Pharaohs of Egypt - Djedefre

Pharaohs of Egypt

Djedefre

Djedefre was a notable Pharaoh of Egypt, who belonged to the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. He succeeded his father Khufu probably around 2575 B.C and ruled the Upper and Lower Egypt for probably 10 – 14 years only, as he died an early death and was succeeded by his brother Khafre. Djedefre was also known as Djedefra and Radjedef, as per the Egyptian inscriptions. But he adopted the title of “Sa-Re”, which meant “the Son of Ra, the Sun-God” and he was the first Pharaoh to choose such a cartouche name. As per Manetho’s records, the Hellenized name of Djedefre was Ratoises.

The Family Tree of Djedefre

It is confirmed that the father of Djedefre was Khufu, the great maker of the Pyramid of Giza. But his mother’s name is nowhere mentioned and hence, remains in the dark till date. His chief queen was his half-sister Hetepheres II, who was earlier the widow of his elder brother Kawab. He also married Queen Khentetenka, from whom he had three sons, namely Setka, Baka and Hernet; along with a daughter, named Neferhetepes; all of whose names are mentioned in the fragments of the statues, found in the mortuary temple of the Pyramid of Djedefre, in Abu Rawash.

The Pyramid of Djedefre

Djedefre moved 8 Km north from Giza and established a new necropolis on a higher leveled ground in Abu Rawash. It is situated at the northern side of the Memphite necropolis and was discovered in a ruined condition towards the end of the 19th century. The total necropolis complex was enclosed by a thick boundary wall, much of which is now broken down. The mortuary temple of this pyramid is completely ruined now and connected to the entrance, by a long causeway that runs from north to south; instead of east to west, as seen in the earlier pyramids of his predecessors. Even the stone paving of this causeway is also completely destroyed now. Only there are the fragments of some statues standing in the open courtyard, whose names has been deciphered from their bases and found to be of the children of Djedefre. But from the remnants of a row of pillars, recently excavated from the northeast side of this pyramid, it can be made out that there were some inscriptions written on them, probably about the deceased Pharaoh Djedefre. A partly damaged sphinx is also found in this pyramid complex, the face of which is believed to resemble that of Queen Hetepheres II, the wife of Djedefre. Hence, now scientists believe that the Great Sphinx of Giza was also built by Djedefre, as the face of that sphinx highly resembled his father Khufu.

Earlier, it was assumed that this pyramid might have been left incomplete; but the recent discoveries have made it clear that this pyramid complex was intentionally destroyed, around 2nd century A.D, when the statues of Djedefre and his children were deliberately damaged. But as per several evidences found from this site, this pyramid probably was built as the highest of its kind, with the height of 722 ft, which was higher than the Great Pyramid of Giza. There are also much architectural differences between this pyramid and those of the earlier Pharaohs, as here the burial chambers were built under the pyramid, instead of within the pyramid. It is believed that firstly the inner chambers were constructed and then the pyramid structure was built over them.