Mehu
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Mehu
| image = Tomb of Mehu, chief justice and vizier of King Teti, 6th dynasty, ca 2345-2323 BCE; Saqqara (92).jpg
| caption = Relief from Mehu's tomb
| succession = Vizier of Egypt
| reign = c. 2335 BC
| regent =
| reg-type = King
| burial_place = Badrshein, Giza, Egypt
| consort = yes
| spouse = Nebet
Neferkaus
| issue = Merut
Khuy
}}
Mehu ({{fl.|{{circa}} 2335 BC}}) was an Ancient Egyptian vizier who lived in the Sixth Dynasty. The office of the vizier was the most important one at the royal court. Mehu is mainly known from his monumental mastaba at Saqqara, not far away from the Pyramid of Unas.
The exact dating of Mehu is disputed in Egyptology. Hartwig Altenmüller published the relief decoration of the mastaba and dates him under king Teti. He argues that the one of the brothers of Mehu with the name Iynefret is identical to another vizier also named Iynefret, who might date to the early Sixth Dynasty. Furthermore, Mehu carried the title of an overseer of priest at Djed-sut-Teti, that is the pyramid complex of king Teti.Hartwig Altenmüller: Die Wanddarstellungen im Grab des Mehu in Saqqara, Archäologischer Veröffentlichungen 42, Mainz 1998, {{ISBN|3805305044}}, 82-83 Other argue that he dates slightly later under king Pepi I.Nigel Strudwick: The administration of Egypt in the Old Kingdom, London, Boston 1985, {{ISBN|0710301073}}, p. 101-102
Mehu's family, in particular his parents, remain unknown but he was very likely from Mendes.{{cite book|last=Moreno García|first=Moreno|editor-first=Moreno|editor-last=Moreno García|chapter=The Territorial Administration of the Kingdom in the 3rd Millennium|title=Ancient Egyptian administration|publisher=Brill|location=Leiden, Boston|page=132|year=2013|isbn=978-90-04-24952-3}}
Mehu had two wives, Nebet and Neferkaus.Hartwig Altenmüller: Die Wanddarstellungen im Grab des Mehu in Saqqara, Archäologischer Veröffentlichungen 42, Mainz 1998, {{ISBN|3805305044}}, 78
Mehu was bearing a high number of important titles. These include the titles of the vizier, but he was also Overseer of the treasuries, overseer of the double granary, overseer of Upper Egypt, and overseer of all royal works.Hartwig Altenmüller: Die Wanddarstellungen im Grab des Mehu in Saqqara, Archäologischer Veröffentlichungen 42, Mainz 1998, {{ISBN|3805305044}}, pp. 34-37 Several sons are mentioned in the tomb. One son was perhaps called Mery, but his name was several times deleted. Another son was Hetepka. Within the mastaba of Mehu there are parts reserved for a vizier called Hetepka. It is possible that he was the son of Mehu, albeit final evidence for this identification is missing. The vizier Hetepka might have been just a member of Mehu's family. Two other known children of Mehu are a daughter called Merut and a further son called Khuy.Hartwig Altenmüller: Die Wanddarstellungen im Grab des Mehu in Saqqara, Archäologischer Veröffentlichungen 42, Mainz 1998, {{ISBN|3805305044}}, 78-79
Gallery
File:Tomb of Mehu, chief justice and vizier of King Teti, 6th dynasty, ca 2345-2323 BCE; Saqqara (87).jpg
File:Tomb of Mehu, chief justice and vizier of King Teti, 6th dynasty, ca 2345-2323 BCE; Saqqara (70).jpg
File:Tomb of Mehu, chief justice and vizier of King Teti, 6th dynasty, ca 2345-2323 BCE; Saqqara (86).jpg
File:Tomb of Mehu, chief justice and vizier of King Teti, 6th dynasty, ca 2345-2323 BCE; Saqqara (78).jpg
File:Tomb of Mehu, chief justice and vizier of King Teti, 6th dynasty, ca 2345-2323 BCE; Saqqara (74).jpg
References
{{Commons Category|Tomb of Mehu}}
External links
- [https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=xmDbt2rfa82&help=1&brand=1&play=1&hl=1&ts=2&title=1&tourcta=2&vrcoll=0&dh=1&lp=1&wts=1&fbclid=IwAR1R7VEYLCAZrNH0X66we9KH9cgpR1lXTajJOx2wACXLg6mlVLdt4qGyRKw Virtual tour of his mastaba]
Category:Viziers of the Sixth Dynasty of Egypt
Category:Overseer of the treasury
Category:Overseers of Upper Egypt
Category:Ancient Egyptian overseers of royal works
Category:Ancient Egyptian overseers of the granaries
{{AncientEgypt-bio-stub}}