Khenmet or Khnumit 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 king's daughter of the

Twelfth Dynasty The Twelfth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (Dynasty XII) is a series of rulers reigning from 1991–1802 BC (190 years), at what is often considered to be the apex of the Middle Kingdom (Dynasties XI–XIV). The dynasty periodically expanded its terr ...

, around 1800 BC. She is mainly known from her unrobbed tomb containing a set of outstanding personal adornments. Princess Khenmet is only known from her burial next to the pyramid of Amenemhat II at

Dahshur DahshurAlso transliterated ''Dahshour'' (in English often called ''Dashur''; ' ) is an ancient Egyptian pyramid complex and necropolis and shares the name of the nearby village of Manshiyyat Dahshur () in markaz Badrashin, Giza Governorate, Giza ...

. On the West side of the pyramid were three underground galleries with each of two tombs. Four of these tombs, including those of Khenmet as well as Ita and

Itaweret Itaweret (''Ita-the elder'') was an Ancient Egyptian king's daughter who lived in the 12th Dynasty around 1850 BC. She is known from her burial next to the pyramid of king Amenemhat II at Dahshur DahshurAlso transliterated ''Dahshour'' (in Engl ...

were found unlooted. Khenmet was buried in a set of three containers. There was an outer, undecorated sarcophagus, next, a wooden coffin, decorated on the outside with gold foil and on the inside with hieroglyphic texts. Finally there was an inner anthropoid coffin, that was found only badly preserved. The body of Khenmet was adorned with an array of jewellery including a broad collar, armlets, and anklets. Next to the body were found many weapons, typical for royal burials of the Middle Kingdom. In the small chamber next to the sarcophagus were found further personal adornments. These included two crowns and parts of a necklace made in gold. The latter is most likely not an Egyptian work of art, but was perhaps produced in

Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...

. The father of Khenmet is uncertain but since she was buried in the pyramid complex of king

Amenemhat II Nubkaure Amenemhat II, also known as Amenemhet II, was the third pharaoh of the 12th Dynasty of ancient Egypt. Although he ruled for at least 35 years, his reign is rather obscure, as well as his family relationships. Family Archaeological fin ...

, it seems likely that she was his daughter. Some researchers point out that the burial equipment is more typical for the late Twelfth Dynasty. The same is true for the pottery found in the burials.

Dorothea Arnold Dorothea Arnold (born Schadewaldt; born 1935, in Leipzig) is a German Egyptologist who specialises in Ancient Egyptian pottery. Since 1985, she has worked with the Metropolitan Museum of Art where she became curator emeritus in 2012. Arnold i ...

: ''The Fragmented Head of a Queen Wearing the Vulture Headdress.'' In: E. Czerny, I. Hein, H. Hunger, D. Melman, A. Schwab (editors): ''Timelines, Studies in Honour of Manfred Bietak.'' Leuven, Paris, Dudley 2006, , p. 47, note 3.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khenmet Princesses of the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt 19th-century BC Egyptian women