Abydos King List

names and provides chronology for Ancient Egyptian kings

The Abydos King List, also known as the Abydos Table, is a list of 76 kings of Ancient Egypt. It was written on a wall of the Temple of Seti I at Abydos, Egypt. The list has three rows of 38 cartouches (borders around the name of a king) in each row. The upper two rows list the kings, while the third row repeats Seti I's throne name and praenomen.

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

It lists the Old Kingdom kings in the order in which they ruled. It is the only record of the names of many of the kings of the Seventh and Eighth Dynasties.

This names of some earlier pharaohs who were not seen to be lawful rulers — such as Akhenaten, Hatshepsut, Smenkhkare, Tutankhamen, and Ay, have been left out of the list.

The king list

Drawing of the cartouches in the Abydos King List.

First Dynasty

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

Second Dynasty

Cartouches 9 to 14Name written in the listCommon name
Cartouches 9 to 14 (Click to enlarge)
9Bedjau. Called Baunetjer in Turin King List.Hotepsekhemwy
10Kakau. Same name in Turin King List.Raneb
11Banetjer. Same name in Turin King List.Ninetjer
12Wadjnas. Name damaged in Turin King List.Weneg
13Sendi. Called Senedj in Turin King List.Senedj
14Djadjay. Called Bebti in Turin King List.Khasekhemwy

Third Dynasty

Cartouches 15 to 19Name written in the listCommon name
Cartouches 15 to 19 (Click to enlarge)
15Nebka. Same name in Turin King List.Sanakhte
16Djeser-za. Djoser-it in Turin King List.Djoser
17Teti. Djoser-ti in Turin King List.Sekhemkhet
18Sedjes. Hudjefa in Turin King List.Khaba
19Neferkara. Huni in Turin King List.Huni

Fourth Dynasty

Cartouches 20 to 25Name written in the listCommon name
Cartouches 20 to 25 (Click to enlarge)
20Sneferu. Senefer in Turin King List.Sneferu
21Khufu. Name missing in Turin King List.Khufu
22Djedefre. Name missing in Turin King List.Djedefre
23Khafra. Incomplete name in Turin King List.Khafra
24Menkaura. Name missing in Turin King List.Menkaura
25Shepseskaf. Name missing in Turin King List.Shepseskaf

Fifth Dynasty

Cartouches 26 to 33Name written in the listCommon name
Cartouches 26 to 33 (Click to enlarge)
26Userkaf. Name partially lost in Turin king list.Userkaf
27Sahure. Name lost in Turin King List.Sahure
28KakaiNeferirkare Kakai
29NeferefreNeferefre
30NyuserreNyuserre Ini
31MenkauhorMenkauhor Kaiu
32Djedkare. Djed in Turin King List.Djedkare Isesi
33Unis. Same name in Turin King List.Unas

Sixth Dynasty

Cartouches 34 to 39Name written in the listCommon name
Cartouches 34 to 39 (Click to enlarge)
34TetiTeti
35UserkareUserkare
36MeryrePepi I Meryre
37MerenreMerenre Nemtyemsaf II
38NeferkarePepi II Neferkare
39Merenre SaemsafMerenre Nemtyemsaf II

Seventh/Eighth Dynasty

Cartouches 40 to 47Name written in the listCommon name
Cartouches 40 to 47 (Click to enlarge)
40NetjerikareNetjerkare
41MenkareMenkare
42NeferkareNeferkare II
43Neferkare NebyNeferkare Neby
44Djedkare ShemaiDjedkare Shemai
45Neferkare KhenduNeferkare Khendu
46MerenhorMerenhor
47SneferkaNeferkamin
Cartouches 48 to 56Name written in the listCommon name
Cartouches 48 to 56 (Click to enlarge)
48NikareNikare
49Neferkare TereruNeferkare Tereru
50NeferkahorNeferkahor
51Neferkare PepisenebNeferkare Pepiseneb
52Sneferka AnuNeferkamin Anu
53KaukaraQakare Ibi
54NeferkaureNeferkaure II
55NeferkauhorNeferkauhor
56NeferirkareNeferirkare

Eleventh/Twelfth Dynasty

Cartouches 57 to 61Name written in the listCommon name
Cartouches 57 to 61 (Click to enlarge)
57NebhepetreMentuhotep II
58SankhkareMentuhotep III
59SehetepibreAmenemhat I
60KheperkareSenusret I
61NebukaureAmenemhat II
Cartouches 62 to 65Name written in the listCommon name
Cartouches 62 to 65 (Click to enlarge)
62KhakeperreSenusret II
63KhakaureSenusret III
64NemaatreAmenemhat III
65MaakherureAmenemhat IV

Eighteenth Dynasty

Cartouches 66 to 74Name written in the listCommon name
Cartouches 66 to 74 (Click to enlarge)
66NebpehtiraAhmose I
67DjeserkaraAmenhotep I
68AakheperkaraThutmose I
69AakheperenraThutmose II
70MenkheperraThutmose III
71AakheperuraAmenhotep II
72MenkheperuraThutmose IV
73NebmaatraAmenhotep III
74Djeserkheperura
Setepenra
Horemheb

Nineteenth Dynasty

Cartouches 75 and 76Name written in the listCommon name
Cartouches 75 and 76 (Click to enlarge)
75MenpehtiraRamesses I
76MenmaatraSeti I

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