Luxor4u The Kings of Pharaonic Egypt - Early Dynastic Period, Old Kingdom and First Intermediate Period

The Kings of Pharaonic Egypt

by Connie Tindale

Early Dynastic Period, Old Kingdom
and First Intermediate Kingdom

(All dates are approximate)

General Information

Artefacts from tombs of the Pre-Dynastic Period found in Abydos show that there was already a high level of artistry and civilisation in Egypt before 3,000 BCE. This alone makes Egypt one of the oldest civilisations in the world. During the 3rd dynasty of the Old Kingdom, Kings built pyramids at Saqqara and Giza and secured Egypt's place in history. These pyramids are the only survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The first major pyramid was the Step Pyramid built by Djoser at Saqqara nearly 5,000 years ago and although this was innovative and used stone it still followed the same pattern as the earlier mastabas built at Abydos. Many more pyramids were built at Saqqara before the magnificent structures at Giza were completed. People have speculated that the architects of the pyramids were aliens from another planet but one look at the area around Giza and Saqqara shows that a great deal of trial and error occurred over a period of several hundred years before the art of pyramid building was perfected.

Khufu (Cheops) built the great pyramid in Giza and it, along with the Sphinx, still amazes the world. Archaeologists now believe that the Sphinx is much older than it was previously thought to be and probably pre-dates Khufu. The pyramids of Khafra and Menkaura followed soon after Khufu's, and there are scores of smaller pyramids close by. The sheer scale of these buildings shows just how advanced this civilisation was. Archaeologists, using modern equipment, are about to explore what is underneath these pyramids (August 2005) and this could lead to more information being gathered about this fascinating period of Egyptian history.

In religious terms, the god Min was in evidence during this period and is often depicted holding his penis in his fist. In later dynasties of the period the sun god Ra becomes more popular and many Kings built individual temples to him in various parts of Egypt. In the 5th dynasty the Pyramid texts become evident. These are magical sayings designed to guide the King into the afterlife and signify that belief in the god Osiris was becoming widespread.

During the 7th and 8th Dynasties the power of the Old Kingdom waned and Egypt fell into hardship with a series of famines and civil unrest. This led to the First Intermediate Period, which is thought to be one of misery, decline and chaos. Thebes at that time was a third-rate provincial town but the priests in Karnak were becoming more powerful and during the later Intermediate Period the Theban Kings through Montuhotep I gained influence.

Chronology of the Kings

Early Dynastic Period

1st Dynasty - c3000 - 2890 BCE

Aha
Djer
Djet (Wadj
Den
Anedjib
Queen Merneith
Semerkhet
Qa'a

2nd Dynasty - c2890 - 2686 BCE

Hotepsekhemwy
Reneb
Ninetjer
Weneg
Sened
Peribsen
Khasekhemwy

Old Kingdom

3rd Dynasty - c2686 - 2613 BCE

Sanakhte (Nebka)
Djoser (Netjerykhet)
Sekhemkhet
Khaba
Sanakht?
Huni

2686 - 2613
2667 - 2648
2648 - 2640
2640 - 2637

2637 - 2613

4th Dynasty - c2613 - 2494 BCE

Snefru
Khufu (Cheops)
Radjedef (Djedefre)
Khafre (Chephren)
Menkaura (Mycerinus)
Shepseskaf

2613 - 2494
2589 - 2566
2566 - 2558
2558 - 2532
2532 - 2503
2503 - 2498

5th Dynasty - c2494 - 2345 BCE

Userkaf
Sahure
Neferirkare Kakai
Shepseskare
Raneferef (a.k.a. Neferefre)
Niuserre (Ini)
Menkauhor
Djedkare (Isesi)
Wenis (Unas)

2494 - 2487
2487 - 2475
2475 - 2455
2448 - 2445
2419 - 2416
2445 - 2421
2421 - 2414
2414 - 2375
2375 - 2345

6th Dynasty - c2345 - 2181 BCE

Teti
Userkara (a usurper)
Pepi I (Meryre)
Merenre (Nemtyemzaf)
Pepi II (Neferkara)
Nitriqret

2345 - 2323
2323 - 2321
2321 - 2287
2287 - 2278
2278 - 2184
2184 - 2182

7th/8th Dynasty - c2181 - 2160 BCE

Numerous ephemeral kings called Neferkara' perhaps in imitation of Pepi II

First Intermediate Period

9th/10th Dynasty – c2160 – 2055 BCE

Several kings called Khety; and Merykare'

11th Dynasty (Thebes Only) - c2125 - 2055 BCE

Montuhotep I
Inyotef I (Sehertawy)
Inyotef II (Wahankh)
Inyotef III (Nakhtnebtepnefer)

2125 - 2112
2112 - 2063
2063 - 2055

The remaining kings of the 11th Dynasty are shown the Middle Kingdom

Source: Dates were taken from The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt