carved and taken to ABYDOS. Neferhotep I then closed the
necropolis to more public burials and erected a STELA
declaring his intent. People from all across Egypt brought
their deceased loved ones to Abydos to inter them in the
god OSIRIS’s domain in order to provide them with eternal
bliss. The crown finally had to control the number of
individual burials in the area, and Neferhotep was one of
several rulers who made such restrictions over the cen-
turies. His portrait statue is in the museum in Bologna,
Italy. He also participated in the Osirian Passion Plays.
Neferhotep I’s son was Wahnefer-Hotep, whose SHABTIS,
miniature tomb figures believed to act as proxies for the
deceased in the Underworld, were found in el-LISHT.
Another son, Ha’ankhaf, died young. Records indicate
that Neferhotep I was succeeded by SAHATHORand then
by SOBEKHOTEP IV.
Neferhotep III (Sekhemre’sankhtawy)(fl. 17th cen-
tury B.C.E.)One of the last rulers of the Thirteenth Dynasty
His date of reign is unknown. A stela in KARNAKmentions
his aid to the temples and shrines of Thebes. He is sup-
posed to have worn the khepresh,the war CROWNmade of
ELECTRUM. This appears to be the first reference to that
particular style of royal headdress. Neferhotep III con-
ducted military campaigns against the HYKSOS, but the
Asiatics were in full control of their Delta territories by
that time.
Neferirkaré See KAKAI.
Neferkara (fl. c. 27th century B.C.E.)Obscure ruler of
the Second Dynasty
He was possibly the seventh in that line, but his date of
reign is unknown. MANETHO, the Ptolemaic Period
(304–30 B.C.E.) historian, states that Neferkara ruled for a
quarter of a century. He is also on the Abydos KING LIST.
The contemporary comment on Neferkara was that “the
Nile flowed with honey for eleven days during his
reign... .”
Neferkau(fl. 21st century B.C.E.)Royal woman of the
Eleventh Dynasty
She was probably a consort of INYOTEF II(r. 2118–2069
B.C.E.), who ruled only Thebes and Upper Egypt at the
time. Neferkau’s name was discovered on a shaft dug in
the tomb of Inyotef II at el-TARIF, on the shore at THEBES.
Neferkhewet(fl. 15th century B.C.E.) Highly skilled
artistic official of the Eighteenth Dynasty
He served HATSHEPSUT (r. 1473–1458 B.C.E.) as royal
architect. Her reign sponsored tremendous building pro-
jects in both the north and the south, and many talented
individuals worked to provide splendid monuments
throughout the Nile Valley. Neferkhewet’s tomb on the
western shore of THEBESprovides documentation of his
accomplishments and his honors as a servant of the
court. Also honored are his wife, Ren-nefer, and his son,
Amenenhet.Neferku-Hor (Neterybau, Kapu-Yeby)(fl. 22nd cen-
tury B.C.E.)Fourteenth ruler of the obscure Eighth Dynasty
Neferku-Hor issued four decrees in one afternoon during
his first year of rule, the dates of which are unknown.
One decree lists the titles of his eldest daughter, NEBYET;a
second orders the construction of a solar bark for the
deity Horus-Min; and another provides honors for the
house of SHEMAY, the vizier who married Nebyet. She-
may’s family outlived Neferku-Hor.Neferku-Min (Neferes)(fl. 22nd century B.C.E.)Ob-
scure ruler of the Eighth Dynasty
Listed in the TURIN CANON, Neferku-Min ruled less than
two and one half years, but the dates of his reign are
unknown.Neferkuré (fl. 2150 B.C.E.)Founder of the Eighth
Dynasty
Neferkuré reportedly was a son or grandson of PEPI IIand
Queen ANKHNES-PEPI. He is listed in the TURIN CANONas
having a reign of four years and two months, but the
actual dates are not documented. Neferkuré built a small
PYRAMID in SAQQARA. He also buried Queen Ankhnes-
Pepi in a borrowed sarcophagus. His pyramid was named
“enduring is the life of Neferkuré.”Neferma’at (fl. 26th century B.C.E.)Royal prince of the
Fourth Dynasty
He was the son of SNEFRU(r. 2575–2551 B.C.E.) and
Princess NEFERT-KAU, Snefru’s daughter, who became her
father’s consort. Neferma’at married Princess Itet or Atet,
and their son was HEMIUNU, the vizier of KHUFU. Nefer-
ma’at was buried at MEIDUM. The famous Meidum Geese,
the exquisitely painted fowls, were discovered in Princess
Itet’s tomb. Neferma’at also served as the vizier of Khufu
and supervised the construction of the Great Pyramid at
GIZA. The Fourth Dynasty maintained control by only
using royal family members in positions of authority.Neferperet(fl. 16th century B.C.E.)Building official of
the Eighteenth Dynasty
He served ’AHMOSE(r. 1550–1525 B.C.E.) as the superin-
tendent of royal building projects. Neferperet directed the
quarrying of stone at MASARA, south of modern Cairo. He
also brought limestone to THEBESfrom HYKSOSruins in
the Delta. Used for the temples of PTAHand AMUNat
OPET, the stone was carried on sledges. In an inscription
on the walls of a Masara quarry, Neferperet announced
that ’Ahmose opened the site in the 22nd year of his268 Neferhotep III