Pharaoh Djedefre was supposed to be hated by the people who destroyed his pyramid. What was the reality?
Pharaoh Djedefre murdered his brother to seize power. His exceptionally cruel rule led to a rebellion by his subjects, who destroyed his pyramid. This was the image of Cheops’ son, but archaeological research has shed new light on him.
In Abu Rawash, 7 kilometers northeast of Giza, on a solitary rocky outcrop 150 meters above the Nile’s surface, once stood Djedefre’s pyramid. This royal tomb was nearly completely destroyed, with every effort made to erase all traces of its owner. Who would want to do such a thing, and why?
Discoveries in Djedefre’s Pyramid
A few inscriptions that survived the destruction reveal that Pharaoh Djedefre (mid-26th century BCE), a ruler of the IV dynasty and the son of Cheops (Khufu) and the half-brother of Chephren (Khafre), was laid to rest here. Archaeological work has been conducted at this site for nearly 150 years, with renowned figures such as Karl Richard Lepsius and William Flinders Petrie having excavated here. The mystery of the ruined pyramid also puzzled the French-Swiss team led by Michel Vallogia.
The most significant discovery was an oval-shaped pit located on the eastern side, resembling a boat, filled with fragments of 120…
