Editing Sahure (section)

=== Parentage ===

[[File:PapyrusWestcar photomerge-AltesMuseum-Berlin-5.jpg|thumb|right|340px|alt=Image of a dark papyrus covered with writings in black ink and scattered holes|The [[Westcar Papyrus]], dating to the [[Seventeenth Dynasty of Egypt|Seventeenth Dynasty]] but probably first written during the [[Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt|Twelfth Dynasty]], tells the myth of the origins of the Fifth Dynasty]]
[[File:Commemorative stela of Sahure - Nubian Museum.jpg|thumb|Commemorative stela of king Sahure - in the Nubian Museum]]
Excavations at the [[pyramid of Sahure]] in [[Abusir]] under the direction of [[Miroslav Verner]] and Tarek El-Awady in the early 2000s provide a picture of the royal family of the early Fifth Dynasty. In particular, reliefs from the causeway linking the valley and mortuary temples of the pyramid complex reveal that Sahure's mother was queen [[Neferhetepes (Userkaf)|Neferhetepes{{nbs}}II]].{{sfn|El Awady|2006a|pp=192–198}} She was the wife of pharaoh [[Userkaf]], as indicated by the location of [[Pyramid of Userkaf#Pyramid complex of Queen Neferhetepes|her pyramid]] immediately adjacent to [[Pyramid of Userkaf|that of Userkaf]],{{sfn|Labrousse|Lauer|2000}} and bore the title of "king's mother".{{efn|group=note|Ancient Egyptian ''Mwt-Nswt''.{{sfn|Baud|1999b|p=494}}}}{{sfn|Baud|1999b|p=494}} This makes Userkaf the father of Sahure in all likelihood. This is further reinforced by the discovery of Sahure's [[cartouche]] in the mortuary temple of Userkaf at [[Saqqara]], indicating that Sahure finished the structure started most probably by his father.{{sfn|Labrousse|Lauer|2000}}

This contradicts older, alternative theories according to which Sahure was the son of queen [[Khentkaus I]],{{sfn|Clayton|1994|p=46}} believed to be the wife of the last pharaoh of the preceding [[Fourth Dynasty of Egypt|Fourth Dynasty]], [[Shepseskaf]] and a brother to either Userkaf or Neferirkare.{{efn|group=note|In a version of this theory, Khentkaus possibly remarried Userkaf after the death of her first husband{{sfn|Hayes|1978|pp=66–68 & p. 71}} and became the mother of Sahure and his successor on the throne, Neferirkare Kakai.{{sfn|Rice|1999|p=173}} This theory is based on the fact that Khentkaus is known to have borne the title of ''mwt nswt bity nswt bity'', which could be translated as "mother of two kings". A story from the [[Westcar Papyrus]] tells of a magician foretelling to [[Khufu]] that the future demise of his lineage will come from three brothers, born of the god Ra and a woman named [[Rededjet]], who will reign successively as the first three kings of the Fifth Dynasty.{{sfn|Lichteim|2000|pp=215–220}} Some Egyptologists have therefore proposed that Khentkaus was the mother of Sahure and the historical figure on which [[Rededjet]] is based. Following the discoveries of Verner and El-Awady in Abusir, this theory has been abandoned{{sfn|El Awady|2006a|pp=192–198}} and the real role of Khentkaus remains difficult to ascertain. This is in part because the translation of her title is problematic and because the details of the transition from the Fourth to the Fifth Dynasty are not yet clear. In particular, an ephemeral pharaoh [[Djedefptah]] may have ruled between Shepseskaf and Userkaf.{{sfn|Hayes|1978|pp=66–68 & p. 71}}}}{{sfn|Baud|1999b|pp=547–548 & 550}}
[[File:Borchardt Sahure 33.jpg|thumb|upright|Sahure's figure towering next to those of his sons including Netjerirenre, Khakare and Neferirkare Kakai on a relief from his mortuary temple{{sfn|Borchardt|1910|loc=Pl. 32, 33 & 34}}|alt=Large figure of a king standing and holding a staff. On the left, two rows of small figures with hieroglyphs detailing their names.]]