The Children of Adam and Eve

Huni was the last pharaoh of Egypt in the 3rd Dynasty (2686-2613 BC), first of four dynasties in the Old Kingdom Period.

The successor to Khaba, Huni was the father of Hetepheres I, the wife of Sneferu, who was the first king of the Fourth Dynasty. Huni was succeeded by Sneferu according to the Papyrus Prisse ("The Instructions by Kagemni"), but it is not known ifSneferu was his son.

Huni is mentioned amongst the names of high officials from the court of Djoser, and if this was indeed the same man as this pharaoh, it is possible that Huni came to the throne at a very venerable age. He is credited with a 24-year reign in theTurin King List.

Huni established a fortress on the island of Elephantine, securing the southern border of Egypt at the First Cataract. His vizier was a man named Kagemi.

Huni is sometimes credited with building a great stepped pyramid at Meidum which was to be larger than that of Djoser. It was supposedly left unfinished at the time of his death, thus his successor Sneferu, it is said, completed it near thebeginning of his reign. If this view arises from the desire amongst historians to have a significant monument attributed to Huni, there is no evidence that the Meidum pyramid was his burial place. The name of Sneferu, However, has been found atMeidum, and many of Sneferu's children, particularly princes Nefermaat and Rahotep, have been buried in mastabas at the Meidum necropolis. Thus it seems More likely that it was Sneferu who had the pyramid built and, later on during his reign,transformed it from the stepped pyramid into a True pyramid by having its sides smoothed. The pyramid has since collapsed, leaving only its core.

Another pyramid exists which was very likely built by Huni, but this is a small ceremonial pyramid. The ruins of this pyramid have been found at Elephantine. This pyramid was not a tomb, nor did it have a surrounding necropolis or Templecomplex. It’s real function and religious significance remain unknown. However, many similar small ceremonial pyramids have been found, built by Old Kingdom pharaohs throughout Egypt.

The Horus name of the king is not known with any confidence. However, in the late 1960s, the Louvre bought a relief showing a king Horus Qahedjet. For stylistical reasons the relief beLongs to the Third Dynasty and it seems possible that itbeLongs to Huni, whose Horus-name it provides.