The Abydos King List and the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt

Deep within the ancient city of Abydos on the western bank of the Nile in Upper Egypt, the Great Temple of Seti I was built. Hewn into the rocky walls of the long narrow gallery known as the Gallery of the Ancestors is one of the most remarkable historical documents of ancient Egypt, the Abydos King List. Seti I, a Pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of the New Kingdom, created this masterful work of art which has since become a valuable source of information for contemporary historians.

Modern historians, with their critical minds, dismiss the Abydos King List as a masterpiece of political statecraft, but for the Egyptologist, it remains an invaluable resource. This ancient document represents a unique insight into the worldview of the New Kingdom priests and scribes who prepared it. Let us explore the significance and power of the Abydos King List.

Sacred Geography: Abydos, the Burial Ground of Osiris

In order to fully appreciate the significance of the Abydos King List we must first understand the importance of the site where it was created. Ever since the dawn of ancient Egypt Abydos has been considered as the most sacred precinct of Osiris, the ruler of the underworld. According to the myth, the body of Osiris was cut into pieces and his head buried in Abydos, where the Osirion temple complex was later built.

The first two dynasties’ kings were buried at the necropolis of Umm el-Qa’ab located at the western border of Abydos. Subsequently, the area was turned into a holy city where every Pharaoh and an ordinary citizen could build a monument or a cenotaph to honor Osiris and secure their resurrection. When Seti chose to construct his mortuary temple at Abydos he wanted the highest possible recognition for his dynasty. By building a temple at the most sacred place in ancient Egypt Seti I gained the reputation of a great Pharaoh.

Structure, Layout, and Art

The ancient scribes and artists have done a magnificent work on the Abydos King List. The gallery is adorned with exquisite bas-reliefs of Seti I and his young son and successor, the future Pharaoh Ramesses II (Figure 1).

A. The Format of the Relief

Seti I, holding an incense burner, is depicted to the right of the large niche, while his young son, to the left, carries a papyrus scroll with the sacred spells (Figure 2). In front of Seti I and the young prince there are two rows of seventy-six cartouches with the names of the ancient Pharaohs. The bottom row of the relief repeats the cartouches with the names of Seti I with his titles.

B. Reading the Script

The reliefs tell the story of the sacred duty of the Pharaoh to renew the land by making offerings to his ancestors. Seti I fulfilled his duty as the supreme priest by carrying the most sacred incense at the altar of Osiris. In doing so he has made himself equal to the gods by gaining the right to be buried in the most revered necropolis next to his ancestors.

The Seventy-Six Great Kings of Egypt: From Menes to Seti I

When reading the Abydos King List, one may notice that the names of the ancient Pharaohs carved on the seventysix cartouches follow a simple pattern, outlining different phases of dynastic development.

A. Old Kingdom and the First Two Dynasties

The Old Kingdom tradition of outstanding pyramid construction started with the first Pharaoh Meni (Menes) who united the country and laid the foundation for dynastic succession (Figure 3). His successors of the First and Second dynasties built their pyramids in Saqqara. The names of Menes’s successors are chiseled on the list in the Old Kingdom section.

The list then moves on to the builders of the Old Kingdom monuments – the greatest pyramid builders in history, including Djoser, Sneferu, Khufu, and the famous builders of the Giza Plateau, Khafre, Menkaure, and their successors (Figure 4).

B. The Middle Kingdom

After the first transitional period, the Abydos King List moves on to the Middle Kingdom era. This document does not recognize the chaos of the First Intermediate Period as a valid state. Therefore, the names of the kings of the 7th and 8th Dynasties who ruled from Memphis are recorded as the legitimate successors of Menes. The next set of cartouches honors the outstanding Middle Kingdom builders and writers, most notably the 12th Dynasty Pharaohs, including Amenemhat I and Senusret III.

C. The New Kingdom: From Ahmose to Seti I

The Abydos King List then moves on to the New Kingdom rulers. Skipping the Second Intermediate Period and the Hyksos dynasty, the carvers inscribed the names of the kings of the Eighteenth Dynasty, starting with Ahmose, who expelled the foreign rulers from Egypt. The Abydos King List then commemorates the great warriors and rulers of the New Kingdom, including Amenhotep I, Thutmose I, Thutmose III, and Amenhotep III, and leads to Seti I and his Nineteenth Dynasty.

Omissions and Corrections: Propaganda and Statecraft

More interesting, however, are the omissions in the Abydos King List which reveal the biases and assumptions of Seti’s priests and scribes. This historical list is not chronological, scientific, or objective, as a modern historian might perceive it. Rather it reflects the thinking of the ancient priests who created it. It portrays Seti I as a loyal successor of his father Ramesses I and a legitimate king of Egypt who follows in the footsteps of the great Menes.

A. Akhenaten’s Heresy

The most notable omission concerns the name of Akhenaten, the “heresy king,” and the names of the kings who ruled Egypt after him. By omitting Akhenaten, Seti’s priests have erased the “dark times” of Egypt’s history and shifted the emphasis to the restoration of the traditional order. The Abydos King List makes it clear that the New Kingdom Pharaohs, with the exception of Akhenaten, accepted the religious beliefs established by Menes. At the same time, Seti I and his predecessors managed to restore the normal functioning of the state, religion, and society.

B. Other Omissions and Changes

In addition to Akhenaten, other non-conforming rulers were erased from history. For example, Seti’s priests made no mention of Hatshepsut, who was the first female Pharaoh of Egypt. Similarly, the names of the Hyksos rulers who occupied the Delta region and became kings of Egypt were deliberately omitted. All of these rulers did not follow the standard pattern of the divine rights of the Pharaohs, and therefore their names had to be erased from history.

Contextualizing the Abydos King List: A Unique Contribution to Egyptology Today

Modern Egyptology is extremely grateful to Seti I for creating such an exceptional document. The Abydos King List provides critical chronological and biographical information about the early dynasties of ancient Egypt. Together with the Turin Royal Canon and the Palermo Stone, the Abydos record provides researchers with valuable data that goes far beyond the pharaohs’ names. The Turin Papyrus presents a true-to-life account of the lives of Egypt’s early rulers, including kings who ruled for a short time and foreign rulers. On the other hand, the Abydos list represents the idealized view of the ancient scribes and priests about the legitimacy of the dynastic succession. By comparing various sources, contemporary Egyptologists can reconstruct the entire history of ancient Egypt, from the dawn of civilization to the end of the New Kingdom.

Thanks to Seti I and his artists, today, the names of the most famous Pharaohs continue to live and inspire people around the world. Because of the solid consistency of the inscriptions and the exceptional preservation of the gallery, today, this unique monument to the ancient Egyptian civilization is one of the best-preserved hieroglyphic inscriptions in the Nile Valley.

Conclusion

The Abydos King List represents much more than just a simple chronological list of the most famous ancient Egyptian Pharaohs. Seti I created this masterpiece of art not only to demonstrate his adherence to tradition but also to legitimize the power of his youthful and little-known dynasty. By claiming the right to build his mortuary temple in Abydos, Seti I confirmed the status of his family as the direct descendants of Menes. His depiction in the Abydos mortuary temple alongside his young son and heir Ramesses II pointed to the continuation of his policy at the time of his son’s reign.

Today, as modern people look at this ancient artifact and admire Seti I’s dedication to preserving his legacy, the great Pharaoh speaks to them from across the ages. The Abydos King List ensures that all who wish to become familiar with the ancient history of the Nile Valley will remember the great Pharaohs of Egypt.