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Primary sourceDocumentreign of Khufu, c. 2551–2528 BCE

Rock Inscription of Cheops at the Water Mountain of Djedefre

reign of Khufu, c. 2551–2528 BCE

A rock carving in the Western Desert bearing the Horus name and personal name of King Cheops (Khufu), made during an expedition of his reign.

Carries Khufu's own Horus name and personal name, carved during an expedition sent out in his reign.

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Photograph of a sandstone rock surface with incised ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs: a bird figure at top, a rectangular frame with a falcon-like sign, a cartouche-like oval at left, and horizontal lines and vertical strokes below.
Inscription IV-B: Horus and personal name of Cheops, Water Mountain of Djedefre, New Valley, Western Desert, Egypt.

About this source

What it is

This is an inscription carved into sandstone rock, known as Inscription IV-B, found at the Water Mountain of Djedefre in the New Valley region of Egypt's Western Desert. It records the Horus name and personal name of King Cheops, another name for Khufu.

Why it matters

Inscriptions like this were left by expeditions sent out during a king's reign, often to quarries or distant sites. This one names Khufu directly, making it a rare primary record of his name from his own time, found far from the pyramids most people associate with him.

Look closer

  • Why might an expedition in the desert carve the king's name into rock?
  • What does the choice of location tell you about the reach of Khufu's rule?
  • What can't this short inscription tell us about the event it records?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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