Iah (also Yah, Jah or Aah = "Moon";Allen, James P. (2000). Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs. Cambridge University Press. p. 436 ) was a king's mother and queen of ancient Egypt during the mid 11th Dynasty (2134–1991 BC). Daughter of a king, possibly Intef II, and mother of king Mentuhotep II, she was the queen consort of Intef III.

Biography Little is known for certain about the origin and life of Iah. She bore the title of king's daughter (Sȝt-nswt),Joyce Tyldesley, Chronicle of the Queens of Egypt, Thames & Hudson. 2006, pp. 66-68. which indicates that she was the daughter of a king, possibly Intef II, but this remains conjectural. Her name is a reference to Iah, an Egyptian Moon god.Remler, Pat. (2000). Egyptian Mythology A to Z: A Young Reader's Companion. Facts On File. P. 1

Iah was married to king Intef III, although the important title king's wife is not attested for her. Their children were: Mentuhotep II (died c. 2009 BC)Stewart, John (2006). African States and Rulers (Third ed.). London: McFarland. p. 81. .Clayton, Peter A. Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. p. 72. 2006. Neferu II As the mother of Mentuhotep II and Neferu II, Iah was both the maternal and paternal grandmother of king Mentuhotep III.Firth, Lesley (editor-in-chief) et al (1985). "Mentohotep III". Who Were They? The Simon & Schuster Color Illustrated Question & Answer Book. Little Simon Book, Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York City, ., page 12.

Iah appears on a rock relief in the Shatt er-Rigal where she is shown standing behind Mentuhotep II. In front of both of them are depicted the beloved god's father, son of Ra, Intef and the royal sealer and treasurer Kheti. She also appears in the tomb TT319 of her daughter Neferu II.Silke Roth: Die Königsmütter des Alten Ägypten, Wiesbaden 2001, , p. 426 She is named on relief fragments of Neferu's tomb and on model coffins, where it is written: "Neferu, born of Iah".William C. Hayes: The Scepter of Egypt I, New York 1953, , p. 160, 327

Titles Beloved King's Mother (mwt-nswt mryt-f) Priestess of Hathor (ḥmt-nṯr-ḥwt-ḥr) King's daughter (sȝt-nswt)

References