that allowed human dissection. His awareness of the
workings of the human brain and his careful accounts of
his studies of various organs won praise in the later medi-
cal fields in Greece. Galen and others detailed his accom-
plishments.
See also PER-ANKH.
Hesira (fl. 27th century B.C.E.)Official of the Third
Dynasty, called the “greatest of physicians and dentists”
He served DJOSER(r. 2630–2611 B.C.E.) and is famous for
the tomb decorations that he commissioned, works that
demonstrate the human canon of ART. Hesira was the
overseer of royal scribes and called “the greatest of physi-
cians and dentists,” and he was honored with a mastaba
in SAQQARA. His tomb has a corridor chapel that contains
carved panels depicting Hesira in epic poses, representing
the artistic gains of his time. He was buried in a subter-
ranean chamber connected to the tomb by a shaft. The
chapel contains a SERDAB,a statue chamber like the one
found in the STEP PYRAMID. Traditional palace facade pan-
els also adorn the tomb, which was made out of mud
bricks.
See also ART AND ARCHITECTURE.
hespurification See BAPTISM.
Hesseb (el-Hesseb Island) This site near the first
cataract of the Nile, south of ASWAN, served as a boundary
fortress in some periods. The site contained a stela from
the Sixth Dynasty (2323–2150 B.C.E.). Egypt was already
involved in TRADEwith NUBIA(modern Sudan) at that
time.
Hetephakef An obscure deity of Egypt, associated with
the city of MEMPHIS. A life-sized statue of the god was
made out of schist and contained the CARTOUCHEof
RAMESSES II(r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.). No cultic temples of
Hetephakef remain.
Hetepheres (1)(fl. 26th century B.C.E.) Royal woman
of the Third and Fourth Dynasties of Egypt
She was the daughter of HUNI(r. 2599–2575 B.C.E.) and
the consort of SNEFRU(r. 2575–2551 B.C.E.). Hetepheres
was the mother of KHUFU(r. 2551–2528 B.C.E.), also
called Cheops. Her tomb regalia, discovered in a shaft
without her mummified remains, reflect the tragedy of
tomb robberies and vandalism in that age and throughout
all of Egypt’s historical periods.
HEMIUNU, a prince nephew who served as Khufu’s
VIZIER, discovered Hetepheres’ tomb in shambles and
removed the mortuary furniture and personal goods from
the original DASHUR burial site to GIZA. These items
included bedroom furnishings, gold casings, toiletries,
and a statue of Hetepheres in a sheath gown, tripartite
wig, and bracelets. Her vital organs had been placed in
CANOPIC JARSwith a natron solution but had decayed.
Her COFFINwas fashioned out of calcite, a white translu-
cent alabaster. This was placed in the shaft at Giza with-
out her mummy, which was probably destroyed by the
thieves. The 90-foot shaft was filled with stones after her
regalia was deposited.Hetepheres (2)(fl. 26th century B.C.E.) Royal woman
of the Fourth Dynasty
She was the daughter of KHUFU(Cheops; r. 2551–2528
B.C.E.) and possibly Queen MERITITES (1). Hetepheres
married Prince KEWAB, the heir to Khufu’s throne and
bore him MERYSANKH(3) and others. Kewab died vio-
lently, and she was given to RA’DJEDEF (r. 2528–2520
B.C.E.), who was possibly responsible for Kewab’s demise.
When Ra’djedef died, Hetepheres married ANKHKHAF,a
powerful vizier serving KHAFRE(r. 2520–2494 B.C.E.).
Prince Kewab had fashioned a magnificent tomb for Het-
epheres in GIZA.A MASTABA design, sumptuously
adorned, the tomb was used to bury Hetepheres’ daughter
Merysankh (3) when she died. Hetepheres provided this
site for her daughter and built another tomb in the east-
ern portion of the eastern plateau of Giza. There she was
buried in a black granite sarcophagus. She is believed to
have reached the age of 70.Hetephernebty(fl. 27th century B.C.E.)Royal woman
of the Third Dynasty who was much honored with her sister,
Intakaes
Hetephernebty was possibly a consort of DJOSER (r.
2630–2611 B.C.E.). Hetephernebty also appears in some
accounts. Hetephernebty and Intakaes were possibly the
daughters of KHA’SEKHEMWY(r. c. 2649 B.C.E.), the last
king of the Second Dynasty. The two sisters were popular
in the court of Djoser. They are probably buried in
SAQQARA, in Djoser’s STEP PYRAMIDcomplex.“He-Who-Looks-Behind-Himself” A divine being
associated with Egyptian burial rituals, named Hraf-hef,
he was also called the Great Fowler. Hraf-hef, “He Who
Looks Behind Himself,” was the ferryman on the celestial
lake of the TUAT, or Underworld. He also served as one of
the 42 judges in the JUDGMENT HALLS OF OSIRIS, where the
deceased had to prove their worthiness. Hraf-hef had to
be placated with funerary litanies and with magical oint-
ments. The NET SPELLSincluded in some versions of the
BOOK OF THE DEADwere intended to soothe “He-Who-
Looks-Behind-Himself” and to persuade him to ferry the
deceased to paradise.Hiba, el- (Tendjai) A site between HERAKLEOPOLIS
MAGNAand HERMOPOLIS MAGNA, called Tendjai originally,
El-Hiba was a frontier fortress and residence. A temple of
AMUNwas erected on the site by SHOSHENQI(r. 945–924168 Hesira