Who's Who of Egyptian people, queens and family: Antefoker

Antefoker

12th Dynasty

Antefoker served the two first kings of the Twelfth Dynasty, Amenemhet I and Senwosret I. The former had himself been Vizier in the previous reign, and Antefoker must have played an important part in the development of the administrative reforms which the king introduced on his assumption of the throne. The dynasty established itself at El-Lisht and Amenemhet built himself a pyramid there, using blocks from Old Kingdom burials. A necropolis for members of the royal family and the great officers of state was built nearby the king's pyramid. Here, unusually, Antefoker built only a cenotaph for himself, as he was actually buried at Thebes (TT 60).

There has been some speculation that Antefoker may have been implicated in the assassination of King Amenemhet. His mother, Senet (once thought to have been his wife), was buried on the hill of Sheikh Abdel-Qurna at Thebes and her son's name, titles and portrait have been excised from it, as if he had been execrated after his death; it is possible that the tomb was originally intended to be his. Senet's tomb was the earliest funerary monument to be built at Thebes and remained in isolation until some four hundred years after her death when the region became the most important necropolis in Egypt.

The tomb is the only one from the Middle Kingdom which has survived with substantial decoration. There are very fine depictions of harpists and flautists together with two singers, Didumiin and Khuwyt, who entertain Antefoker.

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Last Updated: June 21st, 2011