Meretseger (queen)

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Meretseger ("She who Loves Silence"; her name is also the name of a goddess) was an Ancient Egyptian queen consort. She appears in sources of the New Kingdom as the wife of Senusret III. According to that she would be the first Egyptian queen consort to bear the title Great Royal Wife, which became the standard title for chief wives of pharaohs. She was also the first queen consort whose name was written in a cartouche.[1]. However, as there are no contemporary sources relating to Meretseger she is most likely a creation of the New Kingdom. [2]

Along with Khnemetneferhedjet II and Neferhenut she is one of three known wives of Senusret III (a fourth, possible wife is Sithathoryunet). She was depicted on a New Kingdom stela (now in the British Museum), and on an inscription in Semna, dating to the reign of Thutmose III.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Aidan Dodson & Dyan Hilton, The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson (2004) ISBN 0-500-05128-3 pp.26-27
  2. ^ L. Holden, in: Egypt’s Golden Age: The Art of Living in the New Kingdom, 1558-1085 B.C. , Boston 1982, S. 302f.
  3. ^ Dodson & Hilton, op.cit., 97.
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