. The position of the lost jewel upon the hair shows
that it was in a fillet set with inlaying, like that seen on early
figures, such as Nefert at Medum, who wears a fillet of rosettes to
retain the hair; and the position of the steering oar attached to a
post, with the handle rising high in the air, explains how it could
strike the fillet and displace the jewel.
The last tale is really double, a tale within a tale. It begins with
the wonders done by Dedi, and then goes on with the [Page 22] history
or the children about whom he prophesied to Khufu.
The village of Dedi was probably near Medum, as in the temple of Sneferu
at Medum an offering was found presented by a worshipper to the gods
of Ded-sneferu: hence the background which is here given for the scene
of Hordedef leading old Dedi. The translation of "the designs of the
dwelling of Tahuti" is not certain; but the passage seems to refer to
some architectural plan which was desired for the pyramid.
The story of Rud-didet is remarkable historically. She is said to be
wife of the priest of Ra, her children are sons of Ra, and they are the
first three kings of the Vth dynasty, and supplanted the line of Khufu.
This points to the Vth Dynasty having been a priestly usurpation; and on
looking at its history we see two confirmations of this. The title "Son
of Ra" is so common in most ages in Egypt that it is taken for granted,
and is applied in lists to any second cartouche; but it is not found
until well into the Vth Dynasty; the earlier kings were not descendants
of Ra, and it is only on arriving at this dynasty, which claimed descent
from Ra, through the wife of the priest of Ra, that we find the claim
of each king to be a "son of Ra.
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