Ankhhaf

Ankhhaf
Prince of Egypt
Bust of Prince Ankhhaf, now at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Burial	mastaba, Meidum
Spouse	Princess Hetepheres
Father	Sneferu
Religion	Ancient Egyptian religion
Occupation	vizier

Prince Ankhhaf was an Egyptian prince and served as vizier and overseer of works to the Pharaoh Khafre, who was Ankhhaf's nephew. He lived during Egypt's 4th Dynasty (c.  2613 to c. 2494 BC).

Ankhhaf was a son of pharaoh Sneferu and an unknown wife. He had an elder brother, Kanefer. He was younger half-brother to Khufu, who became a king after Sneferu died. Ankhhaf had the titles "eldest king's son of his body" (sa nswt n khtf smsw), "vizier" and "the great one of Five of the house of Thoth" (wr djw pr-Djehuti).

Ankhhaf's tomb in Giza (G 7510) depicts his sister-wife Princess Hetepheres. Hetepheres was the eldest daughter of Sneferu and Queen Hetepheres I and thus Ankhhaf's half-sister. Hetepheres had the titles "eldest king's daughter of his body", "the one whom he loves" (sat nswt n khtf smst mrt.f) and "Priestess of Sneferu" (hmt-nTr Snfrw). Ankhhaf and Hetepheres had a daughter, who was a mother of Ankhetef.

Ankhhaf was almost certainly a witness to the building of the Great Pyramid of Giza and likely played a role in the construction of the Sphinx. His mastaba tomb, G 7510, was the largest in the eastern cemetery at Giza. A superb and realistic painted limestone portrait bust of Ankhhaf discovered in his tomb is considered the work "of a master" of Ancient Egyptian art from the time of the Old Kingdom, and can be seen at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Its catalog number is Museum Expedition 27.442.