Abydos King List (Ramesses II)

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Fragmentary Abydos King's List from the temple of Ramesses II at Abydos, now at the British Museum. FragmentaryKingsListFromAbydosTempleOfRamessesII-BritishMuseum-August19-08.jpg
Fragmentary Abydos King's List from the temple of Ramesses II at Abydos, now at the British Museum.

The Abydos King List of Ramesses II, also known as the Fragmentary Abydos King List or the Fragmentary Abydos Table, is a list of Ancient Egyptian kings down to Ramesses' own time. Originally located in the temple of Ramesses II at Abydos in Egypt, it was built in the 13th century BC. The list is similar to the one inscribed in the temple built at the site by Ramesses' father, Seti I, but with the addition of Ramesses' own throne name and nomen.

Contents

Ramesses' list is in fragments, so that only some of the kings' names survive. The surviving fragments were removed in 1837 by the French consul in Egypt and sold to the British Museum. [1]

This list omits the names of many earlier pharaohs who were apparently considered illegitimate — those were Sobekneferu, pharaohs of the Ninth Dynasty, pharaohs of the Tenth Dynasty, the Hyksos, pharaohs of the Second Intermediate Period, Hatshepsut, Akhenaten, Smenkhkare, Neferneferuaten, Tutankhamen, and Ay.

Contents

Drawing of the Fragmentary Abydos King List from 1842. Details like hieroglyphics and cartouches that were present in 1826, but had disappeared by 1842 are included here, along with reconstructions of some of the cartouches. Gallery of antiquities, selected from the British Museum (1842) Plate 29 (cropped).jpg
Drawing of the Fragmentary Abydos King List from 1842. Details like hieroglyphics and cartouches that were present in 1826, but had disappeared by 1842 are included here, along with reconstructions of some of the cartouches.

The names are listed in reverse chronological order from the upper right to the bottom left, as they were meant to be read.

Upper rowMiddle row
No.PharaohName written in the listNo.PharaohName written in the list
1-8Names destroyedNames destroyed27-34Names destroyedNames destroyed
9Name destroyedName destroyed35 Amenemhat II Nebukaure
10Name destroyedName destroyed36 Senusret II Khakheperure
11Name destroyedName destroyed37 Senusret III Khakaure
12Name destroyedName destroyed38 Amenemhat III Nimaatre
13 Merenre Nemtyemsaf II Merenre Saemsaf39 Amenemhat IV Maakherure
14 Netjerkare Netjerkare40 Ahmose I Nebpehtyre
15 Menkare Menkare41 Amenhotep I Djeserkare
16 Neferkare II Neferkare42 Thutmose I Aakheperkare
17 Neferkare Neby Neferkare Nebseneb43 Thutmose II Aakheperenre
18 Djedkare Shemai Djedkare Shemai44 Thutmose III Menkheperre
19 Neferkare Khendu Neferkare Khendu45 Amenhotep II Aakheperure
20 Merenhor Merenhor46 Thutmose IV Menkheperure
21 Neferkamin Sneferka47 Amenhotep III Nebmaatre
22 Nikare Nikare48 Horemheb Djeserkheperure Setepenre
23 Neferkare Tereru Neferkare Tereru49 Ramesses I Menpehtire
24 Neferkahor Neferkahor50 Seti I Menmaatre
25 Neferkare Pepiseneb Neferkare Pepiseneb51 Ramesses II Usermaatre Setepenre
26 Neferkamin Anu Sneferka Anu52 Ramesses II Ramesses Meryamun

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