Kanefer Explained

See also article Kanefer (High Priest of Ptah).

Kanefer
Prince of Egypt
Spouse-Type:Wife
Issue:Kawab
Kanefer II
Meresankh
Father:Sneferu?
Place Of Burial:Dahshur
Occupation:Vizier
Religion:Ancient Egyptian religion

Kanefer ("His Ka is beautiful") is the name of an ancient Egyptian prince. He lived during the 4th or early 5th Dynasty of the Old Kingdom period.[1] [2]

Identity

According to Rainer Stadelmann and Michael Haase, Kanefer may have been a son of King Sneferu. Their assumption is based on the architectural features of Kanefer's tomb, which were rather typical for the beginning of the 4th dynasty.[3]

Next to nothing is known about his family, the name of his wife is lost due to damages on his tomb stela, but two of her titles, "female member of the elite" and "priestess of Hathor", are preserved. She bore several children to Kanefer – Kawab, Kanefer II and Meresankh.

Career

Kanefer held the position of a vizier. He also was "son of the king", "member of the elite", "army general", "overseer of the commissions" and "leader of the royal archers".

Tomb

Kanefer was interred in mastaba DAM 15 at Dahshur. In his tomb, heavily broken fragments of a doorslab stela were found.

Notes and References

  1. Aidan Dodson, Dyan Hilton: The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. The American University in Cairo Press, Kairo 2004,, p. 52–61.
  2. Edwards, et al., The Cambridge Ancient History: Early History of the Middle East. Cambridge University Press. 1971. Retrieved via Google Books.
  3. Michael Haase: Das Feld der Tränen. König Snofru und die Pyramiden von Dahschur. Ullstein, München 2000,, p. 217–219.