Rahotep, (r’-htp(.w) - satisfied in god Ra[Herman Ranke, Die Ägyptische Perosenennamen Vol.1, Glückenstadt 1935, p.2019(ger)]), was a prince, the son of the Pharaoh Sneferu and his first wife Hetepheres I, in ancient Egypt during the 4th Dynasty, reign of his father Sneferu possibly his brother Khufu too..
Biography
As a member of the royal family, he was entrusted with a number of important functions in the administration of the state. Its historical importance derives from the knowledge gained from the exploration of his tomb no. 6 in
Meidum, near the pyramid of pharaoh Sneferu.
Rahotep was surely enough an influential magnate, and if we consider the time of intensive pyramid building, especially in Dasher, , as to which required the necessary logistical base of all works, the organisation of the construction itself and the provision of the necessary manpower. Social structures for artisans and their families were built around large buildings, as they later developed in Giza during the reign of Rahotep's brother Cheops, as evidenced by archaeological findings in Heit el-Ghurhab.
[Mark Lehner, The Giza Plato Mapping Project vol.1[1]] Rahotep took part in these works with the title of "head of construction supervision", albeit within the scope of his provincial powers. His affiliation with the royal family was emphasised by a series of titles, which were both symbolic or religious, and titles expressing his active competence.
Tomb
The tomb was uncovered by
Auguste Mariette in 1871
[ Auguste Marietta, Gaston Mossier, Les Mastabas L’Ancient Empire, Gide Libraire Éditeur, Paris 1885[2]]and its detailed research was described by Petrie in 1892.
[ Petrie P.15 ][ GPS 29°23'54.24"N 31° 9'38.73"E]
The body of it is, however, all built of bricks throughout, and is now about 6.6 m high, after most of the gravel top is gone. It was on the plan that it was at first symmetrical 52 m long, and 33 m wide, with a central pit, two false doors on the East face, and a second pit nearly behind the North door. Inside the innermost south - west corner is a division in the mass of brickwork, which can hardly have any meaning in terms of design, as it runs too close to the chamber. Afterwards it was enlarged on the South, and west, and a large addition was made on the North, marked as the
"annex". The decorations of the tomb walls were badly damaged and only partial drawings were identified as presented by Petrie.
Rahotep & Nofret statue
The most famous find of Mariette's workmen was the statue of Rahotep and his wife Nofret, simultaneously exhibited in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. At the head of the statues are hieroglyphic records of Rahotep's functions.
[ Mariette p.487]
Rahotep’s titles were inscribed on a magnificent statue of him which, with a statue of his wife, was excavated from his mastabas at
Meidum in 1871 by
Auguste Mariette. These describe him as "
High Priest of Ra at Heliopolis" (with the added title,
"Unique to Heliopolis, Ra’s town of Greatest of Seers"),
"Director of Expeditions and Supervisor of Works".
He also has a title given to high nobility, "
The son of the king, begotten of his body".
Nofret and Rahotep had three sons
Prince Djedi, Itu and Neferkau and three daughters, Mereret, Nedjemib and Sethtet as they are depicted in Rahotep’s tomb.
[,]Overall, the frescoes provide a picture of the grandmaster's life before ~26. centuries BC. A similar image is also provided by the tomb of Rahotep's brother
Nefermaat Meidum No. 16
[Henri Gauthier, Le livre des rois d'Égypte, D'Archeolgie Oriental Paris 1907 (fr)[3]]
==Representations of Rahotep==
]
-(Nfr-t)[ The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, Ian Shaw, c 2000, p.129.]
at the British Museum]]
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