Mehen A great serpent in the Egyptian cosmological
traditions, associated with the solar cult of the god RÉ,
Mehen was the protector of Ré, coiling around the solar
bark of the deity as it traveled across the sky. Bearers car-
ried Mehen and the bark on their journey. In some tradi-
tions, Mehen had two heads, one at each at each end, in
order to destroy the enemies of Ré.
See also SOLAR CULT.
Mehu(fl. 24th and 23rd centuries B.C.E.)Princely offi-
cial of the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties
Mehu served as VIZIERto UNIS(r. 2356–2323 B.C.E.) and
TETI(r. 2323–2291 B.C.E.). He is recorded as being the
son of Idut. Mehu was buried in a borrowed tomb at
SAQQARA, near Unis’s mortuary complex. A panel in the
tomb depicts the original owner. MASTABA-shaped, the
tomb had three chambers and a courtyard, with addi-
tional mud-brick masonry. A STELA was discovered, as
well as reliefs, including one depicting the trapping of
birds.
Mehurt (Mehturt, Mehueret) A celestial being
depicted in the form of a cow, this divine creature was
associated with the cultic ceremonies of the god RÉ. The
name of the being meant “Flooding Waters,” and she rep-
resented the spiritual river of the heavens. Ré sailed his
bark alongside her on his daily rounds. Mehurt was also
considered part of the cult of ISIS. She was a protector of
the dead when they appeared in the JUDGMENT HALLS OF
OSIRISbeyond the grave.
Mehy(fl. 14th century B.C.E.)Official of the Nineteenth
Dynasty who incurred the wrath of Ramesses II
He started his career in the reign of SETI I(1306–1290
B.C.E.). Mehy’s rank and role remain a mystery. The
agents of RAMESSES II(r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.), the successor
of Seti I, vandalized Mehy’s reliefs in his tomb. Such
reliefs would have provided details about his service to
the pharaohs. It is obvious that Mehy was a warrior. He
was normally depicted in princely trappings and
appeared on Seti I’s war reliefs. Some of the love songs of
the era mention the fact that Mehy was a commoner by
birth, and he was possibly a favorite of Seti I. In either
case he earned the enmity of Ramesses II and was singled
out for eternal disgrace by having his tomb portraits dam-
aged.
Meidum This site near the FAIYUMarea served as a
royal necropolis for the Third and Fourth Dynasties. A
step PYRAMIDat Meidum was probably started by HUNI(r.
2599–2575 B.C.E.) and completed by SNEFRU (r.
2575–2551 B.C.E.). This pyramid was erected on an
earthen platform and was composed originally of eight
layers. The structure collapsed some time later, possibly
as late as the New Kingdom (1550–1070 B.C.E.). The
outer casing, however, was damaged and collapsed dur-
ing construction. The mummies of several individuals
were discovered in the resulting debris. Interior passages
and chambers led to a vertical shaft and a burial room,
which was lined with limestone. The remains of a
wooden coffin were discovered in this corbeled chamber,
and a MORTUARY TEMPLEwas also found on the east side
of the pyramid, containing two rounded stelae. A cause-
way also led to a VALLEY TEMPLE.
A series of Fourth Dynasty (2575–2465 B.C.E.)
MASTABAtombs surround the pyramid, some containing
spectacular reliefs and statuary. The famous Meidum geese
paintings were part of the reliefs in the tomb of NEFER-
MA’AT and his wife Atet. Nearby, the mastaba of Prince
RAHOTEPand his wife NOFRET(1) contained a unique por-
trait style statue group. The paintings and statues are in
the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. A Fifth Dynasty
(2465–2323 B.C.E.) mummy was also found in Meidum.Meir This necropolis site was on the banks of the Nile,
north of modern ASSIUT, the domain of the governor of
CUSAE. The necropolis was used from the Sixth Dynasty
(2323–2150 B.C.E.) to the Twelfth Dynasty (1991–1783
B.C.E.). Rock-cut tombs with burial shafts were uncov-
ered at Meir. The Cusae officials and their families were
entombed on the site. Cusae was once the capital of the
fourteenth nome of Upper Egypt, and during the Second
Intermediate Period (1640–1550 B.C.E.) was the south-
ernmost holding of the HYKSOS. Beautiful reliefs and stat-
ues were recovered on this site.mekes An ancient Egyptian royal SCEPTERdesigned to
be flat at one end, the mekesrepresented pharaonic pow-
ers in royal rites and was used by the rulers in many his-
torical periods at formal court or temple ceremonies. The
original cultic symbolism of the scepter is not known,
and the ritual purpose is not clear.Meket-Aten (fl. 14th century B.C.E.) Royal woman of the
Eighteenth Dynasty
A princess, she was the daughter of AKHENATEN (r.
1353–1335 B.C.E.) and Queen NEFERTITI. Paintings depict
her royal parents mourning her death at a young age. In
the paintings a nurse is shown carrying a royal baby, lead-
ing to the assumption that Meket-Aten died in childbirth.
Akhenaten was probably the father. Meket-Aten was
buried at ’AMARNA, but her tomb and remains were van-
dalized. The Amarna necropolis suffered the same sort of
destruction as the main capital buildings of Akhenaten at
the hands of HOREMHAB(r. 1319–1307 B.C.E.) and the
Amunite priests of THEBES. The surviving members of
Akhenaten’s reign did not fare much better after his
death.234 Mehen