Seshemetka was an Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...

ian queen

Queen consort

A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...

 from the First dynasty of Egypt

First dynasty of Egypt

The first dynasty of Ancient Egypt is often combined with the Dynasty II under the group title, Early Dynastic Period of Egypt...

, a wife of pharaoh

Pharaoh

Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...

 Den

Den (Pharaoh)

Den, also known as Hor-Den, Dewen and Udimu, is the Horus name of an early Egyptian king who ruled during the 1st dynasty. He is the best archaeologically attested ruler of this period. Den is said to have brought prosperity to his realm and numerous innovations are attributed to his reign...

. She was the mother of Anedjib

Anedjib

Anedjib, more correctly Adjib and also known as Hor-Anedjib, Hor-Adjib and Enezib, is the Horus name of an early Egyptian king who ruled during the 1st dynasty. The ancient Greek historian Manetho named him "Miebîdós" and credited him with a reign of 26 years, whilst the Royal Canon of Turin...

. Her royal titles were Great one of the hetes-sceptre, She who sees Horus, She who carries Seth.

Very little is known about Seshemetka besides a Stela discovered near Den's tomb in Abydos. Seshemetka was not the only woman identified from funerary stela. Stelae of royal women named Semat

Semat

Semat was an Ancient Egyptian Queen, who may have been a wife of the King Den. She was buried near him in Abydos.Very little is known about Semat besides a Stela discovered near Den's tomb in Abydos. She held the titles "She who sees Horus" and "She who carries Seth", titles associated with queens...

 and Serethor

Serethor

Serethor was a woman who lived in ancient Egypt during the First dynasty.Serethor is thought to be a wife of Den. Serethor is known from a funerary stela in Umm el-Qaab, which is now in the Louvre, but no titles have been preserved. She may have been buried in the funerary complex of Den.-...

 were similarly discovered in Abydos. These women may be further wives of king Den, but nothing beyond their names is known about them.

Grajetzki (referencing Petrie, Troy and Roth) lists Seshemetka as a wife of King Djer

Djer

Djer was the second or third pharaoh of the first dynasty of Egypt, which dates from approximately 3100 BC. Some scholars, however, debate whether the first pharaoh, Menes or Narmer, and Hor-Aha might have been different rulers. If they were separate rulers, this would make Djer the third pharaoh...

 and states that she was buried near Djer's funerary complex in Umm el-Qa'ab

Umm el-Qa'ab

Umm el-Qa`āb is the necropolis of the Early Dynastic kings at Abydos, in Egypt. Its modern name means Mother of Pots, as the whole area is littered with the broken pot shards of offerings made in earlier times...

, Abydos.

Weblinks

• Francesco Raffaele: Royal Women in Early Egypt (English)
• List of tombs at Abydos