Herneith

Queen consort of Egypt

Herneith

Queen consort of Egypt

Burial

Possibly Tomb 3507 in Saqqara

Spouse

Pharaoh Djer

Issue

Djet?

Names
Herneith

Dynasty

1st dynasty of Egypt

Religion

Ancient Egyptian religion

Herneith ^[1]
in hieroglyphs

Era: Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

Herneith was a Queen consort of ancient Egypt. She lived during the 1st Dynasty. The name herneith means "The face of Neith".

Documents

In the tomb of Herneith in Saqqara her name is found scratched on a vase, while in Abydos the name is found written together with the name of Djer.^[2] However, the interpretation of their names written together remains controversial and it is not even certain that Herneith refers to a woman, and thus to a queen.

Biography

It is not known who Herneith's parents were. She is thought to be a queen of Djer but there is no conclusive evidence. Tyldesley suggests Herneith as a possible mother of Den, but it is more commonly thought that Merneith was his mother.^[1]^[3]

Grajetzki mentions that even though Herneith is known from her tomb in Saqqara and her name is found together with signs that may refer to her role as a queen, confidently interpreting this information has proven difficult. If the interpretations are correct, Herneith may have held the titles of "The First One" and "Consort of the Two Lords".^[4]

A large tomb in Saqqara (tomb S3507) is thought to belong to Herneith. Inscriptions on vases found in the tomb mention King Djer, King Den and King Qa'a. The tomb is a mudbrick mastaba. However, a pyramid-like mound was found within the structure, covered with brick. This combination of mastaba and grave mound represents a combination of Northern (mastaba) and Southern (grave mound) tomb architecture.^[1]

Literature

Walter B. Emery: Great Tombs of the First Dynasty III. London 1958, S. 73–97.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c J. Tyldesley, Chronicle of the Queens of Egypt, 2006, Thames & Hudson
^ Emery: Great Tombs III , page 94
^ Aidan Dodson & Dyan Hilton: The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson, 2004, ISBN 0-500-05128-3
^ W.Grajetzki, Ancient Egyptian Queens: a hieroglyphic dictionary Golden House Publications, pg. 2

First Dynasty of Ancient Egypt

Pharaohs

Regents

Queen consorts

Officials

Other people

Ahaneith

Artefacts and
monuments

Capital

Thinis

Queens of Ancient Egypt

Protodynastic Period to First Intermediate Period (<3150–2040 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaoh uncertain

Early Dynastic
(3150–2686 BC)

I	Neithhotep Benerib Khenthap Herneith Nakhtneith Penebui Merneith Seshemetka Semat Serethor Betrest
II	Menka Nimaathap

Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

III	Hetephernebti Djeseretnebti Djefatnebti Meresankh I
IV	Hetepheres I Meritites I Henutsen Khentetka Meresankh II Hetepheres II Meresankh III Khamerernebty I Persenet Hekenuhedjet Khamerernebty II Rekhetre Bunefer
V	Khentkaus I Neferhetepes Meretnebty Khentkaus II Khentkaus III Reptynub Khuit I Meresankh IV Setibhor Nebet Khenut Nimaethap II
VI	Iput I Khuit II Ankhesenpepi I Ankhesenpepi II Nubwenet Meritites IV Inenek-Inti Nedjeftet Neith Iput II Udjebten Ankhesenpepi III Ankhesenpepi IV Nitocris

Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period (2040–1550 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaoh uncertain

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1802 BC)

XI	Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit
XII	Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret II Khenmet Khenemetneferhedjet II Neferthenut Meretseger Aat Khenemetneferhedjet III Sobekneferu

2^nd Intermediate
(1802–1550 BC)

XIII	Nofret Nubhetepti Senebhenas Neni Senebsen Tjan Ineni Nubkhaes Aya Abetni Satsobek
XIV	Tati
XVI	Mentuhotep
XVII	Nubemhat Sobekemsaf Haankhes Tetisheri Ahhotep I Ahmose Inhapy Sitdjehuti Ahhotep II

New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period (1550–664 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaoh uncertain

New Kingdom
(1550–1070 BC)

XVIII	Ahmose-Nefertari Ahmose-Sitkamose Ahmose-Henuttamehu Ahmose-Meritamun Ahmose Mutnofret Hatshepsut Iset Satiah Merytre-Hatshepsut Nebtu Menhet, Menwi and Merti Nebsemi Tiaa Nefertari Iaret Mutemwiya Tiye Gilukhipa Sitamun Iset Tadukhipa / Kiya Nefertiti Meritaten Neferneferuaten Ankhesenamun Tey Mutnedjmet Nebetnehat
XIX	Sitre Tuya Tanedjemet Nefertari Isetnofret Henutmire Maathorneferure Meritamen Bintanath Nebettawy Merytre Isetnofret II Takhat Twosret Tiaa Anuketemheb
XX	Tiy-Merenese Iset Ta-Hemdjert Tyti Tiye Duatentopet Henutwati Tawerettenru Nubkhesbed Baketwernel Tentamun

3^rd Intermediate
(1069–664 BC)

XXI	Tentamun Mutnedjmet Karimala
XXII	Karomama Patareshnes Maatkare Tashedkhonsu Nesitaudjatakhet Nesitanebetashru Kapes Karomama I Tadibast III
XXIII	Karomama II
XXV	Pebatjma Tabiry Abar Khensa Peksater Arty Qalhata Tabekenamun Takahatenamun Naparaye Atakhebasken Malaqaye

Late Period and Hellenistic Period (664–30 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaoh uncertain

Late
(664–332 BC)

XXVI	Mehytenweskhet Khedebneithirbinet I Takhuit Tentkheta Nakhtubasterau Ladice
XXVII	Atossa Artystone Parmys Amestris Damaspia Parysatis
XXXI	Stateira I

Hellenistic
(332–30 BC)

Argead	Roxana Stateira II Parysatis II Eurydice II of Macedon
Ptolemaic	Eurydice Berenice I Arsinoe I Arsinoe II Berenice II Arsinoe III Cleopatra I Syra Cleopatra II Cleopatra III Cleopatra IV Cleopatra Selene Berenice III Cleopatra V Cleopatra VI Berenice IV Cleopatra VII Arsinoe IV