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Rock Inscriptions at the Water Mountain of Djedefre

A group of carved hieroglyphic inscriptions left by desert expeditions during the Fourth Dynasty, the dynasty of Khufu.

These desert inscriptions date from the Fourth Dynasty, the royal line of Khufu, and record expeditions under his successors.

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Sandstone cliff face with several carved hieroglyphic inscriptions and cartouches, including a rectangular panel near the top and a framed inscription lower down, with rubble at the base of the rock.
Photograph by Roland Unger, 2012. Rock inscriptions, Water Mountain of Djedefre, Western Desert, Egypt.

About this source

What it is

This is a photograph of a cliff face in the Western Desert of Egypt carved with several hieroglyphic inscriptions and cartouches. It is part of a group of ancient rock texts left at the site known as the Water Mountain of Djedefre, in the New Valley region. The photograph was taken by Roland Unger in 2012.

Why it matters

These inscriptions were cut by officials and work parties sent into the desert during the Fourth Dynasty, the royal family that included Khufu. They are rare direct traces of government expeditions from this period, showing how far pharaonic administration reached beyond the Nile Valley.

Look closer

  • What kinds of signs can you pick out, and what might they record?
  • Why would officials carve messages onto rock instead of writing on papyrus?
  • What does the survival of these marks tell us about desert travel in Khufu's time?

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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