Sneferka
Encyclopedia
Sneferka is the serekh-name
of a early Egyptian
king
who may have ruled at the end of 1st dynasty
. The exact length of his reign is unknown, but thought to have been very short and his chronological position is unclear.
The serekh-name "Sneferka" appears on several schist
- and alabaster
vessels. One was found in the mastaba of the high official Merka who served under king Qa'a
; a second one in the underground galleries of the step pyramid of king Djoser
(3rd dynasty
) and the third was found in a anonymous mastaba, also at Sakkara. A fourth artifact with Sneferka's name is found in the private Georges-Michailidis-Collection and is questioned by Archaeologists
and Egyptologists in its credibility, because no find spot were noticed. In addition the inscription on the Michailidis-object shows a serekh with no Horus-falcon, which would be highly unusual for any Egyptian artifact.
. Egyptologists such as Peter Kaplony conclude that the inscriptions proof a chronological adjacency to king Qa'a or that the name "Sneferka" was a alternative name worn by Qa'a for a short while.
Two artefacts of different origins show the serekh of a king, whose name is highly disputed, for the hieroglyphic sign used to write the king's name is almost illegible. Since at least the depiction of a bird was recognised, the king in question is called "Horus Bird". Egyptologists such as Wolfgang Helck
and Peter Kaplony believe that Sneferka and "Horus Bird" fought each other to gain the throne of Egypt. The struggles peaked in the plundering of the royal cemetery of Abydos, which was therefore abandoned. The throne fightings were possibly brought to an end by the founder of the 2nd dynasty
, king Hotepsekhemwy
. A good link to that theory is the Horus name of Hotepsekhemwy (meaning "the two powers are satisfied"), which implies a re-unification of the Egyptian realms.
In contrast, Egyptologist Kim Ryholt
believes that Sneferka ruled during the midst of 2nd dynasty and was identical with Neferkara I
, attested in Ramesside
sources. He points to the circumstance that Ramesside scribes often added the symbol of the sun to the names of early dynastic kings, ignoring the fact that the sun was not yet a object of divine adoration at that early time. To support his view, Ryholt points to cartouche names such as Neferkara II and Nebkara I., which represent early kings and contradictorily have a sun-symbol in their names. Egyptologist Aidan Dodson thinks alike and points to the fact, that nearly all serekhs of Sneferka are made "on erasure", thus leading to the conclusion that Sneferka usurped Qa'a's vessels. This behavior was typical for kings that ruled somewhat later than the original owner of the re-used artefacts and who ruled a very short time only.
Egyptologist Francesco Tiradritti believes that Sneferka could perhaps have been a queen. He points to the uncertain reading of Sneferka's name, based on the unusual adjustment of the hieroglyphs within the serekh. Tiradritti thinks, that a reading as "Neferka-es" would be possible.
Serekh
In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a serekh is a rectangular enclosure representing the niched or gated façade of a palace surmounted by the Horus falcon, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name...
of a early Egyptian
Early Dynastic Period of Egypt
The Archaic or Early Dynastic Period of Egypt immediately follows the unification of Lower and Upper Egypt c. 3100 BC. It is generally taken to include the First and Second Dynasties, lasting from the Protodynastic Period of Egypt until about 2686 BC, or the beginning of the Old Kingdom...
king
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
who may have ruled at the end of 1st dynasty
First dynasty of Egypt
The first dynasty of Ancient Egypt is often combined with the Dynasty II under the group title, Early Dynastic Period of Egypt...
. The exact length of his reign is unknown, but thought to have been very short and his chronological position is unclear.
Name sources
Sneferka´s serekh-name is object of investigations, because the unusual typographical order of the hieroglyphic sign within the serekh led to several different readings: His name is read as Seneferka, Sneferka, Neferseka and Sekanefer. Egyptologist Francesco Tiradritti reads Neferkaes while thinking that Sneferka might have been a ruling queen.The serekh-name "Sneferka" appears on several schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
- and alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
vessels. One was found in the mastaba of the high official Merka who served under king Qa'a
Qa'a
-Legacy:Qa'a had a fairly large tomb in Abydos which measures 98.5 X 75.5 feet or 30 X 23 meters. Manetho gives him a reign of 26 years in his Epitome if this ruler was a certain Biechenes. A long reign is supported by the large size of this ruler's burial site at Abydos...
; a second one in the underground galleries of the step pyramid of king Djoser
Djoser
Netjerikhet or Djoser is the best-known pharaoh of the Third dynasty of Egypt. He commissioned his official, Imhotep, to build the first of the pyramids, a step pyramid for him at Saqqara...
(3rd dynasty
Third dynasty of Egypt
For the Sumerian Renaissance, see Third Dynasty of Ur.The Third Dynasty of ancient Egypt is the first dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Other dynasties of the Old Kingdom include the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth...
) and the third was found in a anonymous mastaba, also at Sakkara. A fourth artifact with Sneferka's name is found in the private Georges-Michailidis-Collection and is questioned by Archaeologists
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
and Egyptologists in its credibility, because no find spot were noticed. In addition the inscription on the Michailidis-object shows a serekh with no Horus-falcon, which would be highly unusual for any Egyptian artifact.
Identity
The inscriptions beside Sneferka's serekh mention several institutions which are already mentioned during king Qa'a's reign. They are called Qau-Netjeru ("Elevations of the gods") and Ah-Netjer ("Divine palace") and appear in several stone vessel inscriptions originating from Qa'a's tomb at AbydosAbydos, Egypt
Abydos is one of the most ancient cities of Upper Egypt, and also of the eight Upper Nome, of which it was the capital city. It is located about 11 kilometres west of the Nile at latitude 26° 10' N, near the modern Egyptian towns of el-'Araba el Madfuna and al-Balyana...
. Egyptologists such as Peter Kaplony conclude that the inscriptions proof a chronological adjacency to king Qa'a or that the name "Sneferka" was a alternative name worn by Qa'a for a short while.
Two artefacts of different origins show the serekh of a king, whose name is highly disputed, for the hieroglyphic sign used to write the king's name is almost illegible. Since at least the depiction of a bird was recognised, the king in question is called "Horus Bird". Egyptologists such as Wolfgang Helck
Wolfgang Helck
Hans Wolfgang Helck was a German Egyptologist, considered one of the most important Egyptologists of the 20th century. From 1956 until his retirement in 1979 he was a Professor at the University of Hamburg...
and Peter Kaplony believe that Sneferka and "Horus Bird" fought each other to gain the throne of Egypt. The struggles peaked in the plundering of the royal cemetery of Abydos, which was therefore abandoned. The throne fightings were possibly brought to an end by the founder of the 2nd dynasty
Second dynasty of Egypt
The second dynasty of ancient Egypt is often combined with Dynasty I under the group title Early Dynastic Period. It dates approximately from 2890 to 2686 BC. The capital at that time was Thinis.-Rulers:...
, king Hotepsekhemwy
Hotepsekhemwy
Hotepsekhemwy is the Horus name of a early Egyptian king who was the founder of the 2nd dynasty. The exact length of his reign is not known; the Turin canon suggests an improbable 95 years while the ancient Greek Historian Manetho reports that the reign of "Boëthôs" lasted for 38 years...
. A good link to that theory is the Horus name of Hotepsekhemwy (meaning "the two powers are satisfied"), which implies a re-unification of the Egyptian realms.
In contrast, Egyptologist Kim Ryholt
Kim Ryholt
Kim S B Ryholt is a Danish Egyptologist, who works at the Carsten Niebuhr Institute of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Copenhagen....
believes that Sneferka ruled during the midst of 2nd dynasty and was identical with Neferkara I
Neferkara I
Neferkara I is the cartouche name of a king who is said to have ruled during the 2nd dynasty of Ancient Egypt. The exact length of his reign is unknown since the Turin canon lacks the years of rulership and the ancient Greek historian Manetho suggests that Neferkara´s reign lasted 25 years...
, attested in Ramesside
Ramesses II
Ramesses II , referred to as Ramesses the Great, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire...
sources. He points to the circumstance that Ramesside scribes often added the symbol of the sun to the names of early dynastic kings, ignoring the fact that the sun was not yet a object of divine adoration at that early time. To support his view, Ryholt points to cartouche names such as Neferkara II and Nebkara I., which represent early kings and contradictorily have a sun-symbol in their names. Egyptologist Aidan Dodson thinks alike and points to the fact, that nearly all serekhs of Sneferka are made "on erasure", thus leading to the conclusion that Sneferka usurped Qa'a's vessels. This behavior was typical for kings that ruled somewhat later than the original owner of the re-used artefacts and who ruled a very short time only.
Egyptologist Francesco Tiradritti believes that Sneferka could perhaps have been a queen. He points to the uncertain reading of Sneferka's name, based on the unusual adjustment of the hieroglyphs within the serekh. Tiradritti thinks, that a reading as "Neferka-es" would be possible.