In the tomb of Herneith inSaqqara her name is found scratched on a vase, while inAbydos the name is found written together with the name ofDjer.[2] However, the interpretation of their names written together remains controversial and it is not even certain thatHerneith refers to a woman, and thus to a queen.
It is not known who Herneith's parents were. She is thought to be a queen ofDjer but there is no conclusive evidence.Tyldesley suggests Herneith as a possible mother ofDen, but it is more commonly thought thatMerneith was his mother.[1][3]
Grajetzki mentions that even though Herneith is known from her tomb inSaqqara and her name is found together with signs that may refer to her role as a queen, confidently interpreting this information has proven difficult. If the interpretations are correct, Herneith may have held the titles of"The First One" and"Consort of the Two Lords".[4]
A large tomb inSaqqara (tomb S3507) is thought to belong to Herneith. Inscriptions on vases found in the tomb mention KingDjer, KingDen and KingQa'a. The tomb is a mudbrickmastaba. However, a pyramid-like mound was found within the structure, covered with brick. This combination of mastaba and grave mound represents a combination of Northern (mastaba) and Southern (grave mound) tomb architecture.[1]
