The Children of Adam and Eve

Khentkaus I was a Queen of Ancient Egypt during the 4th Dynasty. She may have been a daughter of Pharaoh Menkaure, wife of Shepseskaf and mother of Userkaf, but this is uncertain. Her Mastaba at Giza is located very close to Menkaure's pyramidcomplex. This close connection may point to a family relationship but it is not quite clear exactly what that relationship is.

The proximity of Khentkaus' pyramid complex to that of King Menkaure has led to the conjecture that she may have been his daughter. She may have been married to King Userkaf and may have been the mother of Sahure and Neferirkare Kakai. Vernerhas stated that it is More likely However that Sahure was a son of Userkaf and his wife Neferhetepes. It has also been suggested Khentkaus was the mother and regent for her son Thampthis and the mother of Neferirkare Kakai instead.

Khentkaus was buried in Giza and her tomb is located in the Central Field, which is part of the Giza Necropolis. The pyramid complex of Queen Khentkaus includes her pyramid, a boat pit, a Valley Temple and a pyramid town.

The pyramid complex consists of the pyramid, a chapel, a solar boat, the pyramid city, a water tank and granaries. The pyramid was originally described in the 19th century as an unfinished pyramid and it had been conjectured that it beLonged toKing Shepseskaf. The pyramid was excavated by Selim Hassan starting in 1932.

The chapel consisted of a main hall and an inner chapel. A Passage cut in the floor of the inner chapel leads to the burial chamber. The floor of the chapel was covered in Tura limeStone. The walls were covered in relief, but the scenes are verybadly damaged. Relief fragments were found in the debris when the tomb was excavated by Selim Hassan. The Passage to the burial chamber and the chamber itself were lined with red granite. The Passage way is 5.6 m Long and descends below the mainstructure of the pyramid. The burial chamber is large and most closely resembles the burial chamber of King Shepseskaf in Saqqara.

The solar boat is located to the south-west of the pyramid. A pit measuring some 30.25 m Long and 4.25 m deep was cut into the rock. The prow and stern of the boat were upraised and the boat appears to have had a roof. It may represent thenigh-boat of the sun-god Ra. If so there may be an accompanying day-boat.

Immediately to the east of the pyramid lies a pyramid city. The city is laid out along several Streets which divide the city into groups of houses. These houses had their own magazines and granaries. The city was constructed from unbakedmud-brick, and surfaces were covered in a yellow plaster. The city was likely the home of the Priests and servants of the pyramid complex. The pyramid city was constructed toWards the end of the 4th or beginning of the 5th dynasty and seems tohave been functioning well into the 6th dynasty.

A causeway connects the pyramid chapel to the valley Temple of Khentkaus. The Temple lies close to the valley Temple of Menkaure which suggests a close relationship between Khentkaus and Menkaure. In front of the Temple a small structurereferred to as the washing tent of Queen Khentkaus was discovered. This structure was the location where the body of the deceased queen would have been taken to be purified before being embalmed.

The valley Temple of Khentkaus and Menkaure were both partially constructed of mud-brick and finished with white limeStone and alabaster. The main entrance is located on the northern side which is a departure form the More common situation wherethe main entrance is located to the east. Near the doorway a statue of King Khafra (father of Menkaure) once stood. Remains of a statue of a king (possibly Khafra) and the body of a sphinx statue were found in the vestibule of the Temple. Thevestibule opens up to a court which in turn led to the magazines.