Huni

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Persondata
NAME	Huni
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Hu, Houni, Hoeni<ref name="names">Huni accessed November 18, 2006</ref>
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Pharaoh of Egypt
DATE OF BIRTH	{{{Birth}}}
PLACE OF BIRTH	Ancient Egypt
DATE OF DEATH	{{{Death}}}
PLACE OF DEATH	Ancient Egypt

Huni
Preceded by: Khaba	Pharaoh of Egypt 3rd Dynasty	Succeeded by: Sneferu
Hu, Houni, Hoeni<ref name="names">Huni accessed November 18, 2006</ref>
Reign	2637 BC to 2613 BC<ref name="names2"/> 26 years in Manetho, 24 years according to the Turin King List
Nomen	<hiero>G39-N5</hiero><hiero><-V28-A24-N35:Z4:D40-></hiero> 'Huni The Smiter<ref name="names2">Clayton, Peter A. Chronicle of the Pharaohs. p42. Thames and Hudson, London, 2006. ISBN 9-78-0500-286289</ref>
Consort(s)	Meresankh I
Issues	Sneferu
Father	Huni
Died	2613 BC
Major Monuments	Step pyramid(?), Island fort at Elephantine

Huni was the last Pharaoh of Egypt of the Third dynasty. He established a fortress on the island of Elephantine, securing the southern border of Egypt at the First Cataract. Huni was probably the father of Hetepheres, queen of the next king, Snofru. A certain 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 the Turin King List.

Huni is sometimes credited with building a great stepped pyramid at Meidum (larger than that of Djoser), which was supposedly left unfinished at the time of his death, thus his successor Snofru, it is said, completed it near the beginning of his reign. However, this theory comes out of a simple desire to have a significant monument attributed to Huni; there is no evidence whatsoever that the Meidum pyramid was his burial place. The name of Snofru, however, has been found at Meidum, and many of Snofru's children, particularly princes Nefermaat and Rahotep, have been buried in mastabas at the Meidum necropolis. Thus it seems more likely that it was Snofru 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 which have been found at Elephantine island. This pyramid was not a tomb, nor did it have a surrounding necropolis or temple complex: its real function and religious significance remain unknown. However, many of such small, ceremonial, pyramids have been found, built by Old Kingdom pharaohs throughout the kingdom of Egypt.