| Djedkheperew | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Djedkheperu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TheBed of Osiris, from the tomb of Djer, and inscribed with the name of Djedkheperew. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pharaoh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reign | 2 years, 1772–1770 BC (Ryholt), a few months (Baker), 7 months c. 1760 BC (Verner), c. 1732 BC (Schneider) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Sedjefakare orSebkay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Father | possiblyHor[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mother | possiblyNubhotepti I[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dynasty | 13th Dynasty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Djedkheperew (also known asDjedkheperu) was an Egyptianpharaoh of the13th Dynasty reigning for an estimated two-year period, from c. 1772 BC until 1770 BC.[1][2] According to EgyptologistsKim Ryholt and Darrell Baker, Djedkheperew was the 17th king of this dynasty.[1][2] Djedkheperew is this pharaoh'sHorus name; theprenomen andnomen of Djedkheperew, which would normally be employed by modern conventions to name a pharaoh, are unknown.
The reign of Djedkheperew is supported by eleven seal impressions from Egyptian fortresses at thesecond cataract inNubia. Ten of these seal impressions were found atUronarti in close association with seal impressions ofSekhemrekhutawy Khabaw andMaaibre Sheshi.[3] The last one was discovered inMirgissa.[2]
Besides the seal impressions, Djedkheperew is authenticated by theBed of Osiris, a massive sculpture of blackbasalt showing Osiris lying on a bier. TheBed of Osiris was found in the tomb of the1st Dynasty pharaohDjer, which the ancient Egyptians had come to identify with the tomb ofOsiris.[2] The sculpture is now in theEgyptian Museum. The sculpture was tentatively attributed to another 13th Dynasty pharaoh,Khendjer, by Leahy, but recent examinations of the inscriptions proved that it originally bore the name of Djedkheperew. The nomen of Djedkheperew was erased at some point in antiquity, but carelessly enough that some of it is still readable.[1]
Djedkheperew is not mentioned on theTurin canon, a king list compiled in the earlyRamesside period, which serves as a reference document for the history of the Second Intermediate Period. Ryholt argues that this is because Djedkheperew's reign (as well as that of his predecessor, Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw and immediate successor(s)Sebkay, all absent from the canon) was already lost in a lacuna of the document from which the canon was copied.[1] That this must be true is indicated by artifacts showing that Khabaw succeeded Hor on the throne and Sebkay as a predecessor(s) ofAmenemhat VII, when the canon lists Amenemhat VII directly as Hor's successor (column 7, lines 17 and 18).[1]
According to Ryholt, Djedkheperew was a brother of his predecessor Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw and a son of pharaohHor Awibre. Ryholt based his conclusion on the seals from Uronarti and theBed of Osiris. The seals show that Khabaw and Djedkheperew reigned closely in time, while what remains of the name of Djedkheperew on theBed of Osiris shows that his nomen started withhrw. This suggests that Djedkheperew's nomen indicated hisfiliation toHor. Since Khabaw is known to have succeeded Hor, Ryholt deduced that Djedkheperew was Khabaw's brother and successor.[1]
| Preceded by | Pharaoh of Egypt Thirteenth Dynasty | Succeeded by |