Menkare facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Menkare |
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The cartouche of Menkare on the Abydos King List.
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| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | Probably short, c. 2181 BC (Eighth Dynasty) |
| Predecessor | Netjerkare Siptah |
| Successor | Neferkare II |
Menkare was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. He was likely one of the first rulers of the Eighth Dynasty. Menkare probably ruled for a short time around 2181 BC. This was when the Old Kingdom period was ending and the First Intermediate Period was beginning.
During this time, many pharaohs ruled for very short periods. This suggests that Egypt faced difficult times. One possible reason was a big dry spell across the Middle East. This event is known as the 4.2 kiloyear event. As a pharaoh of the Eighth Dynasty, Menkare's main city would have been Memphis.
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How Do We Know About Menkare?
Historians and archaeologists learn about ancient pharaohs from different sources. For Menkare, we have a few clues.
Ancient King Lists
The most reliable source for Menkare is the Abydos King List. This list of kings was made during the reign of Seti I. It was created for religious reasons. Today, it helps us learn about kings from the early First Intermediate Period. Menkare's royal name, Menkare, is the 41st entry on this list.
Another old list, called the Turin canon, might have also mentioned Menkare. However, a large part of this papyrus is missing. So, we cannot be sure if his name was there.
Clues from Old Objects
We have very few objects from Menkare's time. This makes him a bit of a mystery.
A Possible Clue from a Tomb
In the tomb of Queen Neit in South Saqqara, there is a carving. It shows the queen in front of a damaged royal cartouche. A cartouche is an oval shape that holds a pharaoh's name. Some experts, like Percy Newberry, think this cartouche says Menkare. If true, this would be the only object from his actual time that mentions him.
A Later Seal
There is also a small cylinder seal made of a shiny stone. It is now in the British Museum. This seal has the words "The Good God, Lord of the Two Lands, Menkare" written on it.
However, this seal was made much later, about 1700 years after Menkare lived. Because Menkare is not a very well-known pharaoh, some scholars think the seal might have a mistake. They believe it actually refers to Menkaure. Menkaure was a famous pharaoh who built the third pyramid at Giza.
Was Menkare the Same as Queen Nitocris?
For a long time, some historians wondered if Menkare was the same person as a legendary queen named Nitocris. This idea came from an Egyptologist named Flinders Petrie.
Nitocris is a figure mentioned in old writings by Herodotus and Manetho. She was believed to have lived around the same time as Menkare. Petrie thought they were the same because Manetho said Nitocris built the third pyramid of Giza. We now know that Menkaure built this pyramid. Petrie thought Manetho might have confused Menkare and Menkaure.
However, modern studies of the Turin canon have shown this idea is not correct. We now know that Nitocris is actually linked to the name of a real ruler called Netjerkare Siptah. So, Menkare and Nitocris were not the same person.
