Society: Lists of kings and resources

One of the challenges in establishing a chronology or a list of ancient Egyptian kings lies in the sources that have been passed down to us. These sources are essential for understanding the historical reality. However, they can also present complications due to their age, potential biases, or incomplete nature.

For this reason, we find that Egyptologists and specialists have differing opinions on the years of reign for each king, as well as the existence or non-existence of certain kings and the chronological order of their reigns. Why does this discrepancy occur? It is because the sources available to us are stelae and documents of various origins with differing lists. It must be understood that the history of ancient Egypt spans a very long period, during which the transmission of knowledge and the desire of some kings to modify or erase records influenced the creation of these lists. A king who ascended to power under dubious circumstances or whose name was intended to be forgotten by successors would be omitted, leading to gaps in the historical record that Egyptologists strive to fill. This is only possible to a certain extent; even with mummy dating and written records, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of historical events or their duration.

Significant discrepancies in the estimated years of reign can range from one year to over a decade. While such errors may seem minor given the vast time span covered, they are still mistakes; in a twelve-year period, many events can occur that unfortunately remain unrecorded.

Furthermore, it is important to consider that new discoveries are continually being made and will persist into the future. Archaeological expeditions and excavations occasionally unearth new documents, tombs, or evidence of previously unknown kings or rulers, rendering any current knowledge potentially incomplete. The full extent of ancient Egyptian history may never be definitively known.

Today, up to six different lists of kings are recognized and accepted. Next, we will explore what these lists are and the origins of each:

- The Palermo Stone: This is a fragment of a black stele that chronicles historical events from the pre-dynastic period to the 5th dynasty. It is named after the city of Palermo in Sicily, where it was discovered. Additional fragments have been found in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (three fragments) and in the Petrie Museum in London (UC 15508).

It is believed to have been created during the reign of the last king of the 5th dynasty, who is also the final ruler listed on the stone. The Palermo Stone includes a series of kings not found on any other list, leading some Egyptologists and scholars to question their existence due to a lack of corroborating evidence. The stone's origins remain unclear (Shaw 2007 [2000], 22). It is divided into three sections: the first lists the names of the kings; the second recounts significant events from their reigns; and the third records the level of the Nile flood for that year. This last piece of data has led several experts to suggest that there may have been an economic crisis during Dynasty V (Serrano Delgado 1992).

The Royal List of Karnak, originally part of the Temple of Amun in Uaset (Karnak), is now housed in the Louvre Museum. It displays a chronological sequence of 61 kings, deliberately excluding certain dynasties and the era of Hyksos foreign rule. This list is located within the Ancestors' Room, a space devoted to the 'Feast of the Thirsty' of King Menkheperre (Thutmose III), also known as Kanakht Khaemwaset.

-The Royal List of Abydos, located in the Hall of Ancestors at the Temple of Seti I in Abydos, is a significant historical record that enumerates 76 kings preceding Seti I. It is noteworthy that this list does not coincide entirely with other known royal lists, such as the Royal List of Turin. This discrepancy has led scholars to speculate that certain monarchs absent from the Abydos list were possibly deemed illegitimate or usurpers, hence their exclusion. The compilation of names on the Abydos list provides valuable insights into the dynastic lineage and the selective recognition of rulers in ancient Egyptian history.

Dynasty I

· 1 Meni

· 2 Teti

· 3 Ateti

· 4 Ita

· 5 Sepaty

· 6 Mer-bia-pen

· 7 Semsu

· 8 All

Dynasty II

· 9 Be-dya-u

· 10 Ka-kau

· 11 Ba-n-necher

· 12 Uady-nes

· 13 Sene-di

· 14 Dya-dyay

Dynasty III

· 15 Neb-ka

· 16 Dyeser-sa

· 17 Te-ti

· 18 Se-dyes

· 19 Nefer-ka-ra

Dynasty IV

· 20 Se-nefru

· 21 Ju-fu

· 22 Dyed-ef-ra

· 23 Jau-f-ra

· 24 Men-kau-ra

· 25 Shep-ses-kaf

Dynasty V

· 26 User-ka-f

· 27 Sahu-ra

· 28 Food

· 29 Nefer-ef-ra

· 30 User-blood

· 31 Men-kau-hor

· 32 Dyed-ka-ra

· 33 Unis

Dynasty VI

· 34 Te-ti

· 35 User-ka-ra

· 36 Mery-ra

· 37 Mer-en-ra

· 38 Nefer-ka-ra

· 39 Mer-en-ra-dyefa-em-saf

Dynasty VII

· 40 Necher-ka-ra

· 41 Men-ka-ra

· 42 Nefer-ka-ra

· 43 Nefer-ka-ra-nebi

· 44 Dyed-ka-ra-se-mai

· 45 Nefer-ka-ra-jendu

· 46 Mer-en-hor

· 47 Se-nefer-ka

· 48 Ne-ka-ra

· 49 Nefer-kat-ru-ra

· 50 Nefer-ka-hor

Dynasty VIII

· 51 Nefer-ka-ra-pepy-seneb

· 52 Nefer-ka-ra-annu

· 53 Ka-kau-ra

· 54 Nefer-kau-ra (Neferka)

· 55 Nefer-kau-hor

· 56 Nefer-ir-ka-ra

Dynasty XI

· 57 Neb-hepet-ra

· 58 Sanj-ka-ra

Dynasty XII

· 59 Se-hotep-ib-ra

· 60 Jeper-ka-ra

· 61 Neb-kau-ra

· 62 Jai-jeper-ra

· 63 Jai-kau-ra

· 64 Ne-maat-ra

· 65 Maa-jeru-ra

Dynasty XVIII

· 66 Neb-pehty-ra

· 67 Dyeser-ka-ra

· 68 Aa-jeper-ka-ra

· 69 Aa-jeper-en-ra

· 70 Men-jeper-ra

· 71 Aa-jeperu-ra

· 72 Men-jeperu-ra

· 73 Neb-maat-ra

· 74 Dyeser-jeperu-ra Setep-en-ra

XIX dynasty

· 75 Men-pehty-ra

· 76 Men-maat-ra

-The Royal List of Saqqara, named after its discovery site in Saqqara within the tomb of Tenry, a priest from the era of Ramses II, is presently housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It catalogues the monarchs from the First Dynasty through to Ramses II, excluding those from the First Intermediate Period, totaling 58 rulers.

In the lower section (from left to right)

Dynasty I

· 1 mr-bi3-pn

· 2 k-b-ḥ-u

Dynasty II

· 3 b3.u-nṯr

· 4 k3-k3-u

· 5 b3-nṯr.u

· 6 u3ḏ-ns

· 7 snḏ

· 8 nfr-k3-rˁ

· 9 nfr-k3-skr

· 10 ḥu-ḏ-f3

· 11 bby

Dynasty III

· 12 ḏsr

· 13 ḏsr-tti

· 14 nb-k3-rˁ

· 15 ḥ-u-n-y

Dynasty IV

· 16 s-nfr-u

· 17 ḫu-fu

· 18 ḏdf-rˁ

· 19 ḫˁu-f-rˁ

· 20 mn-k3u-rˁ

· 21 (Fragment missing)

· 22 (Fragment missing)

· 23 (Fragment missing)

· 24 (Fragment missing)

Dynasty V

· 25 user-k3-f

· 26 sˁh-u-rˁ

· 27 nfr-ir-k3-rˁ

· 28 špss-k3-rˁ

· 29 ḫˁ-nefer-rˁ

In the upper section (from left to right)

· 30 mn-k3-ḥr

· 31 m3ˁt-k3-rˁ

· 32 u-n-i-s

Dynasty VI

· 33 t-t-i

· 34 p-p-y

· 35 mr-n-rˁ

· 36 nfr-k3-rˁ

Dynasty XI (in reverse order)

· 46 nb-ḥept-rˁ

· 45 s-ˁnj-k3-rˁ

Dynasty XII (in reverse order)

· 44 s-ḥtp-ib-rˁ

· 43 ḫpr-k3-rˁ

· 42 nb-k3-rˁ

· 41 ḫˁ-ḫpr-rˁ

· 40 ḫˁ-k3-rˁ

· 39 ny-m3ˁt-rˁ

· 38 ni-m3ˁ-ḫeru-rˁ

· 37 sbk-k3-rˁ

Dynasty XVIII (Partly Legible)

· 47 nb-pḥty-rˁ

· 48 ḏsr-k3-rˁ

· 49 3ˁ-ḫpr-k3-rˁ

· 50 3ˁ-ḫpr-n-rˁ

· 51 mn ḫpr-rˁ

· 52 3ˁ-ḫpr.u-rˁ

· 53 mn-ḫpr.u-rˁ

· 54 nb-m3ˁt-rˁ

· 55 ḏsr-ḫpr.u-rˁ Stp-n-rˁ

XIX dynasty (Partly legible)

· 56 mn-pḥty-rˁ

· 57 mn-m3ˁt-rˁ

· 58 usr-m3ˁt-rˁ

-The Royal Canon of Turin dates back to the time of Ramses II. Its name derives from the city where it is located, in the Egyptian Museum of Turin. Contrary to what some people believe, this document records the names of all the kings from all the dynasties, without omitting any that might be considered dishonorable or usurpers in other lists. It also includes a list of preceding gods or kings from the Kemet dynasty. Unfortunately, many parts of the original papyrus are damaged due to poor conditions since its discovery.

Originally, the document served as a tax register. When it became obsolete, the reverse side of the papyrus was used to compile a list of governors, written in hieratic script.

All these lists that we have been discussing, except for the Palermo Stone, originate from the New Kingdom period.

- Manetho's List: Manetho was a priest who resided in Egypt during the era of Ptolemy I, which was after the period of native Egyptian rule. He compiled a list of kings dating back to the dawn of history. Unlike other lists documented on papyrus, his list is part of his work "History of Egypt". He pioneered the division of history into dynasties, a system still in use today, and included kings up to the time of Alexander the Great. His work is known through secondary sources, primarily Roman authors, and his list is widely accepted by Egyptologists and scholars.

- Other Sources: Various subsequent authors have referenced Manetho's work, which they had access to, using it as an indirect source about the Egyptian priest. It is crucial to study each author and their perspective to discern which parts are historically accurate and which may be influenced by the author's own interests. These authors include Flavius Josephus, Julius Africanus, Eusebius of Caesarea, and Syncellus.

Bibliography:

Shaw, I. 2007 (2000). “Introducción. Cronologías y cambio cultural en el Antiguo Egipto.

O’Mara, Patrick F.The Palermo stone and the archaic kings of Egypt. California, 1979.

Castel, Elisa – Abidos templo de Sethy I

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