of the structure, Lepsius called it the "[[Headless Pyramid]]", a name has since then been retained. The pyramid was lost under shifting sands in the 19th century and its attribution to Menkauhor was debated.<ref name="berlandini">Jocelyne Berlandini: ''La pyramide ruinée de Sakkara-nord et le roi Ikaouhor-Menkaouhor'', Revue d'Egyptologie 31, (1979), pp. 3-28. [https://www.academia.edu/3207239/_La_pyramide_ruinee_de_Sakkara-nord_et_le_roi_Ikaouhor-Menkaouhor_ Available online]</ref> Indeed it was proposed that the Headless Pyramid was in fact the [[Pyramid of Merikare]], a pyramid dating to the [[First Intermediate Period]] and which has yet to be found.<ref name="malek">Jaromir Malek: ''King Merykare and his Pyramid'', in C. Berger, G. Clerc and [[Nicolas Grimal|N. Grimal]] (eds) ''Hommages à Jean Leclant, Vol. 4.'', (Bibliothèque d'étude 106/4), Cairo 1994, pp. 203–214.</ref> However in 2008, Lepsius' Headless Pyramid was rediscovered and excavations at the site quickly established a 5th Dynasty datation for it.<ref>Katarina Kratovac: "Egypt uncovers 'missing' pyramid of a pharaoh", [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080605/ap_on_re_mi_ea/egypt_missing_pyramid_4 see online], AP, June 5, 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/06/05/missing.pyramid.ap/index.html | title=Archeologists find 'missing pyramid' - CNN.com}} {{Dead link|date=August 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> Since Menkauhor is the only king of this dynasty whose pyramid had not yet been formally recognized, the Headless Pyramid must belong to him.
+Records from [[Abusir]] contemporaneous with the Fifth Dynasty indicate that Menkauhor's pyramid was located either at [[Dahshur]] or at [[Saqqara]]. It is precisely in Saqqara that the German archaeologist [[Karl Richard Lepsius]] discovered a pyramid in 1842, which he listed under the number XXIX in his [[Lepsius list of pyramids|pioneering list]]. Owing to the ruined state of the structure, Lepsius called it the "[[Headless Pyramid]]", a name has since then been retained. The pyramid was lost under shifting sands in the 19th century and its attribution to Menkauhor was debated.<ref name="berlandini">Jocelyne Berlandini: ''La pyramide ruinée de Sakkara-nord et le roi Ikaouhor-Menkaouhor'', Revue d'Egyptologie 31, (1979), pp. 3-28. [https://www.academia.edu/3207239/_La_pyramide_ruinee_de_Sakkara-nord_et_le_roi_Ikaouhor-Menkaouhor_ Available online]</ref> Indeed it was proposed that the Headless Pyramid was in fact the [[Pyramid of Merikare]], a pyramid dating to the [[First Intermediate Period]] and which has yet to be found.<ref name="malek">Jaromir Malek: ''King Merykare and his Pyramid'', in C. Berger, G. Clerc and [[Nicolas Grimal|N. Grimal]] (eds) ''Hommages à Jean Leclant, Vol. 4.'', (Bibliothèque d'étude 106/4), Cairo 1994, pp. 203–214.</ref> However in 2008, Lepsius' Headless Pyramid was rediscovered and excavations at the site quickly established a Fifth Dynasty datation for it.{{sfn|Wright|2008}}{{sfn|Kratovac|2008}} Since Menkauhor is the only king of this dynasty whose pyramid had not yet been formally recognized, the Headless Pyramid must belong to him.
 ==Funerary cult==
@@ Line 84: / Line 84: @@
  |ref={{harvid|Hornung|2012}}
 }}
+*{{cite press release |last=Kratovac |first=Katarina |date=June 6, 2008 |title=Archaeologists Uncover 4,000-Year-Old Missing Egyptian Pyramid|url=http://www.nysun.com/foreign/archaeologists-uncover-4000-year-old-missing/79418/location= |publisher= |agency=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=2015-01-31|ref=harv}}
 *{{cite book|last=Lepsius|first=Karl Richard|author-link=Karl Richard Lepsius|year=1846&ndash;1856|location=Berlin|title=Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien, Abteilung II Band III: Altes Reich|url=http://edoc3.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/lepsius/tafelwa2.html|oclc=60700892|language=German|ref={{harvid|Lepsius|Denkmäler II}}}}
 *{{cite book |first=Jaromir|last=Malek|chapter=The Old Kingdom (c.2160-2055 BC)|editor-last=Shaw |editor-first=Ian |title=The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt |year=2000 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-815034-3|ref=harv}}
@@ Line 90: / Line 91: @@
 *{{cite journal|last1=Vymazalová|first1=Hana|author1-link=Hana Vymazalová|first2=Filip|last2=Coppens|title=König Menkauhor. Ein kaum bekannter Herrscher der 5. Dynastie|language=German|journal=Sokar|year=2008|volume=17|pp=32&ndash;39|ref=harv}}
 *{{cite journal|last=Wildung|first=Dietrich|title=Die Rolle ägyptischer Könige im Bewußtsein ihrer Nachwelt. Teil I. Posthume Quellen über die Könige der ersten vier Dynastien|journal=Münchener Ägyptologische Studien. (MÄS)|volume=17|publisher=Deutscher Kunstverlag|location=München&ndash;Berlin|language=German|year=1969|ref=harv}}
+*{{cite press release |last=Wright |first=Jonathan |date=June 5, 2008 |title=Eroded pyramid attributed to early pharaoh |url=http://in.reuters.com/article/2008/06/05/idINIndia-33922020080605 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |access-date=February 7, 2015|ref=harv}}
 *Jocelyne Berlandini, ''La pyramide "ruinée" de Sakkara-nord et le roi Ikaouhor-Menkaouhor'', Bulletin de la Société Française d’Égyptologie 83 (1978), pp.&nbsp;24–35.