Relief of Hetepheres II and daughter Meresankh III

A relief of the deceased Queen Meresankh III and her mother Hetepheres II sailing in the marshes to gather papyrus reeds for the ritual of ‘shaking the papyrus’ to induce the goddess Hathor to them:

“Her mother, daughter of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Khufu, the great favourite, Hetep-heres. Her beloved daughter, the beholder of Horus and Seth, the great favourite, Meresankh.”

“She pulls papyrus for Hathor in the marshland with her mother. They see every good thing which is in the marsh.”.

Meresankh III was one of the most famous Queens in the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. She lived approximately 2600 BC. Her grandfather was King Khufu, an important ruler in the 4th Dynasty, who is well known as the builder of the largest pyramid on the Giza plateau.

The Queen held the royal titles of King’s Daughter and King’s Wife, Great of Scepter. On April 23, 1927 the tomb was discovered and excavated by George Reisner. with subsequent excavations undertaken by his team on behalf of Harvard University and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Old Kingdom, 4th Dynasty, Mastaba of Meresankh, G 7530-40, Giza necropolis.