2289–2255 B.C.E.) built his beautiful pyramid in SAQ-
QARA. That mortuary monument was called Men-nefer-
Maré “the Established and Beautiful Pyramid of
Men-nefer-Maré.” The name soon came to designate the
surrounding area, including the city itself. It was called
Men-nefer and then Menti. The Greeks, visiting the capi-
tal centuries later, translated the name as Memphis.
The temple of PTAHonce dominated the capital, but
only the precinct walls of that structure can be seen today
in modern MIT RAHINAH. There are also remains of shrines
dating to SETI I(r. 1306–1290 B.C.E.) of the Nineteenth
Dynasty and RAMESSES II(r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.). MEREN-
PTAH(r. 1224–1214 B.C.E.) also built on the site. The
necropolis area of Memphis was divided into six sections,
including Saqqara, with its remarkable tombs of the
Archaic Period and the Old Kingdom and earlier.
The palace of APRIES(r. 589–570 B.C.E.) has been
uncovered in Memphis and has enclosure walls and
courts still visible. Other archaeological discoveries at the
site include a hypostyle hall and pylons, an embalming
house for APISbulls, elaborate figurines, the colossus of
Ramesses II, and a temple. The Kom Fakhry necropolis of
Memphis contains tombs from the First Intermediate
Period (2134–2040 B.C.E.) and a Middle Kingdom
(2040–1640 B.C.E.) settlement. The Persians ruled from
Memphis during their historical period on the Nile
(525–404 and 343–332 B.C.E.), and HERODOTUS, the
Greek historian, praised the beauty of the city when he
visited it. Memphis declined when ALEXANDRIA was
founded in 332 B.C.E.
menat(1) A form of ancient Egyptian AMULETheavily
weighted and used to counterbalance the heavy collars
worn by the rulers and members of the aristocracy, the
menatwas attached to the back of such collars to keep
them in place. As an amulet the menatwas painted or
carved with spells, prayers, and divine images. Made of
stone, FAIENCE, or metal, it was worn with strands of
beads when not used as a counterbalance.
menat (2) This was a fetish of virility, depicted on
reliefs and statues of the god KHONS(1)and worn by
Egyptians to foster fertility and health in women and
virility in men. In this form the menatwas fashioned out
of glaze ware. The AMULETwas also placed in the mummy
wrappings of the deceased in mortuary rituals.
Mendes It was an ancient cult center on the site of
modern el-Simballewein at TELL EL-RUB’Ain the Delta,
originally called Per-Ba’eb’djet. “The domain of the Ram
Lord of BA’EB DJET,” as Mendes was called in some eras,
the city was also the capital of the sixteenth nome of
Lower Egypt. A goddess, HAT-MEHIT, was popular in
Mendes and became the consort of Ba’eb-Djet. Their son
was Harpocrates, a form of Horus. Old Kingdom (2575–
2134 B.C.E.) tombs at Mendes denote the age of the site.
A granite shrine was erected at Mendes by AMASIS (r.
570–526 B.C.E.). There are Ramessid Period (1307– 1070
B.C.E.) ruins as well as Predynastic remains, indicating
the continued occupation of Mendes. A cemetery of rams
is present, and MASTABAtombs are located on the site.
Mendes excavations are uncovering a vast collection of
ruined structures and artifacts.Menes See AHA.Menet-Khufu The principal town of a region in the
Oryx nome of Upper Egypt, associated with KHUFU(r.
2551–2528 B.C.E.), modern BENI HASANis located nearby
and is famed for its tombs. In ancient periods Menet-
Khufu was called “the HORIZONof HORUS.”Menhet (fl. 15th century B.C.E.) Palace woman of the
Eighteenth Dynasty, one of three Syrian sisters
She was a lesser ranked consort or possibly a concubine
of TUTHMOSIS III(1479–1425 B.C.E.). Menhet and her sis-
ters, Merti and Menwi, were Syrians, the daughters of a
chief, given to Tuthmosis III as tribute or as part of politi-
cal pacts. Menhet and her sisters were not buried in the
VALLEY OF THE QUEENSbut in an area called the Valley of
the Monkeys, Wadi Gabbenet el-Kurrub. Each of the sis-
ters received the same exquisite funerary regalia and rit-
ual mortuary offerings to ensure equal honors in death.Menkauhor(d. 2388 B.C.E.) Seventh ruler of the Fifth
Dynasty
He reigned from 2396 B.C.E. until his death, succeeding
NIUSERRÉto the throne, and probably the son of Niuserré
and Queen Khentikas. Menkauhor is recorded as having
sent a mining expedition to the SINAI, perhaps to prepare
his burial site. No pyramid has been identified as his, but
he was probably buried in DASHUR. A cult honoring
Menkauhor was also conducted in SAQQARAfor many
centuries. He probably erected a sun temple in ABUSIR.Menkauré (Mycerinus)(d. 2472 B.C.E.) Fifth ruler ofPassageway into the Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza
The successor of KHAFRE, Menkauré ruled from 2490
B.C.E. until his death, and was called Mycerinus by the
Greeks. He was Khafre’s son, probably born to Queen
KHAMERERNEBTY(2) or perhaps to Queen PERSENTI. His
sons were Ka’auré, Khuenré, the chosen heir who died
young, and SHEPSESKHAF, who succeeded him. His daugh-
ter was KHENTAKAWES (1). Shepseskhaf possibly com-
pleted Menkauré’s pyramid, the third one erected at GIZA,
and it is known that he completed Menkauré’s mortuary
temple. He was recorded as being “pious,” and his death
was predicted by the ORACLEof BUTO.
His pyramid at Giza was designed smaller than the
ones erected there by KHUFUand Khafre, but it was cov-236 menat