| Khentkaus II the Wise | |
|---|---|
| |
| Pharaoh of Egypt | |
| Reign | 18 March 2470 - 22 May 2469 |
| Predecessor | Shepseskara I |
| Successor | Nyuserra I |
| Regency | 15 January 2470 - 22 May 2469 |
| Born | October 14, 2521 B.C. Mennefer, Egypt |
| Died | December 8, 2456 B.C. (aged 65) |
| Spouse | Neferirkara I |
| Issue | Neferefra, Nyuserre Ini, Iryenra, Khentkaus III |
| Full name | |
| Horus Name: Usertawy Nebty Name: Nebettawy Nomen: Khentkaus | |
| House | Khasekhemwy |
| Dynasty | Sneferid Dynasty (Birth) Userkafian Dynasty (Marriage) |
| Father | Shepseskaf |
| Mother | Khentkaus I |
| Religion | Kemetism |
Khentkaus II was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, who acted as co-regent for the Fifth and Sixth kings of the Fifth Dynasty. Khentkaus was the daughter of Shepseskaf with his consort Khentkaus I, she was the mother of two kings Neferefra and Nyuserra. She acceded after hes grandson's death and reigned for one year as co-regent for her young son Nyuserra. as with her mother she abdicated and her son began his sole reign in 2469 BC.
Biography[]
Khentkaus II was the daughter of two previous pharaohs Shepseskaf and Queen Khentkaus I, she wife of Neferirkara Kakai. Her pyramid complex was started during the reign of her husband, when her title was still that of king's wife (hmt nswt). The construction of her tomb was halted, possibly when her husband died, and later was resumed during the reign of her son. After the building was resumed her title was king's mother (mwt nswt). Khentkaues II is shown on a block with her husband Neferirkara and a son named Ranefer B (The future Pharaoh Neferefra).
A limestone fragment was found in the pyramid complex mentioning a king's daughter Reputnebty, who is followed by a king's son Khentykauhor. From context, Reputnebty was a daughter of Nyuserra and hence a granddaughter of Khentkaus II. A further king's son Irenre Junior (nedjes) is mentioned.
Upon the death of her Husband in 2472 she became Queen mother to her eldest son pharaoh Neferefra, who gave her a position as state councilor, upon his premature death she was selected as regent for her grandson Shepseskara until his unexpected death two months later. after the death of her grandson she assumed royal titulary of king and apointed her second son Nyuserra to reign with her until he reached the age of majority and unter the provision that the crown would be reverted no Neferefra's line upon Nyuserra's death. Queen Khentkaus II abdicated in may 2469 BC, but remained one of the chief advisors to her son, she died in December 2456 BC.
Pyramid[]
The pyramid had a base which measured 25 metres by 25 metres and, if its slope was the 52° angle which was usual for pyramids in the 5th dynasty, then it would have been about 17 metres tall. The core of the pyramid was formed by three stages of small limestone blocks, which were held together by clay morter. This material was the left over remains of the material used to build Neferirkara's pyramid. The core seems to have been covered with a fine Troyu limestone cladding. The top of the pyramid was formed by a grey-black granite pyramidion, fragments of which were found in the ruins.
In the first phase of construction, under Neferirkara, the core structure of the pyramid was built, but the cladding and the mortuary temple were not added. The archaeological evidence suggests that the cladding was first added at the same time as the limestone mortuary temple was built, under Niuserre.
The pyramid structure has been heavily damaged by spoliation, such that the ruins are now only 4 metres high. The shoddy masonry work and poor quality material facilitated both destruction by quarrying and erosion.
Substructure[]
The substructure of the pyramid is a flat, open tomb which is very clearly preserved. From the north, a corridor descends for about half its length, then continues on the horizontal and turns slightly to the east. Shortly before the burial chamber there is a granite fall-trap. The grave chamber itself was oriented in an east–west direction. The building material for the passageway and the chamber was small blocks of fine limestone. The ceiling of the grave chamber was flat and formed from massive limestone blocks.
Pyramid complex[]
Reconstruction of the Pyramid
The pyramid of Khenkaus II had its own independent pyramid complex and was not part of the pyramid complex of Khentkaus' husband Neferirkara. The complex contains all important elements necessary for the maintenance of a ruler cult. Thus far, a causeway and a valley temple have not been identified.
North chapel[]
At the centre of the north side of the pyramid, there is a small offering chapel, which probably contained an altar. This small structure is located slightly east of the entrance to the pyramid's substructure. There are only the smallest traces of the north chapel now remaining.
Cult pyramid[]
In the southeast corner, there was a small cult pyramid, which measured 5.2 x 5.2 metres at the base and had a height of about 4.5 metres - significantly steeper than the main pyramid, with an incline of around 60°. The cult pyramid was made from the same material as the outer wall of the complex and was built as part of a late expansion of the complex, along with the second phase of the construction of the mortuary temple. The cult pyramid has been almost entirely destroyed; only slight traces remain. No substructure has been detected so far.
Mortuary temple[]
The mortuary temple is on the east side of the pyramid and was constructed as part of the final phase of the complex's construction under Niuserre. The construction of the temple took place in two phases: first, a small temple was built of limestone, which was later enlarged with mud brick.
The original limestone temple was entered from the east through a columned portico. Inside, there was an open-roofed pillared court with eight columns, a statue hall which contained sixteen cult statues of the queen according to a papyrus fragment found in the temple archive, an offering hall with a pink granite false door, an altar and storage chambers. A stairway led to a roof terrace. The offering hall was decorated with images carved in relief and inscriptions. Other rooms may have been as well. The pillars in the courtyard had similar decoration. One of them had a depiction of the queen with the uraeus on her forehead - a royal symbol which has been interpreted as meaning that Khentkaus II had been a reigning queen. Other images show offering scenes, a meal for the dead, landscapes, processions, and family scenes.
In the expansion of the temple in the second phase, a new entrance way was added on the east side, as well as five more storage chambers, and a dwelling for priests. Mud brick was used for these new additions, rather than limestone masonry. In the course of the expansion, a mudbrick wall was built around the complex, separating it from the pyramid complex of Neferirkara.
The mortuary cult of Khentkaus II is still attested over three hundred years later at the end of the 6th dynasty.
Compound wall[]
The complex was surrounded by a massive mud brick wall, which is clearly distinct from the compound wall of the neighbouring pyramid complex of Neferirkara. Some remains of an earlier limestone wall from the first construction phase indicate that the complex was originally intended to be connected to her husband's pyramid complex. The complex was turned into an independent area during the expansion of the mortuary temple.