sut’s builders opened a passageway to Neferu’s tomb
chapel, which was visited by many devout Egyptians of
the period.
Neferu (2)(fl. 20th century B.C.E.)Trade official of the
Twelfth Dynasty
Neferu served SENWOSRET I(r. 1971–1926 B.C.E.) as over-
seer of transportation and TRADE in NUBIA (modern
Sudan), particularly in the region surrounding the
fortress at BUHEN, south of the first cataract of the Nile.
Buhen was fortified and served as an important garrison
for protecting the expanding trade of the Middle King-
dom (2040–1640 B.C.E.) during Neferu’s term of office.
His mortuary STELAprovides information about this his-
torical period and is in the British Museum in London.
Neferu-Khayet (1)(fl. 21st century B.C.E.) Royal wo-
man of the Eleventh Dynasty
She was the consort of INYOTEF II(r. 2118–2069 B.C.E.)
and the mother of INYOTEF III. Neferu-Khayet was the
grandmother of MONTUHOTEP II, the unifier of Egypt in
2061 B.C.E. The Inyotef line ruled THEBESbefore Mon-
tuhotep II marched on the Delta clans to end their pow-
ers. Neferu-Khayet was buried at Thebes.
Neferu-Khayet (2)(fl. 21st century B.C.E.) Royal wo-
man and nome heiress of the Eleventh Dynasty
She was a consort of MONTUHOTEP II(r. 2061–2010 B.C.E.)
and a powerful nome aristocrat in her own right. Neferu-
Khayet was the daughter of Princess NEBT, an heiress of
ELEPHANTINEIsland. A learned woman with considerable
wealth, Neferu-Khayet maintained libraries and artworks
as the Elephantine Island ranking woman.
Neferukheb(fl. 15th century B.C.E.)Royal woman of
the Eighteenth Dynasty
The daughter of TUTHMOSIS I(r. 1504–1492 B.C.E.) and
Queen ’AHMOSE(1), Neferukheb was the elder sister of
HATSHEPSUT, outranking her in the court. She died, how-
ever, before she could become politically powerful.
Neferukheb was buried in THEBES.
Neferu-ptah (1)(fl. 19th century B.C.E.) Royal woman
of the Twelfth Dynasty
She was probably the sister of AMENEMHET III (r.
1844–1797 B.C.E.). Neferu-ptah was buried in a mud-
brick pyramid in the HAWARA royal mortuary complex
near the LABYRINTH. Her mortuary regalia, including jew-
elry and silver pieces, have been recovered, although her
tomb was flooded and her sarcophagus was destroyed.
Neferu-ptah (2)(fl. 20th century B.C.E.) Royal woman
of the Twelfth Dynasty
She was the daughter of SENWOSRET I (r. 1971–1926
B.C.E.). An ivory wand bearing her name was discovered
in Senwosret I’s tomb. Neferu-ptah was buried near her
father’s pyramid at el-LISHT.Neferu-Ré(fl. 15th century B.C.E.) Royal woman of the
Eighteenth Dynasty
She was the daughter of TUTHMOSIS II (r. 1492–1479
B.C.E.) and Queen-Pharaoh HATSHEPSUT (r. 1473–1458
B.C.E.) and possibly the consort of TUTHMOSIS III (r.
1479–1425 B.C.E.). Her most important role, however,
was as the GOD’S WIFE OF AMUN, and she was educated to
be a political partner to Hatshepsut when she assumed
the throne as a female ruler.
SENENMUT, the powerful temple ally of Hatshepsut,
and ’AHMOSE-PEN NEKHEBET were her official tutors.
Senenmut was also named as her steward and as “Great
Father Nurse.” Six statues of Senenmut and Neferu-Ré
have been discovered, as well as a statue of her as a
young woman. A SINAI tablet refers to her as “King’s
Daughter, King’s Wife.” She reportedly gave birth to a son
and heir, Amenemhet, but the child died in infancy.
Neferu-Ré aided Hatshepsut’s reign and remained in
the palace, even as Tuthmosis III was overshadowed by
his stepmother and moved to MEMPHISto maintain the
great naval base there, called PERU-NEFER. Neferu-Ré died,
however, in the 16th year of Hatshepsut’s reign, weaken-
ing the queen-pharaoh.
Her tomb in a high cliff area on the western shore of
Thebes contained a yellow quartzite sarcophagus but was
never used. Neferu-Ré’s body has not been found, but a
CARTOUCHE was discovered near the site. She was
depicted on the walls of a small temple as a God’s Wife of
Amun and was being trained as Hatshepsut’s successor.Nefret(fl. 20th century B.C.E.) Royal woman of the
Twelfth Dynasty
The mother of AMENEMHET I(r. 1991–1962 B.C.E.), Nefret
was a commoner, supposedly of Nubian descent and from
THEBES. When Amenemhet I usurped the throne upon the
death of MONTUHOTEP IV, founding the Twelfth Dynasty,
Nefret received the title of King’s Mother. She was men-
tioned in NEFER-ROHU’S PROPHECY.Nefrusheri(fl. 20th century B.C.E.)Royal woman of the
Twelfth Dynasty
She was the consort of SENWOSRET I(r. 1971–1926 B.C.E.)
and the mother of AMENEMHET II. Nefrusheri was the
daughter of AMENEMHET Iand probably Queen NEFRU-
SOBEK(2). She was buried in el-LISHT, having a small
pyramid in Senwosret I’s mortuary complex. A black
granite statue was found in her tomb.Nefru-Sobek (1) See SOBEKNEFERU.Nefru-Sobek 271