Queen Hetepheres – Queen Mother, Mother of Khufu

Life for women in ancient Egypt was not so different from that of men. However, it was regulated by the man she was related to. She was largely determined and judged by her social standing, which was connected to her father’s social standing, then her husband’s and finally her son’s. This was the same for royal women. There was one slight deviation however, the king gained his right to the throne from being married to a daughter of the previous king. None more so than Queen Hetepheres, The mother of Pharaoh Khufu.

The Queen’s list of titles were: Hetepheres, Mother of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, follower of Horus, overseer of the affairs of the palace. She whose every command is carried out, daughter of the gods body.

As grand as her titles were, she was only ever the daughter of the king, wife of the king, or the king’s mother. Her personal identity was tied up with the males in her life. She gave birth to Pharaoh Khufu, and guided him throughout his life, but at the end of her days, and for the rest of eternity, all she was to be remembered as was as the king’s mother. Nothing less nothing more.

Hetepheres lived during the early days of the pharaohs. What is now known as the Old Kingdom more than four and a half 1000 years ago.

She got her real power and prestige as a Mother of the King. But before that, she was the daughter of Pharaoh Huni , who was the last king of the third dynasty. Pharaoh who knees reign lasted for 24 years or so. However, not much is known about him. He was to be succeeded by his son in law, Pharaoh Sneferu. While she was the Mother of the King, and the daughter of a king. Within the walls of the palace, she was powerful. She oversaw the running of the house, who did what in the palace who came and who could join the household. Every word she spoke, every command she made had to be obeyed. To cross a woman like this was at your own peril.

Hetephere’s tomb is the oldest intact royal burial ever found in Egypt. It seems that Khufu wanted his mother to be buried nearby, so that she could be reborn in the next world, and to continue to run his palace in the other world. In ancient Egypt during the Old Kingdom, only the king had the privilege to be reborn in the afterlife due to the fact it was expensive to be mummified, and to build a tomb like a pyramid. For you to have any chance of success, you need to be closely associated with him. Along with the location of her tomb, he made sure that her tomb was filled with all the luxuries she would need in the Hereafter. This gives us a clear sign that Hetepheres was the most important woman in his life.

In 1925, her tomb was found and they found the luxurious items left for her; which included her bed, personal silver headrest, one of her gold thrones and all manner of gold covered boxes. They also discovered a unique collection of jewelry, which included spectacular Silver Bangles, which she would have worn up each arm, they start off quite large, and then they get increasingly smaller as they go down the rest of her arm. They would have fitted no one else with the Queen Mother. They were made to measure just to fit her, giving us a unique insight into the shape and intimate form of an individual’s body.

Even though her tomb was filled with magnificent items her body was missing. This has led to speculation about whether the tomb she was found in was her original resting place or her second and final one. The debate continues today. But what we do know is that the king wanted his mother close to him in the afterlife.