New Analysis of 72-Year-Old Photo Reveals Details on Ancient Egyptian Ruler Meretneith

Advanced digital analysis of a decades-old photograph is providing new insights into the reign of Meretneith, a powerful woman who may have ruled ancient Egypt approximately 5,000 years ago. Published in the September issue of Prague Egyptological Studies, the new research suggests that her name was inscribed in a specific royal emblem known as a serekh, a designation traditionally reserved for the rulers of Egypt.

The discovery relies on a black-and-white photograph taken in 1954 by archaeologist William B. Emery. In the 1940s, Emery uncovered 13 mud stoppers, or seals, near the entrance of a tomb shaft at Saqqara. These seals identified the objects’ owners through serekhs—graphic signs that recorded the names of Egyptian rulers. While Emery identified two seals as belonging to King Djer, he suggested the other two belonged to Meretneith. However, the low quality of the original photograph prevented many scholars from accepting this interpretation. Complicating the issue further, all 13 physical stoppers and the original glass plate for the photograph have since disappeared, leaving the 1954 image as the only surviving evidence.

Susan Kelly, an Egyptology researcher at Macquarie University in Australia, and Crystal Miller, a bioarchaeology student at the same institution, utilized complex digital techniques to enhance the old photograph. Their work, which included creating a digital rubbing in 2023, revealed that the signs in the name portion of the second and third serekhs align with the standard script used for Meretneith’s name. “Our technique has revealed that in the second and third serekhs, the signs in the name portion of the emblem are consistent with the main sign used to write Meretneith’s name,” Kelly noted.

The researchers argue that Meretneith’s role likely differed significantly from that of male pharaohs. Instead of a permanent succession of birth, reign, and death, she may have adopted a flexible approach, acting as a ruler when political circumstances required it and serving as a high-ranking royal family member otherwise. She likely served as regent for her son, King Den, during his minority, and may have co-ruled with King Djer, who could have been her father. Evidence indicates she held titles such as “king’s mother” and oversaw key state departments like the treasury.

The findings are not without controversy. Eva-Maria Engel, a historian at Humboldt University of Berlin who was not involved in the study, disputes the interpretation of the enhanced photo. Engel argues that the visual evidence shows the seals mention only King Djer and do not include Meretneith’s name at all. Despite this disagreement, Engel acknowledges that Meretneith held significant power, noting her burial among kings and her likely role in supporting her son’s governance.