Saqqara Tablet

Last updated

The Saqqara Tablet, now in the Egyptian Museum, is an ancient stone engraving surviving from the Ramesside Period of Egypt which features a list of pharaohs. It was found in 1861 in Saqqara, in the tomb of Tjuneroy (or Tjenry), an official ("chief lector priest" and "Overseer of Works on All Royal Monuments") of the pharaoh Ramesses II. [1]

Contents

The inscription lists fifty-eight kings, from Anedjib and Qa'a (First Dynasty) to Ramesses II (Nineteenth Dynasty), in reverse chronological order, omitting "rulers from the Second Intermediate Period, the Hyksos, and those rulers... who had been close to the heretic Akhenaten". [2]

The names (each surrounded by a border known as a cartouche), of which only forty-seven survive, are badly damaged. As with other Egyptian king lists, the Saqqara Tablet omits certain kings and entire dynasties. The list counts backward from Ramesses II to the mid-point of the First Dynasty, except for the Eleventh and Twelfth Dynasties, which are reversed. A well known photograph of the king list was published in 1865. [3] Detailed and high resolution images are able to be viewed online and inside the book Inside the Egyptian Museum with Zahi Hawass [4]

Drawing of the Saqqara King List based on photographs and drawings from 1864-65. SaqqaraKingList.png
Drawing of the Saqqara King List based on photographs and drawings from 1864-65.

Kings in the list

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

Upper rowBottom row
No.PharaohName written in the listNo.PharaohName written in the list
1 Ramesses II User-maat-ra-setep-en-ra30 Neferefre Kha-nefer-ra
2 Seti I Men-maat-ra31 Shepseskare Shepses-ka-ra
3 Ramesses I Men-peh-ti-ra32 Neferirkare Kakai Nefer-ir-ka-ra
4 Horemheb Djeser-kheperu-ra-setep-en-ra33 Sahure Sahura
5Name destroyedName destroyed34 Userkaf User-ka-f
6Name destroyedName destroyed35Name destroyedName destroyed
7Name destroyedName destroyed36Name destroyedName destroyed
8Name destroyedName destroyed37Name destroyedName destroyed
9Name destroyedName destroyed38Name destroyedName destroyed
10Name destroyedName destroyed39Name destroyedName destroyed
11 Amenhotep I Djeser-ka-ra40 Khafre Kha-f-ra
12 Ahmose I Neb-pehti-ra41 Djedefra Djed-ef-re
13 Mentuhotep II Nebhepetre42 Khufu Khufu
14 Mentuhotep III Se-ankh-ka-ra43 Sneferu Sneferu
15 Amenemhat I Se-hetep-ib-ra44 Huni Huni
16 Senusret I Kheper-ka-ra45 Nebka Neb-ka-ra
17 Amenemhat II Nub-kau-ra46 Sekhemkhet Djoser-teti
18 Senusret II Kha-kheper-ra47 Djoser Djoser
19 Senusret III Kha-khau-ra48 Khasekhemwy Beby
20 Amenemhat III Ni-maat-ra49 Hudjefa "Name missing"
21 Amenemhat IV Maat-kheru-ra50 Sekhemib-Perenmaat?Nefer-ka-sokar
22 Sobekneferu Ka-sobek-re51 Seth-Peribsen?Nefer-ka-ra
23 Pepi II Neferkare Nefer-ka-ra52 Senedj Senedj
24 Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Mer-en-ra53 Wadjenes Wadjlas
25 Pepi I Meryre Pepi54 Nynetjer Ba-netjeru
26 Teti Teti55 Raneb Kakau
27 Unas Unis56 Hotepsekhemwy Bau-netjer
28 Djedkare Maat-ka-ra57 Qa'a Qe-behu
29 Menkauhor Men-kau-hor58 Anedjib Merbapen

Other New Kingdom royal lists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abydos, Egypt</span> City in ancient Egypt

Abydos is one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, and also of the eighth nome in Upper Egypt. It is located about 11 kilometres west of the Nile at latitude 26° 10' N, near the modern Egyptian towns of El Araba El Madfuna and El Balyana. In the ancient Egyptian language, the city was called Abedju (Arabic Abdu عبد-و). The English name Abydos comes from the Greek Ἄβυδος, a name borrowed by Greek geographers from the unrelated city of Abydos on the Hellespont. Abydos name in hieroglyphs

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saqqara</span> Burial ground in Giza Governorate, Egypt

Saqqara, also spelled Sakkara or Saccara in English, is an Egyptian village in the markaz (county) of Badrashin in the Giza Governorate, that contains ancient burial grounds of Egyptian royalty, serving as the necropolis for the ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. Saqqara contains numerous pyramids, including the Pyramid of Djoser, sometimes referred to as the Step Tomb, and a number of mastaba tombs. Located some 30 km (19 mi) south of modern-day Cairo, Saqqara covers an area of around 7 by 1.5 km.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramesses III</span> Egyptian pharaoh 1186–1155 BCE, New Kingdom, 20th Dynasty

Usermaatre Meryamun Ramesses III was the second Pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty in Ancient Egypt. He is thought to have reigned from 26 March 1186 to 15 April 1155 BC and is considered to be the last great monarch of the New Kingdom to wield any substantial authority over Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanis</span> City in Sharqia, Egypt

Tanis or San al-Hagar is the Greek name for ancient Egyptian ḏꜥn.t, an important archaeological site in the northeastern Nile Delta of Egypt, and the location of a city of the same name. It is located on the Tanitic branch of the Nile, which has long since silted up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Index of Egypt-related articles</span>

Articles related to Egypt include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zahi Hawass</span> Egyptian Egyptologist

Zahi Abass Hawass is an Egyptian archaeologist, Egyptologist, and former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, serving twice. He has also worked at archaeological sites in the Nile Delta, the Western Desert and the Upper Nile Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piye</span> Ancient Kushite king and Egyptian pharaoh

Piye was an ancient Kushite king and founder of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt, who ruled Egypt from 744–714 BC. He ruled from the city of Napata, located deep in Nubia, modern-day Sudan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auguste Mariette</span> French archaeologist and Egyptologist (1821–1881)

François Auguste Ferdinand Mariette was a French scholar, archaeologist and Egyptologist, and the founder of the Egyptian Department of Antiquities, the forerunner of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supreme Council of Antiquities</span> 1994–2011 branch of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture

The Supreme Council of Antiquities was a department of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture from 1994 to 2011. It was the government body responsible for the conservation, protection and regulation of all antiquities and archaeological excavations in Egypt, and was a reorganization of the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation, under Presidential Decree No. 82 of Hosni Mubarak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menkauhor Kaiu</span> Pharaoh of Egypt

Menkauhor Kaiu was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Old Kingdom period. He was the seventh ruler of the Fifth Dynasty at the end of the 25th century BC or early in the 24th century BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shepseskare</span> Egyptian pharaoh

Shepseskare or Shepseskara was an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh, the fourth or fifth ruler of the Fifth Dynasty during the Old Kingdom period. Shepseskare lived in the mid-25th century BC and was probably the owner of an unfinished pyramid in Abusir, which was abandoned after a few weeks of work in the earliest stages of its construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KV35</span> Tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep II in Luxor, Egypt

Tomb KV35 is the tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep II located in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. Later, it was used as a cache for other royal mummies. It was discovered by Victor Loret in March 1898.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Cache</span> Ancient Egyptian tomb

The Royal Cache, technically known as TT320, is an Ancient Egyptian tomb located next to Deir el-Bahari, in the Theban Necropolis, opposite the modern city of Luxor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isesi-ankh</span> Ancient Egyptian high official

Isesi-ankh was an ancient Egyptian high official during the second half of the Fifth Dynasty, in the late 25th to mid 24th century BC. His name means "Isesi lives". He may have been a son of pharaoh Djedkare Isesi and queen Meresankh IV, although this is debated. Isesi-ankh probably lived during the reign of Djedkare Isesi and that of his successor Unas. He was buried in a mastaba tomb in north Saqqara, now ruined.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harem conspiracy</span> Successful plot to murder Ramesses III

The Harem conspiracy was a coup d'état attempt against the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses III in 1155 BC. The principal figure behind the plot was one of the pharaoh's secondary wives, Tiye, who hoped to place her son Pentawer on the throne instead of the pharaoh's chosen successor Ramesses IV, but mainly organized by the court official Pebekkamen. The plotters succeeded in killing the pharaoh but failed to establish Pentawer on the throne. In the aftermath, the leading conspirators were convicted and executed.

The Headless Pyramid, otherwise identified as Lepsius XXIX, is the remain of a pyramid complex built in Saqqara. The identity of the pyramid owner is unclear, though it is suspected to belong to either pharaoh Menkauhor of the Fifth Dynasty or pharaoh Merikare of the Tenth Dynasty, both of whom are known to have built a pyramid. If associated with Menkauhor, the pyramid's name is Nṯr-ỉswt Mn-kꜣw-ḥr meaning 'Divine are the places of Menkauhor'; if associated with Merikare, the pyramid's name is Wꜣḏ-swt Mry-kꜣ-rꜥ meaning 'Fresh are the places of Merikare'. Other candidates for the pyramid owner that have been proposed are Amenemhat I of the Twelfth Dynasty and an ephemeral pharaoh Ity of the Eighth Dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyramid of Merikare</span>

The pyramid of Merikare is an ancient Egyptian pyramid that remains unidentified, but is attested by inscriptions on funerary steles and possibly is located in Saqqara. The pyramid is presumed to be the burial place of the Herakleopolitan pharaoh Merikare, who ruled toward the end of the Tenth Dynasty c. 2040 BC during the First Intermediate Period. Sometimes, the Headless Pyramid in North Saqqara is identified as the pyramid of Merikare, although the latter is more likely to belong to pharaoh Menkauhor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stela of Pasenhor</span>

The Stela of Pasenhor, also known as Stela of Harpeson in older literature, is an ancient Egyptian limestone stela dating back to the Year 37 of pharaoh Shoshenq V of the 22nd Dynasty. It was found in the Serapeum of Saqqara by Auguste Mariette and later moved to The Louvre, where it is still.

Ola El Aguizy is an Egyptian Egyptologist and Emeritus Professor at the University of Cairo. An expert in Demotic, she has published widely on the language. Since 2005 she has led excavations at Saqqara, uncovering the tombs of several notable figures connected to Ramesses II. In 2015 her colleagues presented her with a Festschrift entitled Mélanges offerts à Ola el-Aguizy.

References

  1. Robert Morkot. The Egyptians: An Introduction. Routledge, 2005. ISBN   0-415-27103-7. Page 74.
  2. Quoted from: Gerald Verbrugghe, John Moore Wickersham. Berossos and Manetho, Introduced and Translated. University of Michigan Press, 2001. Page 104.
  3. de Rougé, Emmanuel (1865). Album photographique de la mission remplie en Égypte. Paris. pp. 152, photographs 143–145.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. Hawass, Zahi (2010). Inside the Egyptian Museum with Zahi Hawass. Cairo: American Univ in Cairo Press. pp. 299, photographs 156-157. ISBN   9789774163722.

Bibliography