Karnak king list

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Drawing of the list in 1843

The Karnak king list, is a list of early Egyptian kings written in stone. It was in the southwest corner of the Festival Hall of Thutmose III. This hall was part of the Karnak Temple Complex, now Luxor, Egypt. It was written during the rule of Thutmose III. It has the names of 61 kings beginning with Sneferu from Egypt's Old Kingdom. Only the names of 39 kings can still be read. One name is not written in a cartouche (a border used around the name of a king).

It is not a complete list of the Egyptian Pharaohs. This list has the names of kings of the First and Second Intermediate periods, which are left out in most other king lists.

It was first described by James Burton in 1825.[1] In 1843, a German group directed by egyptologist Karl Richard Lepsius was traveling up the River Nile to Karnak. A French adventurer, Émile Prisse d'Avennes, got there first. he pulled down the wall at night and took away the blocks with the lists. He had these blocks sent to France.[2][3] Severely damaged, it is now on show at the Louvre[4] in Paris.

Drawing of the listEdit

Drawing of the Karnak King List. The colored bits remain, the white are more or less lost.

The listEdit

This list has the name of the Pharaoh followed by the actual one written on the stone. The list is in three sections and is divided at the center. The numbering is from the sides, toward the center.[5]

Left side Right side
Top Row
Pharaoh Inscribed name Pharaoh Inscribed name
1. Unknown Nefer-ka-re 32. Senusret III Kha-ka-re
2. Sneferu S-neferu 33. Sobekhotep IV Kha-nefer-re
3. Sahure Sahu-re 34. Neferhotep I Kha-sekhem-re
4. Nyuserre Ini Ini 35. Destroyed destroyed
5. Djedkare Isesi Isesi 36. Sobekhotep I Sekhem-re-khu-tawy
6. Destroyed destroyed 37. Amenemhet VI S-ankh-ib-re
7. Destroyed destroyed 38. Nebiryraw I Se-wadj-en-re
8. Djehuti Sekhem-re-semen-tawy 39. Unknown ...kau(re)
Second Row
Pharaoh Inscribed name Pharaoh Inscribed name
9. Destroyed destroyed 40. Destroyed destroyed
10. Intef II? Intef 41. Neferhotep II Mer-sekhem-re
11. Intef I? In... 42. Sobekhotep VII Mer-kau-re
12. Mentuhotep I? Men... 43. Sobekhotep VIII? Se-user-tawy
13. Intef the Elder? Intef 44. Unknown ...re
14. Unknown Teti 45. Unknown Senefer..re
15. Unknown Pepi 46. Khahotepre Sobekhotep Kha-hotep-re
16. Merenre Nemtyemsaf I? Mer-en-re 47. Sobekhotep II Kha-ankh-re
Third Row
Pharaoh Inscribed name Pharaoh Inscribed name
17. Amenemhat I Se-hotep-ib-re 48. Rahotep (Sekhem)re Wahkhaure
18. Amenemhat II Nebu-ka-re 49. Sewahenre Senebmiu Se-wah-en-re
19. Destroyed destroyed 50. Merhotepre Sobekhotep Mer-hotep-re
20. Destroyed destroyed 51. Wegaf Khu-tawi-re
21. Amenemhat IV Maat-khe-ru-re 52. Destroyed destroyed
22. Sobekneferu Sobek-neferu 53. Destroyed destroyed
23. Sehetepkare Intef? Intef 54. Sobekemsaf I Sekhem-re-wadj-khau
Bottom Row
Pharaoh Inscribed name Pharaoh Inscribed name
24. Senusret I Kheper-ka-re 55. Unknown ...re
25. Seqenenre Tao Se-qen-en-re 56. Unknown Senefer..re
26. Senakhtenre Ahmose Se-nakht-en-re 57. Unknown Sewadj..re
27. Bebiankh Se-user-en-re 58. Unknown Sekhem..re
28. Nubkheperre Intef Nub-kheper-re 59. Destroyed destroyed
29. Mentuhotep II Neb-hepet-re 60. Destroyed destroyed
30. Mentuhotep III Se-nefer-ka-re 61. Destroyed destroyed
31. Destroyed destroyed


Photos of the list in the Louvre

Related pagesEdit


  1. Burton, James: "Excerpta Hieroglypica", Plate Ia, Cairo, 1825
  2. "L'Illustration, Journal Universel", Vol. VII, p 244-245, Paris 1846
  3. Monderson, Frederick. "Temple of Karnak: The Majestic Architecture of Ancient Kemet" p. 58
  4. Chapelle des ancêtres in the Sully wing, Rez-de-chaussée, Room 12, Catalogue number E13481bis
  5. Abhandlungen der Königlichen Preußischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin 1852 (1853) p.455

Other websitesEdit