Step into the world of King Menkaure, the visionary ruler behind one of Egypt’s most iconic pyramids. Join us on an expedition through time to uncover his remarkable story.

Who was King Menkaure?

Menkaure was the fifth king of the fourth dynasty and the son of King Khafre. He is the owner of the third Pyramid at Giza. He ruled for about 25 years, but he died before completing his pyramid complex, which was finished by his son Shepsesskaf. Little is known about him, but he built his royal palace near his pyramid. The Greek historian Herodotus described him as a kind King whom the people loved him.

King Menkaure

King Menkaure’s Family History

Father: The Turin King List and other historical evidence indicate that Menkaure was the son of Pharaoh Khafre and the grandson of the famous Pharaoh Khufu.

Mother: His mother was Queen Khamerernebty I, as it was mentioned on a flint knife discovered in his tomb. 

Brothers: He had several brothers, and some of them served as viziers in the royal court of Menkaure; as per the evidence, their names were Nebemakhet, Nikaure, Iunmin, and Nikaure. Another younger brother, Sekhemkare, joined the royal court after the death of Menkaure, probably due to his minor age during the reign of his elder brother.

Wives: Menkaure was known to have two wives, and one of them was his sister, Queen Khamerernebty II. His second wife was his half-sister, Queen Rekhetre. 

Sons and Daughters: According to what’s known today, Menkaure had three sons and two daughters. His eldest son was Crown Prince Khuenre, the son of Queen Khamerernebty II, who died at an early age before his father. Hence, his second son, Shepseskaf, became his successor to the throne, as per the Turin King List. 

King Menkaure Family

The Pyramid of Menkaure

In the Egyptian language, the Pyramid of Menkaure was known as ‘Netjer-er-Menkaure’ or ‘Menkaure is divine’. The vast foundation base of this pyramid was built of limestone and measured 108.5 meters in length. 

This pyramid is smaller than Khufu Pyramid and Menkaure Pyramid in Giza, Cairo, with a height of only 65.5 meters. Apart from the main pyramid, this complex has three smaller pyramids, two of which were left incomplete for an unknown reason. Among these three pyramids, the largest and the most completed one houses a statue of a Queen.

The Pyramid of Menkaure

Triads of King Menkaure:

Triads of King Menkaure – Egypt Tours Group

Five statue triads were discovered. 

– Three triads are in the Egyptian Museum.

– The fourth statue and the fragments of the fifth one are in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

There is an opinion that mentions that there were about thirty triads made for the King. Because there were thirty nomes during the time of King Menkaure, other opinion says that there are only eight triads representing the important nomes.

First Triad of King Menkaure

First Triad of King Menkaure

This triad represents King Menkaure standing between goddess Hathor and the local goddess of the Nome Inpw, the 17th Nome in Upper Egypt.

Description of the Triad Statue

It is made out of schist, and it was found in the valley temple of the King at Giza.

The King is shown standing between the goddess Hathor and the local goddess of the city, Inpw. He is wearing the magnificent crown of Upper Egypt, the white crown, having a false royal beard and is wearing the short kilt called Sndyt. His left leg is stepping forward, which is a traditional pose in ancient Egypt.

The artist succeeded in finely showing the facial features, represented in a full round face, remarkable eyebrows, wide eyes, delicate nose, high cheekbones and a thin, calm mouth. The details of the body are made in a perfect way represented in the muscles of the chests, the arms and the legs, the knees and the toes. The King is holding sticks. 

To the right of the King stands the goddess Hathor. She was the goddess of love, music and maternity because she fed Horus, the divine milk, during the absence of his mother, Isis. Her main cult center was at Dandara temple. She had many titles, like Lady of the Sycamore at Memphis and Lady of the Turquoise at Sinai. She was the guardian goddess of the necropolis of Thebes.

She took three forms:

A- Completely as a cow with a sun disk between her two horns.

b- Completely as a lady with the sun disk between her two horns.

c- Having the body of a lady and the head of a cow with the sun disk.

 

Goddess Hathor is shown completely as a lady. She embraces the King by extending her arm around his back as if she is taking care of him.

She has having sun disk between her two horns and is wearing a tripartite hair wig, which is called the Hathoric hair wig. She has nice facial features represented in a full round face, wide eyes, delicate nose, high cheekbones and fine mouth. She is wearing a long, tight dress that shows the perfect details of her body.

To the left of the King is the local goddess of the 17th nome in Upper Egypt, which is called Impw or the city of the jackal.

The local goddess is embracing the King. She has the same representation of goddess Hathor, wearing the tripartite hair wig, having the same facial features and wearing the same dress.

On the pedestal, there are vertical columns of hieroglyphic inscriptions:
NSW-biti Mn-kAw-Ra my Dt
“King of Upper and Lower Egypt Menkaure (stable is the forms of Re), the beloved forever.”

hwt-hr nbt-nht m iswt.s nbt
“Hathor, lady of the sycamore in all her thrones”.

Second Triad of King Menkaure

The Second Triad of King Menkaure

This triad represents King Menkaure standing between goddess Hathor and the local goddess of the nome BAt. The nome BAt was the 8th nome of Upper Egypt, and it was called Diospolis by the Greeks.

Third Triad of King Menkaure 

Third Triad of King Menkaure

This triad represents King Menkaure standing between goddess Hathor and the local god of the nome WAst. The nome WAst was the 4th nome of Upper Egypt, and it was called Thebes by the Greeks.

On the pedestal, there are vertical columns of hieroglyphic inscriptions:

NSW-biti Mn-kaw-ra hr ka-nht                                     

“King of Upper and Lower Egypt Menkaure, Horus, the strong bull”

 mry Dt hwt-hr nbt-nht m iswt.s nbt 

“Beloved forever (by) Hathor, lady of the sycamore in all her thrones”.

Conclusion

As the son of Khafre and the grandson of Khufu, Menkaure completed the family tradition of building great pyramids at Giza. His third pyramid is to be built there. It is also the smallest of the Great Pyramids, being half the height of Khufu’s. Scholars don’t know why he would build his pyramid so much smaller, but it suggests that all could have been better in his kingdom.