First Intermediate Period of Ancient Egypt

The end of the Old Kingdom was followed by a period long regarded as one of chaos and turmoil.

The entirety of the First Intermediate Period represents a particularly challenging historical epoch, spanning approximately 125 years. The few historical records are incomplete and scarce, which makes it challenging to draw definitive conclusions. Manethonian tradition divides the period into four dynasties, which ruled for an impossibly long period. The varying records of the transmission of the Aegyptiaca indicate corrupted or lost administrative records.

The Sixth Dynasty pharaoh Pepi II’s protracted rule and lack of a heir undermined the central government, and after his passing, the Old Kingdom collapsed and the nation descended into anarchy. Two opposing cities contended for control of a decentralised Egypt: northern Heracleopolis and southern Thebes. Although this period has long been considered to be a “dark age,” recent studies show that it was actually an era of change and transition when local nomarchs replaced the central monarchy at Memphis with local authority and customs.

The lack of reliable documents adds to the image as a dark age, as does the lack of art and architecture. The almost complete absence of historical records is perhaps the most significant barrier to understanding this period. The Old Kingdom had preserved Egypt’s past in stone by building pyramids and mortuary complexes that recounted their stories. With no central administration during this time, preserving history was not a top priority for the local rulers.

The Abydos Canon is a broadly chronological compilation of kings, but it omits numerous kings. In contrast, the Turin King List, is the sole surviving example of a clearly chronological list of Egyptian kings. While the majority of the list aligns with other chronological evidence, there are some inconsistencies that render the veracity of its content challenging to ascertain, especially the numerous lacunae. However, it is likely to remain the most reliable source of information on this topic.

The Abydos Canon contains 17 cartouches (nos. 40-44) between the last king of the Sixth Dynasty, Nemtiemsaf II, and Mentuhotep II of the Eleventh Dynasty, while the Turin King List contains a total of 25 kings. The Manethonian king lists give four dynasties (7-10), yet the total number of kings is not consistent with the data presented in the New Kingdom lists. This discrepancy is a clear indication that the sources for the information must have been significantly disparate.

After this period, the Two Lands was once again reunited into the Middle Kingdom.

The order of Egyptian pharaohs is not always fixed. New discoveries can sometimes lead to changes in the accepted sequence. This is true for all Egyptian dynasties.

Dynasty VII

Dynasty VIII

Dynasty IX

Dynasty X