Itet (fl. c. 2570 BCE) also known as Atet, was a royal woman who lived in

ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...

. She was the wife of

Nefermaat Nefermaat I () was an ancient Egyptian prince, a son of king Sneferu. He was a vizier possessing the titles of the king's eldest son, royal seal bearer, and prophet of Bastet. His name means "Maat is beautiful" or "With perfect justice". Biog ...

, who was the eldest son of

king King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

Sneferu Sneferu or Soris (c. 2600 BC) was an ancient Egyptian monarch and the first pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt, during the earlier half of the Old Kingdom period (26th century BC). He introduced major innovations in the design and constructio ...

as well as a

vizier A vizier (; ; ) is a high-ranking political advisor or Minister (government), minister in the Near East. The Abbasids, Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was at first merely a help ...

and a religious leader in the royal court who officiated in the worship of

Bastet Bastet or Bast (), also known as Ubasti or Bubastis, is a goddess of ancient Egyptian religion, possibly of Nubian origin, worshipped as early as the Second Dynasty (2890 BC). In ancient Greek religion, she was known as Ailuros (). Bastet was ...

. She was the mother of three daughters and many sons. Her son,

Hemiunu Hemiunu (floruit, fl. 2570 BC) was an ancient Egyptian prince who is believed to have been the architect of the Great Pyramid of Giza. As Vizier (Ancient Egypt), vizier, succeeding his father, Nefermaat, and his uncle, Kanefer, Hemiunu was one of ...

, succeeded her husband as vizier. She and her husband are buried in

mastaba A mastaba ( , or ), also mastabah or mastabat) is a type of ancient Egyptian tomb in the form of a flat-roofed, rectangular structure with inward sloping sides, constructed out of mudbricks or limestone. These edifices marked the burial sites ...

16 at

Meidum Meidum, Maydum or Maidum (, , ) is an archaeological site in Lower Egypt. It contains a large pyramid and several mudbrick mastabas. The pyramid was Egypt's first straight-sided one, but it partially collapsed in ancient times. The area is locate ...

. Their tomb is famous for paintings of geese, and of other animals, as well as depictions of daily family life.

Family

Fifteen of Itet and Nefermaat's offspring are named in their tomb in Meidum. Daughters Djefatsen and Isesu and sons Hemiunu, Isu, Teta, and Khentimeresh are depicted as adults, while daughter Pageti and sons Itisen, Inkaef, Serfka, Wehemka, Shepseska, Kakhent, Ankhersheretef, Ankherfenedjef, Buneb, Shepsesneb, and Nebkhenet are depicted as children. Her son, Hemiunu, is the vizier who is believed to have helped plan the Great Pyramids for

Khufu Khufu or Cheops (died 2566 BC) was an ancient Egyptian monarch who was the second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt, Fourth Dynasty, in the first half of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, Old Kingdom period (26th century BC). Khufu succeeded his ...

and he often is referred to as its architect.Dodson, Aidan and Hilton, Dyan. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. 2004. , pp.52-53, 56-61

References

{{Authority control 27th-century BC women 26th-century BC women 26th-century BC Egyptian people 27th-century BC Egyptian people