Snaaib facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Snaaib |
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| Senaaib, Sena'aib, Sennaib, Snaiib | |
A stone slab, or stele, showing Pharaoh Snaaib. It is now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
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| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | Uncertain, around the 17th century BCE (possibly the Abydos Dynasty or near the end of the 13th Dynasty or late 16th dynasty) |
Menkhaure Snaaib was a pharaoh who ruled in Ancient Egypt. He lived during a time called the Second Intermediate Period. This was a period of great change between the famous Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom eras.
Not much is known for sure about Snaaib. This makes him a mysterious figure for historians who study ancient Egypt.
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Evidence of Snaaib's Rule
The only proof we have of Snaaib's time as pharaoh comes from a single, special object discovered in the ancient city of Abydos.
A Special Stone Slab
This object is a carved and painted stone slab called a stele. It was made from limestone and was created to honor the god Min-Horus-nakht.
The carving on the stone is described by experts as being "of exceptionally crude quality." This might mean it was made during a difficult time when there were not many resources or skilled artists available.
The stele is very important because it shows King Snaaib's names. It also has a picture of him worshipping the god Min.
A New Style of Crown
This stone slab is famous for another reason. It shows Snaaib wearing the Khepresh, also known as the Blue Crown. This is the earliest picture ever found of a pharaoh wearing this specific type of crown. Another pharaoh from around the same time, Neferhotep III, was also shown wearing the Khepresh.
A Historical Puzzle
Because there is so little evidence, historians (called Egyptologists) are not completely sure when Snaaib ruled or which royal family, or dynasty, he belonged to. They have a few different ideas.
Was He Part of the Abydos Dynasty?
Some experts, like Kim Ryholt, believe Snaaib was part of a local ruling family known as the Abydos Dynasty. This dynasty may have ruled a smaller, independent kingdom in central Egypt from the city of Abydos. This theory makes sense because the only evidence of Snaaib was found in Abydos.
Or a King of the 13th Dynasty?
Other historians think Snaaib might have been a king near the end of the 13th Dynasty. This was a time when the power of the pharaohs was not as strong as it once was.
For now, without more discoveries, King Snaaib's exact place in history remains a mystery for us to solve.
