Cattle count
As a livestock census Egyptology called a state-controlled event in Ancient Egypt of enormous economic and ritual significance. It was the collection of taxes.
Perpetration
As the name of the event itself suggests, all the livestock was in regular intervals ( these included cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and donkeys ) rounded up and counted. The exact number was accurately recorded embarrassed by writers and inspectors, and then calculates the appropriate tax amount. The livestock census took place in all Egyptian provinces and districts. Tax fraud was severely punished. The livestock census took place since the second dynasty at the same time as part of the so-called Horus -conduct ( the Egyptian name Shemsu Hor ) instead. In this partly political, partly religious- cultic event motivated the king every two years traveled in a splendid barge through the country and visited the main administrative centers along the Nile to hold court and collect taxes.
Background
In Egyptology, the question is discussed how often the livestock census was held. The reason for this is the determination of actual years of the reign of individual kings. From the Prädynastik to the late Old Kingdom in the livestock census every two years appears to have been carried out. After that they took place every year.
Evidence of this is provided the annals stone of the 5th Dynasty, which was created under King Neferirkare and of King Narmer ( 1st Dynasty ) to Neferirkare for every Egyptian rulers, the most important annual ceremonies, creations of gods and statues of the king and Horus escort lists. The livestock census is thereby given for every second year in direct connection to the Horus escort. Therefore, it is generally believed that the livestock census was conducted every two years. The first king, under which the introduction of an annual livestock census is proven safe, King Pepi I ( 6th Dynasty ). Pepi I. ordered that the livestock census have now take place every year because his kingdom had fallen into economic and therefore financial distress.
In modern research, however, the question was repeatedly been raised as to whether not been kings before Pepi I could have arranged an annual livestock census, since later historical sources are inconsistent about the Longevity of individual rulers. A well-known dispute about the correct rule of life is that of the famous King Cheops of the 4th Dynasty. The highest number of livestock censuses can be found in the form of workers' graffiti in the relieving chambers of the Great Pyramid, which is a " 17 " Mention time the livestock census. Since the livestock census according to the Palermostein at that time held only every two years, a government minimum period of 34 years would witness for Cheops. However, this calculation has met with some researchers to doubt and suspicion, as the famous Royal Canon of Turin certified only 23 years for Cheops and the Greek historian Herodotus claimed that Khufu had reigned 50 years, but this is considered an exaggeration or false reading. In the meantime, go Egyptologists as Thomas Schneider estimates that Cheops either actually little more than 34 years reigned, or that the author of the Royal Canon of Turin did not consider the fact of the 2- year cycle, and in reality 23 livestock censuses describes and consequently certify for 46 years.