Ineni (or Ini, Inni) was an

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 ...

ian queen who lived during the

Thirteenth Dynasty The Thirteenth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty XIII) was a series of rulers from approximately 1803 BC until approximately 1649 BC, i.e. for 154 years. It is often classified as the final dynasty of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, Middle ...

(around 1700 BC).
She had the titles

Great Royal Wife Great Royal Wife, or alternatively, Chief King's Wife () is the title that was used to refer to the Queen consort, principal wife of the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, who served many official functions. Description While most ancient Egyptians were ...

and '' she, who is united with the white crown''. She is one of the first ancient Egyptian queens whose name was written within a

cartouche upalt=A stone face carved with coloured hieroglyphics. Two cartouches - ovoid shapes with hieroglyphics inside - are visible at the bottom., Birth and throne cartouches of Pharaoh KV17.html" ;"title="Seti I, from KV17">Seti I, from KV17 at the ...

. This approach to writing a name was previously only used for kings' names and some kings' daughters holding special positions. The name of Ineni's husband is not known with any certainty. It is thought that it was king

Merneferre Ay Merneferre Ay (also spelled Aya or Eje, sometimes known as Ay I) was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the mid 13th Dynasty. The longest reigning pharaoh of the 13th Dynasty, he ruled a likely fragmented Egypt for over 23 years in the early to mid ...

, as her scarabs are similar in style to that of this king.

Attestations

She is so far only known from 21 scarabs and a seal impression from

Kerma Kerma was the capital city of the Kerma culture, which was founded in present-day Sudan before 3500 BC. Kerma is one of the largest archaeological sites in ancient Nubia. It has produced decades of extensive excavations and research, including t ...

. * London, British Museum EA 32311 , A green glazed steatite scarab seal () unknown provenance, base inscribed with cartouche and epithet. * Jerusalem, Israel Museum 76.31.3888 , Scarab seal (19x12 mm). * New York, Met 22.1.418 , A green glazed steatite scarab seal (22x15x9 mm). Scarab of Queen Inni

References

Bibliography

* Wolfram Grajetzki: ''Ancient Egyptian Queens'', London 2005, p. 40 *

Kim Ryholt Kim Steven Bardrum Ryholt (born 19 June 1970) is a Danish Egyptologist. He is a professor of Egyptology at the University of Copenhagen and a specialist on Egyptian history and literature. He is director of the research centeCanon and Identity F ...

: ''The Political Situation in Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period c.1800-1550 B.C.'' by Museum Tuscalanum Press, p. 38 (discussion of dating) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ineni (Queen) 18th-century BC Egyptian women Queens consort of the Thirteenth Dynasty of Egypt Great Royal Wives