Free Republic

Key points: The study provides the first scientific evidence that silver used in her jewellery was sourced from the Aegean Islands in Greece. The findings offer an insight into the trade networks that existed and the emergence of Egyptian state. An analysis of bracelets owned by Queen Hetepheres — the mother of King Khufu, who would go on to build the Great Pyramid — has found that Egypt and Greece were involved in long-distance trade earlier than previously known.

Kheops [Khufu, building of the Great Pyramid] was succeeded by Djedefre, his oldest surviving son. The mother of Djedefre is unknown. He married his (half-) sister Hetepheres II, which may have been to legitimise his claims to the throne if his mother was one of Kheops’ lesser wives... The Turin King-list credits him with a rule of 8 years, but the highest known year referenced to during this reign was the year of the 11th cattle count. This would mean that Djedefre ruled for at least 11 years, if the cattle counts were anual, or 21 years if the...