Ay
Also known as: Aja, Aya |
Dynasty XVIII |
Ay is believed to be the father of Nefertiti. the wife of Akhenaten. When Tutankhamun died, his powerful vizier Ay quickly stepped in and assumed kingship, despite fact that general Horemhab was the designated heir. Manetho assigned Armais with a reign for 4-5 years, which usually has been assigned to Ay instead, based on his known highest date of 4 years. It is now believed that the assignation of Armais to Horemhab was correct, but the number of years should be raised by ten. This leaves Ay unaccounted for by Manetho, unless one of the three(!) Akenchereses could somehow be assigned to Ay.
Reign of Ay |
AE Chronology | 1323–1320 |
von Beckerath | 1325–1321 |
Shaw | 1327–1323 |
Dodson | 1333–1328 |
Malek | 1327–1323 |
Arnold | 1338–1335 |
Grimal | 1327–1323 |
Redford | 1346–1343 |
Highest attestation | Year 4 |
The Royal Titulary
From the hieroglyphic records
Horus name
Ka nakht tjehen khau
kꜢ-nḫt tḥn-ḫꜤw
The strong bull, the one of glittering crowns
E1:D40-S15A:xa*Z2
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 113b+c
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:H1
Horus name variant
Ka nakht tjehen khau
kꜢ-nḫt ṯḥn-ḫꜤw
The strong bull, the one of glittering crowns
E1:D40-U33-V28-n:nw*w-THn:xa*Z2
Stela found at Giza (CG 34187)
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:H2
Horus name variant
Ka nakht tjehen kheperu
kꜢ-nḫt ṯḥn-ḫprw
The strong bull, the one of dazzling manifestations
E1:D40-THn-xpr:Z2
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 113a
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:H3
Nebty name
Sekhem pehty der setet
sḫm-pḥti dr-sṯt
Who is mighty of strength, who subdues the Asiatics
sxm-Aa15:F9*F9-d:r-S22:t*t:N25
Panopolis Grotto
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 114b+c
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:N1
Golden Horus name
Heqa Maat sekheper tawy
ḥḳꜢ-mꜢꜤt sḫpr-tꜢwi
The ruler of truth, who created the Two Lands
HqA-q-C10A-s-xpr-r:N17:N17
Panopolis Grotto
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 114b+c
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:G
Throne name
Kheper kheperu Ra
ḫpr-ḫprw-rꜤ
Everlasting are the Manifestations of Ra
ra-xpr-xpr-xpr
Tomb of Tutankhamun KV62, burial chamber, north wall
Porter & Moss, Topographical Bibliography, I, 570 (8:1)
Throne name variant
Kheper kheperu Ra
ḫpr-ḫprw-rꜤ
Everlasting are the Manifestations of Ra
ra-xpr-xpr-Z2
Urkunden des Ägyptische Alterthums, IV, 2108
Throne name variant
Kheper kheperu Ra, iri Maat
ḫpr-ḫprw-rꜤ iri-mꜢꜤt
Everlasting are the Manifestations of Ra, who does what is right
ra-xpr-xpr-C10A-Z2A-D4
Panopolis Grotto
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 114b+c
Throne name variant
Kheper kheperu Ra, iri Maat
ḫpr-ḫprw-rꜤ iri-mꜢꜤt
Everlasting are the Manifestations of Ra, who does what is right
ra-xpr-xpr-Z3-ir:Aa11:t
Tomb of Ay (KV23)
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 113a+d
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:T1
Throne name variant
Kheper kheperu Ra, iri Maat
ḫpr-ḫprw-rꜤ iri-mꜢꜤt
Everlasting are the Manifestations of Ra, who does what is right
ra-xpr-xpr-Z2:D4:Aa11
Sarcophagus of Ay
d'Avennes, Histoire de l'art Egyptien, Atlas I, plate 6
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 113d
Throne name variant
Kheper kheperu Ra, iri Maat
ḫpr-ḫprw-rꜤ iri-mꜢꜤt
Everlasting are the Manifestations of Ra, who does what is right
ra-xpr-xpr-Z3-D4:Aa11-C10A
Urkunden des Ägyptische Alterthums, IV, 2107
Throne name variant
Kheper kheperu Ra, iri Maat
ḫpr-ḫprw-rꜤ iri-mꜢꜤt
Everlasting are the Manifestations of Ra, who does what is right
ra-xpr-xpr-Z3-C10A-ir
Brooklyn Museum 66.174.1
Birth name
It netjer Ay
iti-nṯr Ꜥy
God's father, Ay
nTr-i-t:f-i-A2-i-i
The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 18, 50-52
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:E2
Birth name variant
It netjer Ay netjer heqa Waset
it-nṯr Ꜥy nṯr-ḥḳꜢ-wꜢst
God's father, Ay, God and ruler of Thebes
X2-nTr-i-A2-i-i-nTr-HqA-R19
Sarcophagus of Ay
d'Avennes, Histoire de l'art Egyptien, Atlas I, plate 6
Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849), III, 113; 114b+c
Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen (1999), 146-147, 14:E1
Bibliography
Beckerath, J. Handbuch der Ägyptischen Königsnamen, MÄS 49 (1999): 146–147
Baker. D. D. The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume I – Predynastic to the Twentieth Dynasty 3300–1069 BC (London, 2008), 62–65
Gauthier, H. Le livre des rois d'Égypte. MIFAO 18 (1912): 374–380
Leprohon, R. J. The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary (Atlanta, 2013), 106–107