Elephant (pharaoh)

Provisional name of the first known predynastic Egypt ruler (existence disputed)

Royal titulary

Horus name

(Hor) Pen-Abu
Pn-3bw
Great one from the (throne) seat

BurialunknownDynastyPredynastic Egypt

Elephant (maybe read as Pen-Abu^[1]; fl. c. 3100 BC) is the provisional name of a Predynastic ruler in Egypt. Since the incarved rock inscriptions and ivory tags showing his name are either drawn sloppily, or lacking any royal crest, the reading and thus whole existence of king "Elephant" is highly disputed.

Identity

The proposed existence of Elephant is based on Günter Dreyer's and Ludwig David Morenz's essays. They are convinced that Elephant was a local king who ruled at the region of Qustul. According to Dreyer, Elephant's name appears in incised rock inscriptions at Qustul and Gebel Sheikh-Suleiman, where the hieroglyphs are put inside a royal serekh. On ivory tags found at Abydos, the Elephant appears without any other royal crest. Dreyer sees a cube-shaped throne seat and a walking elephant beneath it and reads Pen-Abu ("Great one from the (throne) seat").^[2] Morenz thinks alike but is highly uncertain about the reading of the name. He prefers to use the neutral provisional name "King Elephant". Alternatively, he proposes a rhinoceros as a royal animal. Morenz points out that it became a remarkable fashion during the Naqada III epoch to choose dangerous and unpredictable animals (such as lions, crocodiles, elephants and rhinoceroses) for building up royal names.^[3]

Other Egyptologists, such as Peter Kaplony and Toby Wilkinson, are not so sure and propose different readings. Whilst Wilkinson sees a throne seat and the hieroglyph for "border", Kaplony sees a seat and a stand full of wine jars, the sign for "praised". Kaplony also mentions that the name of a certain 1st-dynasty palatinate named Hor-Sekhentydjw was also written with the wine-jar holder symbol. He believes that the name of the palatinate was created out of King Elephant's name.^[4]

Reign

Elephant might have ruled during the early Naqada III epoch. His tomb is unknown.^[5]

References

^ Günter Dreyer: Umm El-Qaab. Band I: Das prädynastische Königsgrab U-j und seine frühen Schriftzeugnisse. In: Archäologische Veröffentlichungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts Kairo (AV), vol. 86, von Zabern, Mainz 1998, p. 177.
^ Günter Dreyer: Umm El-Qaab. Band I: Das prädynastische Königsgrab U-j und seine frühen Schriftzeugnisse. In: Archäologische Veröffentlichungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts Kairo (AV), vol. 86, von Zabern, Mainz 1998, p. 179.
^ Ludwig David Morenz: Bild-Buchstaben und symbolische Zeichen. Die Herausbildung der Schrift der hohen Kultur Altägyptens (= Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis, vol. 205). Fribourg 2004, ISBN 3-7278-1486-1, p. 114 & 118.
^ Peter Kaplony: Die Inschriften der Ägyptischen Frühzeit, vol. III (= Ägyptologische Abhandlungen (ÄA), vol. 8). Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1963, p. 8.
^ Ludwig David Morenz: Bild-Buchstaben und symbolische Zeichen. Die Herausbildung der Schrift der hohen Kultur Altägyptens (= Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis, vol. 205). Fribourg 2004, ISBN 3-7278-1486-1, p. 91.

Pharaohs

Protodynastic to First Intermediate Period (<3150–2040 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs male female^♀ uncertain

Protodynastic
(pre-3150 BC)

Lower	Hedju Hor Ny-Hor Ni-Neith Hat-Hor Pu Hsekiu Khayu Tiu Thesh Neheb Wazner Mekh A Double Falcon Wash
Upper	A Finger Snail Fish Pen-Abu Stork Bull Scorpion I Shendjw Iry-Hor Ka Scorpion II Narmer / Menes

Early Dynastic
(3150–2686 BC)

I	Narmer / Menes Hor-Aha Djer Djet Den Anedjib Semerkhet Qa'a Sneferka Horus Bird
II	Hotepsekhemwy Nebra Nynetjer Ba Nubnefer Horus Sa Weneg-Nebty Wadjenes Senedj Seth-Peribsen Sekhemib-Perenmaat Neferkara I Neferkasokar Hudjefa I Khasekhemwy

Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

III	Djoser Sekhemkhet Sanakht Nebka Khaba Sedjes Qahedjet Huni
IV	Snefru Khufu Djedefre Khafre Bikheris Menkaure Shepseskaf Thamphthis
V	Userkaf Sahure Neferirkare Kakai Neferefre Shepseskare Nyuserre Ini Menkauhor Kaiu Djedkare Isesi Unas
VI	Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Pepi II Merenre Nemtyemsaf II Netjerkare Siptah Neferka Nefer

1^st Intermediate
(2181–2040 BC)

VII/VIII	Menkare Neferkare II Neferkare III Neby Djedkare Shemai Neferkare IV Khendu Merenhor Neferkamin Nikare Neferkare V Tereru Neferkahor Neferkare VI Pepiseneb Neferkamin Anu Qakare Iby Neferkaure Neferkauhor Neferirkare Wadjkare Khuiqer Khui Iytjenu
IX	Meryibre Khety Neferkare VII Nebkaure Khety Setut Imhotep
X	Meryhathor Neferkare VIII Wahkare Khety Merykare

Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period (2040–1550 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs male female^♀ uncertain

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1802 BC)

XI	Mentuhotep I Intef I Intef II Intef III Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep III Mentuhotep IV
Nubia	Segerseni Qakare Ini Iyibkhentre
XII	Amenemhat I Senusret I Amenemhat II Senusret II Senusret III Amenemhat III Amenemhat IV Sobekneferu^♀ Seankhibtawy Seankhibra

2^nd Intermediate
(1802–1550 BC)

XIII	Sekhemrekhutawy Sobekhotep Sonbef Nerikare Sekhemkare Amenemhat V Ameny Qemau Hotepibre Iufni Ameny Antef Amenemhet VI Semenkare Nebnuni Sehetepibre Sewadjkare Nedjemibre Khaankhre Sobekhotep Renseneb Hor Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw Djedkheperew Sebkay Sedjefakare Wegaf Khendjer Imyremeshaw Sehetepkare Intef Seth Meribre Sobekhotep III Neferhotep I Sihathor Sobekhotep IV Merhotepre Sobekhotep Khahotepre Sobekhotep Wahibre Ibiau Merneferre Ay Merhotepre Ini Sankhenre Sewadjtu Mersekhemre Ined Sewadjkare Hori Merkawre Sobekhotep Mershepsesre Ini II Sewahenre Senebmiu Merkheperre Merkare Sewadjare Mentuhotep Seheqenre Sankhptahi
XIV	Yakbim Sekhaenre Ya'ammu Nubwoserre Qareh Khawoserre 'Ammu Ahotepre Maaibre Sheshi Nehesy Khakherewre Nebefawre Sehebre Merdjefare Sewadjkare III Nebdjefare Nebsenre Sekheperenre Bebnum 'Apepi Nuya Wazad Sheneh Shenshek Khamure Yakareb Yaqub-Har
XV	Sharek Semqen 'Aper-'Anati Salitis Sakir-Har Khyan Yanassi Apepi Khamudi
XVI	Djehuti Sobekhotep VIII Neferhotep III Mentuhotepi Nebiryraw I Nebiriau II Semenre Bebiankh Sekhemre Shedwast Dedumose I Dedumose II Montuemsaf Merankhre Mentuhotep Senusret IV Pepi III
Abydos	Senebkay Wepwawetemsaf Pantjeny Snaaib
XVII	Rahotep Nebmaatre Sobekemsaf I Sobekemsaf II Sekhemre-Wepmaat Intef Nubkheperre Intef Sekhemre-Heruhirmaat Intef Senakhtenre Ahmose Seqenenre Tao Kamose

New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period (1550–664 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female^♀) uncertain

New Kingdom
(1550–1070 BC)

XVIII	Ahmose I Amenhotep I Thutmose I Thutmose II Hatshepsut^♀ Thutmose III Amenhotep II Thutmose IV Amenhotep III Akhenaten Smenkhkare Neferneferuaten^♀ Tutankhamun Ay Horemheb
XIX	Ramesses I Seti I Ramesses II Merneptah Amenmesses Seti II Siptah Twosret^♀
XX	Setnakhte Ramesses III Ramesses IV Ramesses V Ramesses VI Ramesses VII Ramesses VIII Ramesses IX Ramesses X Ramesses XI

3^rd Intermediate
(1069–664 BC)

XXI	Smendes Amenemnisu Psusennes I Amenemope Osorkon the Elder Siamun Psusennes II
High Priests of Amun	Herihor Piankh Pinedjem I Masaharta Djedkhonsuefankh Menkheperre Smendes II Pinedjem II Psusennes III
XXII	Shoshenq I Osorkon I Shoshenq II Tutkheperre Shoshenq Takelot I Osorkon II Shoshenq III Shoshenq IV Pami Shoshenq V Pedubast II Osorkon IV
XXIII	Harsiese A Takelot II Pedubast I Iuput I Shoshenq VI Osorkon III Takelot III Rudamun Shoshenq VII Menkheperre Ini
XXIV	Tefnakht Bakenranef
XXV	Piye Shebitku Shabaka Taharqa Tanutamun

Late Period and Hellenistic Period (664–30 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs male female^♀ uncertain

Late
(664–332 BC)

XXVI	Ammeris Tefnakht II Nekauba Necho I Psamtik I Necho II Psamtik II Wahibre Ahmose II Psamtik III
XXVII	Cambyses II Petubastis III Darius I Psammetichus IV Xerxes Artaxerxes I Darius II
XXVIII	Amyrtaeus
XXIX	Nepherites I Hakor Psammuthes Nepherites II Muthis
XXX	Nectanebo I Teos Nectanebo II
XXXI	Artaxerxes III Khabash Arses Darius III