Comparing the king lists
A visual comparison of the cartouches on the three inscribed king list.
The three major New Kingdom king lists inscribed in stone are:
- Karnak king list — inscribed during the reign of Thutmose II (1493–1479 BCE).
- Abydos king list — inscribed during the reign of Seti I (1290–1279 BCE).
- Saqqara king list — inscribed during the reign of Ramesses II (1279–1213 BCE).
The Abydos and Saqqara lists contain two rows of cartouches organised with the names of the pharaohs inscribed in sequential order on a single flat wall. The Karnak list contain 4 rows inscribed on three connected walls and the cartouches are not in sequential order. It is further divided into a left and right part where the pharaohs face the same direction.
For more information about the lists, check their respective page.
| Pharaoh | Abydos | Saqqara | Karnak |
| Narmer |  mni | — | — |
| Aha |  tti | — | — |
| Djer |  itti | — | — |
| Wadj |  itꜤ | — | — |
| Den |  spꜢti | — | — |
| Anedjib |  mr-bꜢp |  mri-biꜢpn | — |
| Semerkhet |  smsw | — | — |
| Qa'a |  ḳbḥ |  ḳbḥw | — |
| Hotepsekhemwy |  bḏꜢw |  nṯr-bꜢw | — |
| Nebra |  kꜢkꜢw |  kꜢkꜢw | — |
| Pharaoh | Abydos | Saqqara | Karnak |
| Ninetjer |  bꜢ-nṯr |  bꜢ-nṯrw | — |
| Wadjnes |  wꜢḏ-ns |  wꜢḏ-ls | — |
| Senedj |  sndi |  snḏ | — |
| Neferkara | — |  nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ | — |
| Neferkasokar | — |  nfr-kꜢ-zkr | — |
| Hudjefa I | — |  //-ḏfꜢ-// | — |
| Khasekhemwy |  ḏꜢ-ḏꜢ-y |  bby | — |
| Nebka |  nb-kꜢ | — | — |
| Djoser |  ḏsr-sꜢ |  ḏsr | — |
| Sekhemkhet |  tti |  ḏsr-tti | — |
| Pharaoh | Abydos | Saqqara | Karnak |
| Hudjefa II |  sḏs |  nb-kꜢ-rꜤ | — |
| ? |  nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ | — |  nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ |
| Huni | — |  ḥwni | — |
| Sneferu |  snfrw |  snfrw |  snfrw |
| Khufu |  ḫfw |  ḫfw(f) | — |
| Djedefra |  ḏd(w)-f-rꜤ |  ḏd-f-rꜤ | — |
| Khafra |  ḫꜤ-f-rꜤ |  ḫꜤ(w)-f-rꜤ | — |
| Menkaura |  mn-kꜢw-rꜤ |  | — |
| Shepseskaf |  šps-kꜢf |  | — |
| ? | — |  | — |
| Pharaoh | Abydos | Saqqara | Karnak |
| ? | — |  | — |
| ? | — |  | — |
| Userkaf |  wsr-kꜢf |  wsr-kꜢf | — |
| Sahura |  sꜢḥ.w-rꜤ |  sꜢḥ.w-rꜤ |  sꜢḥ.w-rꜤ |
| Neferirkara |  kꜢ-kꜢ-i |  nfr-ir-kꜢ-rꜤ | — |
| Shepseskara | — |  šps-kꜢ-rꜤ | — |
| Neferefra |  nfr-f-rꜤ |  ḫꜤ-nfr-rꜤ | — |
| Niuserra Ini |  ni-wsr-rꜤ | — |  ini |
| Menkauhor |  mn-kꜢw-ḥr |  mn-kꜢw-ḥr | — |
| Djedkara Isesi |  ḏd-kꜢ-rꜤ |  mꜢꜤ-kꜢ-rꜤ |  issi |
| Pharaoh | Abydos | Saqqara | Karnak |
| Unas |  wn-i-s |  wn-i-s | — |
| Teti |  tti |  tti |  tty |
| Userkara |  wsr-kꜢ-rꜤ | — | — |
| Pepi I |  mr-y-rꜤ |  ppy |  ppy |
| Nemtiemsaf I |  mr-n-rꜤ |  mr-n-rꜤ |  mr-n-rꜤ |
| Pepi II |  nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ |  nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ | — |
| Nemtiemsaf II |  mr-n-rꜤ sꜢ-m-sꜢ-f | — | — |
| Netjerikara |  nṯr-kꜢ-rꜤ | — | — |
| Menkara |  mn-kꜢ-rꜤ | — | — |
| Neferkara III |  nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ | — | — |
| Pharaoh | Abydos | Saqqara | Karnak |
| Neferkara Neby |  nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ nby | — | — |
| Djedkara Shemai |  ḏd-kꜢ-rꜤ šmꜢi | — | — |
| Neferkara Khendu |  nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ ḫndw | — | — |
| Merenhor |  nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ | — | — |
| Neferkamin |  z-nfr-kꜢ | — | — |
| Nikara |  ni-kꜢ-rꜤ | — | — |
| Neferkara Tereru |  nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ tr-rw | — | — |
| Neferkahor |  nfr-kꜢ-ḥr | — | — |
| Neferkara Pepiseneb |  nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ ppy-snb | — | — |
| Neferkamin Anu |  z-nfr-kꜢ Ꜥnw | — | — |
| Pharaoh | Abydos | Saqqara | Karnak |
| Qakara Ibi |  ḳꜢ-kꜢw-rꜤ | — | — |
| Neferkaura |  nfr-kꜢw-rꜤ | — | — |
| Neferkauhor |  nfr-kꜢw-ḥr | — | — |
| Neferirkara II |  nfr-ir-kꜢ-rꜤ | — | — |
| Mentuhotep II |  nb-ḥꜢpt-rꜤ |  nb-ḥꜢpt-rꜤ |  nb-ḥꜢpt-rꜤ |
| Mentuhotep III |  s-Ꜥnḫ-kꜢ-rꜤ |  s-Ꜥnḫ-kꜢ-rꜤ |  s-nfr-kꜢ-rꜤ |
| Amenemhat I |  s-ḥtp-ib-rꜤ |  s-ḥtp-ib-rꜤ |  s-ḥtp-ib-rꜤ |
| Senusret I |  ḫpr-kꜢ-rꜤ |  ḫpr-kꜢ-rꜤ |  ḫpr-kꜢ-rꜤ |
| Amenemhat II |  nbw-kꜢw-rꜤ |  nbw-kꜢ-rꜤ |  nbw-kꜢw-rꜤ |
| Senusret II |  ḫꜤ-ḫpr-rꜤ |  ḫꜤ-ḫpr-rꜤ | — |
| Pharaoh | Abydos | Saqqara | Karnak |
| Senusret III |  ḫꜤ-kꜢw-rꜤ |  ḫꜤ-kꜢ-rꜤ |  ḫꜤ-kꜢ-rꜤ |
| Amenemhat III |  nj-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ |  nj-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ | — |
| Amenemhat IV |  mꜢꜤ-ḫrw-rꜤ |  mꜢꜤ-ḫrw-rꜤ |  mꜢꜤ-ḫrw-rꜤ |
| Neferusobek | — |  sbk-kꜢ-rꜤ |  sbk-nfrw-rꜤ |
| Wegaf | — | — |  ḫw-tꜢwi-rꜤ |
| Sekhemra Khutawy | — | — |  sḫm-rꜤ ḫw-tꜢwi |
| Amenemhat V ??? | — | — |  s-Ꜥnḫ-ib-rꜤ |
| Neferhotep I | — | — |  ḫꜤ-sḫm-rꜤ |
| Sobekhotep IV | — | — |  ḫꜤ-nfr-rꜤ |
| Sobekhotep V | — | — |  ḫꜤ-ḥtp-rꜤ |
| Pharaoh | Abydos | Saqqara | Karnak |
| Sobekhotep VI Merhotepra | — | — |  mr-ḥtp-rꜤ |
| Mersekhemra Ined | — | — |  mr-sḫm-rꜤ |
| Sobekhotep VII | — | — |  mr-kꜢw-rꜤ |
| Senebmiu | — | — |  s-wꜢḥ-n-rꜤ |
| Rahotep | — | — |  wꜢḥ-kꜢw-rꜤ |
| Sobekemsaf I | — | — |  sḫm-wꜢḏ-kꜢw-rꜤ |
| Djehuty | — | — |  sḫm-rꜤ s-mn-tꜢwi |
| Sobekhotep VIII | — | — |  sḫm-rꜤ s-wsr-tꜢwi |
| Nebirau | — | — |  s-wꜢḏ-n-rꜤ |
| Bebiankh | — | — |  s-wsr-n-rꜤ |
| Pharaoh | Abydos | Saqqara | Karnak |
| Intef VII | — | — |  nbw-ḫpr-rꜤ |
| Senakhtenra Ahmose | — | — |  s-nḫt-n-rꜤ |
| Seqenenra | — | — |  s-ḳn-n-rꜤ |
| Ahmose |  nb-pḥti-rꜤ |  nb-pḥt(i)-rꜤ | — |
| Amenhotep I |  ḏsr-kꜢ-rꜤ |  ḏsr-kꜢ-rꜤ | — |
| Thutmose I |  ꜤꜢ-ḫpr-kꜢ-rꜤ |  ꜤꜢ-ḫpr-kꜢ-rꜤ | — |
| Thutmose II |  ꜤꜢ-ḫpr-n-rꜤ |  ꜤꜢ-ḫpr-n-rꜤ | — |
| Thutmose III |  mn-ḫpr-rꜤ |  mn-ḫpr-rꜤ | — |
| Amenhotep II |  ꜤꜢ-ḫprw-rꜤ |  ꜤꜢ-ḫprw-rꜤ | — |
| Thutmose IV |  mn-ḫprw-rꜤ |  mn-ḫprw-rꜤ | — |
| Pharaoh | Abydos | Saqqara | Karnak |
| Amenhotep III |  nb-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ |  nb-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ | — |
| Horemhab |  ḏsr-ḫprw-rꜤ stp-n-rꜤ |  ḏsr-wprw-rꜤ stp-n-rꜤ | — |
| Ramesses I |  mn-pḥti-rꜤ |  mn-pḥti-rꜤ | — |
| Seti I |  mn-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ |  mn-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ | — |
| Ramesses II | — |  wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp-n-rꜤ | — |
Undetermined kings (Karnak)
Selected Bibliography
Abydos king list
- Mariette, Auguste: Abydos description des fouilles, Vol 1, Plate 43 (Paris 1869)
- Duemichen, Johannes: Historische inschriften altägyptischer denkmäler, Vol 2, Plate XLV (Leipzig 1869)
- Kitchen, Kenneth A.: Ramesside Inscriptions, Vol. I, pp. 176-179 (Oxford 1975)
- Porter and Moss: The Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic texts, reliefs, and paintings, Vol. VI, 25 (229)-(230)
Karnak king list
- Burton, James: Excerpta Hieroglyphica, (Cairo 1825)
- Young, Thomas: Hieroglyphics, Vol. 2, (London 1828) Plate 96 (copy from Burton)
- Wilkinson, J. G.: Extracts from several Hieroglyphical Subjects found at Thebes, and other parts of Egypt, (Malta 1830) Plate IV
- l'Illustration, Journal Universel, Vol. VII, p 244-245, (Paris 1846)
- d'Avennes, Prisse: Monuments Égyptiens, bas-reliefs, peintures, inscriptions, etc., (Paris 1847) Plate I
- Lepsius, Karl Richard: Über die zwölfte Aegyptische Königsdynastie in "APAW 1852" pp. 425-455, (Berlin 1853) Plate I
- Sethe, Kurt: Urkunden der 18. dynastie, IV.8-198, p. 607-610 (Leipzig, 1906)
Saqqara king list
- Mariette, Auguste: La table de Saqqarah in Revue Archeologique, Vol 10, (Paris 1864) p. 169-186, Plate XVII
- Mariette, Auguste: Monuments divers recueillis en Égypte et en Nubie, (Paris 1872) Vol. II, Pl. 57b, 58, text Vol. I, p. 18-19
- Meyer, Eduard: Ägyptische Chronologie, Plate 1, (Berlin 1904)
- Kitchen, Kenneth A.: Ramesside Inscriptions, Vol. III, pp. 481-482 (Oxford 1980)
- Turin king list
223 kings – Dynasty 19 - Abydos Canon
76 kings – Dynasty 19 - Saqqara Canon
58 kings – Dynasty 19 - Karnak Canon
61 kings – Dynasty 18 - Comparing the canons
Abydos, Saqqara and Karnak - Ramesseum Canon
Ramesses II Mortuary Temple - Medinet Habu Canon
Ramesses III Mortuary Temple
Ancient historians
- Herodotus
450 BC – Histories - Manetho
250 BC – Aegyptiaca - Diodorus
50 BC – Bibliotheca Historica - Josephus
100 CE – Against Apion - Africanus
220 CE – Chronographai - Eusebius
325 CE – Chronicon - Jerome
380 CE – Chronicon - Syncellus
800 CE – Egloga Chronographai - Eratosthenes
Probably a forgery (date unknown) - Comparing the sources
Transmission of Manetho
by Africanus et. al.
OK – Old Kingdom
Dynasties 3-6
MK – Middle Kingdom
Dynasties 11-12
NK – New Kingdom
Dynasties 18-20
SIP – Second Intermediate Period
Dynasties 13-17
Thebes – The Southern capital
Memphis – The Northern capital
Epitome – Manetho’s original Aegyptiaca was lost in antiquity, and in the following centuries, it was replaced by Epitomes (summaries) by rivalling advocates of Jewish, Egyptian, and Greek history that saw each side trying to establish the truth according to their point of view.
Vorlage – From the German for prototype or template, a vorlage is a prior version of a manuscript, in this case an earlier version of the canon.
Recto and verso – Recto is the front side and verso is the back side of a written or printed text.
Cartouche – oval band enclosing a pharaohs name
Hieratic – cursive form of hieroglyphic script
Hyksos – Greek form of
Mortuary Temple – where the gods and the king who built the temple were worshipped.
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