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Abydos King List facts for kids

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The Abydos King List, also called the Abydos Table, is a very old list of 76 kings (or pharaohs) from Ancient Egypt. It was carved onto a wall inside the Temple of Seti I in a place called Abydos, Egypt.

This special list has three rows, and each row has 38 cartouches. A cartouche is like an oval border around a king's name. The top two rows show the names of the kings. The third row repeats the names of Seti I, who built the temple.

The list shows the kings from the Old Kingdom in the order they ruled. It's super important because it's the only place we find the names of many kings from the Seventh and Eighth Dynasties.

However, some earlier pharaohs were left out of the list. These were kings who were not seen as rightful rulers by the people who made the list. For example, famous pharaohs like Akhenaten, Hatshepsut, Tutankhamen, and Ay are not on this list.

The King List

AbydosKinglistDrawing
Drawing of the cartouches in the Abydos King List.

This section shows the different dynasties (families of rulers) and the kings listed in the Abydos King List. Each table lists the name as it appears on the wall and the more common name we use today.

First Dynasty

n° Name written in the list Common name
1 Meni. Probably King Narmer. Menes
2 Teti. Same name in Turin King List. Hor-Aha
3 Iti. Same name in Turin King List. Djer
4 Ita. Called Itui in Turin King List. Djet
5 Septi. Called Qenti in Turin King List. Den
6 Meribiap. Called Merbiapen in Turin King List. Anedjib
7 Semsu. Called Semsem in Turin King List. Semerkhet.
8 Qebeh. Same name in Turin King List. Qa'a.

Second Dynasty

n° Name written in the list Common name
9 Bedjau. Called Baunetjer in Turin King List. Hotepsekhemwy
10 Kakau. Same name in Turin King List. Raneb
11 Banetjer. Same name in Turin King List. Ninetjer
12 Wadjnas. Name damaged in Turin King List. Weneg
13 Sendi. Called Senedj in Turin King List. Senedj
14 Djadjay. Called Bebti in Turin King List. Khasekhemwy

Third Dynasty

n° Name written in the list Common name
15 Nebka. Same name in Turin King List. Sanakhte
16 Djeser-za. Djoser-it in Turin King List. Djoser
17 Teti. Djoser-ti in Turin King List. Sekhemkhet
18 Sedjes. Hudjefa in Turin King List. Khaba
19 Neferkara. Huni in Turin King List. Huni

Fourth Dynasty

n° Name written in the list Common name
20 Sneferu. Senefer in Turin King List. Sneferu
21 Khufu. Name missing in Turin King List. Khufu
22 Djedefre. Name missing in Turin King List. Djedefre
23 Khafra. Incomplete name in Turin King List. Khafra
24 Menkaura. Name missing in Turin King List. Menkaura
25 Shepseskaf. Name missing in Turin King List. Shepseskaf

Fifth Dynasty

n° Name written in the list Common name
26 Userkaf. Name partially lost in Turin king list. Userkaf
27 Sahure. Name lost in Turin King List. Sahure
28 Kakai Neferirkare Kakai
29 Neferefre Neferefre
30 Nyuserre Nyuserre Ini
31 Menkauhor Menkauhor Kaiu
32 Djedkare. Djed in Turin King List. Djedkare Isesi
33 Unis. Same name in Turin King List. Unas

Sixth Dynasty

n° Name written in the list Common name
34 Teti Teti
35 Userkare Userkare
36 Meryre Pepi I Meryre
37 Merenre Merenre Nemtyemsaf II
38 Neferkare Pepi II Neferkare
39 Merenre Saemsaf Merenre Nemtyemsaf II

Seventh and Eighth Dynasties

n° Name written in the list Common name
40 Netjerikare Netjerkare
41 Menkare Menkare
42 Neferkare Neferkare II
43 Neferkare Neby Neferkare Neby
44 Djedkare Shemai Djedkare Shemai
45 Neferkare Khendu Neferkare Khendu
46 Merenhor Merenhor
47 Sneferka Neferkamin
n° Name written in the list Common name
48 Nikare Nikare
49 Neferkare Tereru Neferkare Tereru
50 Neferkahor Neferkahor
51 Neferkare Pepiseneb Neferkare Pepiseneb
52 Sneferka Anu Neferkamin Anu
53 Kaukara Qakare Ibi
54 Neferkaure Neferkaure II
55 Neferkauhor Neferkauhor
56 Neferirkare Neferirkare

Eleventh and Twelfth Dynasties

n° Name written in the list Common name
57 Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II
58 Sankhkare Mentuhotep III
59 Sehetepibre Amenemhat I
60 Kheperkare Senusret I
61 Nebukaure Amenemhat II
n° Name written in the list Common name
62 Khakeperre Senusret II
63 Khakaure Senusret III
64 Nemaatre Amenemhat III
65 Maakherure Amenemhat IV

Eighteenth Dynasty

n° Name written in the list Common name
66 Nebpehtira Ahmose I
67 Djeserkara Amenhotep I
68 Aakheperkara Thutmose I
69 Aakheperenra Thutmose II
70 Menkheperra Thutmose III
71 Aakheperura Amenhotep II
72 Menkheperura Thutmose IV
73 Nebmaatra Amenhotep III
74 Djeserkheperura
Setepenra		 Haremheb

Nineteenth Dynasty

n° Name written in the list Common name
75 Menpehtira Ramesses I
76 Menmaatra Seti I

Images for kids

  • C+B-Egypt-Fig9-SetiIAbydosKingList

    The start of the king list, showing Seti and his son - Ramesses II

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 1-8

    Cartouches 1 to 8 (Click to enlarge)

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 9-14

    Cartouches 9 to 14 (Click to enlarge)

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 15-19

    Cartouches 15 to 19 (Click to enlarge)

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 20-25

    Cartouches 20 to 25 (Click to enlarge)

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 26-33

    Cartouches 26 to 33 (Click to enlarge)

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 34-39

    Cartouches 34 to 39 (Click to enlarge)

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 40-47

    Cartouches 40 to 47 (Click to enlarge)

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 48-56

    Cartouches 48 to 56 (Click to enlarge)

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 57-61

    Cartouches 57 to 61 (Click to enlarge)

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 62-65

    Cartouches 62 to 65 (Click to enlarge)

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 66-74

    Cartouches 66 to 74 (Click to enlarge)

  • Abydos Koenigsliste 75-76

    Cartouches 75 and 76 (Click to enlarge)

Related pages

See also

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