Semerkhet

Semerkhet (actually Hor - semer - chet ) was the seventh king of ancient Egypt (Pharaoh) of the 1st dynasty ( Early Dynastic period ), who reigned BC according to Jürgen von Beckerath from about 2861 to 2853. During the ancient historian Manetho ascribes the Regent 18 years, reports the Turin Royal Canon even of 72 years. The Egyptology evaluated both information so far as exaggeration or misinterpretation of the original sources. Evaluations of the Annals stone can be an assumption of 8, and 8 ½ years in government, because here Semerchets entire rule is completely preserved.

For Egyptology to questions and discussions on Semerchets name and its family position have shown as evaluation and interpretation is problematic to both. Despite his brief reign questions are to rule the course also arisen since for Semerkhet numerous political and religious changes have survived. Later sources report that there had been a disaster under his rule.

Name and identity

Semerchets proper name learned over time, similar to the king, various readings. The basis for this may have been a hieroglyphic character that represents one wrapped in a robe man holding a stick in his hands. The corresponding consonantal " Iri - netjer " was in later readings SMSW with the similar name or confused smsm and led the Royal Canon of Turin to the entry " Semsem ".

Semerchets titles were could refer to his career before his accession to the throne, possibly as a priest. Semerkhet also changed the newly introduced by his predecessor Anedjib Nebuinamen ( " The two gentlemen " ) in the Nebtinamen ( " The Two Ladies "). However, the reasons for this are unknown as yet. He is the first king of the one Nebtiname is directly detectable. Semerkhet, referring both to the crown goddess Nekhbet of Nekhen as well as the snake goddess Wadjet of Buto, both of which were considered Beshir pating deities of the king. At that time, there was appended to the throne name Nebtinamen only as an epithet. The Nebtiname was thus not a separate part of the later small and large royal titulary. It was not until later in the Old Kingdom, the name shared connection into the two individual titles.

About the family of Semerkhet nothing concrete is known. The Cairo stone called a lady named Batiires as a mother of Semerkhet, which thus was probably the wife of King Anedjib. Peter Kaplony identified Batiires but with a person who is known by a grave stone that was found next to the grave of the king the plant. Thus Batiires would be the wife of the Den and the father of Semerkhet. In addition, Schlögl considers it likely that Qaa was a son of Anedjib. Michael Rice admits, however, that Qaa was perhaps a son Semerchets.

Reign

Jean -Philippe Lauer, Walter Bryan Emery, Wolfgang Helck, and Michael Rice expressed in terms Semerchets reign as the legitimate successor of Anedjib concerns, as in Semerchets Abydosgrab some stone vessels were found, which originally contained Anedjibs name, but let overwrite Semerkhet with his name. The presumptions by the lack of graves of senior officials and priests of Semerkhet at Saqqara were supported. The names of all other ruler since King Aha there are inscriptions is in tombs.

Toby Wilkinson denies the " usurper theses " because on stone vessels of the Djoser pyramid and from the grave of the king Qaa the names of the Kings Den, Anedjib, Semerkhet and Qaa are engraved. Was, at least from the perspective of Semerchets successors accordingly before a normal ranking. In addition Semerkhet was not only overwrite Anedjibs vessels. The Namensauskratzungen go by Qaa not have the usual dimensions beyond and are limited largely to the anniversary vessels. The phenomenon of extinction of previous names also cuts across the entire early dynasties.

IES Edwards and Winifred Needler make in addition to point out that next to it in his grave also found vessels that come from the original possessions of the Queen and the King Meritneith Den and had been overwritten by Semerkhet. That Semerchets from government officials no graves have been preserved, is probably because that Semerkhet according to contemporary and later sources ruled for only a few years. And was only occupied Henuka officials had apparently survived his Lord and also worked under Qaa because Henukas name is mentioned on years of both tablets kings. Seal impressions from Aydos taking at least a sed festival of the ruler.

An inscription on seal impressions is the existence of a royal domain of the economy Semerkhet. The earlier research ( last Schlögl ) translated the names associated with Horus, the shielded the gods shaft (Hor - djeser - chet ). Eva- Maria Engel reads this name, however, as Horus, who judges the gods Community (Hor - wep - chet ), where Horus was the first of those gods Community ( chet ). In addition, the inscription hat - IPTi is known, perhaps indicating a budget system the wife Semerchets because the Egyptian word " Ipet " Harem Palace means. In two years the tablets every two -yearly tax collection in conjunction with the Horus escort is noted. For additional entries, the unique and acclaimed Sokarfest a cult festival Tree Deity The great white is clear.

In the Epitomen the Manethonian aegyptiaca is reported that in the reign of Semerkhet " a great evil " ( Africanus ) and " many events and a very great misfortune " ( Eusebius ) is said to have occurred. The Armenian version of Eusebius contains Semerchets regarding tenure the entry about a "great pestilence ." Contemporary sources, however, mention any of the events mentioned in the Aegyptiaca. The Cairo on the stone partially destroyed Chronicle called a summary of the most important events during Semerchets eight years Longevity:

In the list of kings of Saqqara from the grave of the priest Tjuneroy ( 19th Dynasty ), only the kings and Anedjib Qaa are listed from the 1st dynasty. They are listed there under her ( here slightly distorted ) of birth or Nebtinamen. All other rulers of the time, however, and thus also Semerkhet are omitted. Walter Bryan Emery, for example, sees the reason for this is that Anedjib and Qaa are the only kings, whose sovereignty was recognized by Lower Egypt. They were thus confirmed as ruler of Memphis. The Sakkara list corresponds to purely Memphite traditions. The King List of Abydos and Karnak King List, however, reflect Thinite traditions and therefore lead all the rulers of the first dynasty.

Tomb

The Umm el- Qaab location (near Abydos ) grave "U " is considered Semerchets burial. Eva- Maria Engel refers in this context to the grave, in contrast to plants of other kings very small number of only 17 seals found there. As Flinders Petrie 's grave uncovered in 1899, he discovered instead of a brick staircase, as is known from the tombs of Den and the Anedjib, one in the King's Chamber leading down, four -meter-wide ramp with an existing up to the grave exterior wall slope of 12 degrees, which is about ten meters east of the grave conditioning ansetzte. Within the grave conditioning the ramp had irregular gradients, the very steep continued up into the King's Chamber. The secondary graves were partly still unrendered. These circumstances suggest that during the construction of time pressure prevailed, so probably dispense with the elaborate staircases and a ramp was chosen. At the time of excavation, the ramp was saturated to a depth of about one meter with aromatic oil, with its smell still permeated the entire grave system.

In addition to its dimensions 29.2 m × 20.8 m, the system has a simple structure, which is in accordance with Flinders Petrie, a new development: the 67 side graves of his entourage are now grown in space directly to the king's chamber and form a uniformly - designed with her grave complex. Walter Bryan Emery pointed to this significant change, since in his opinion, probably the upper grave construction covered the entire grave system. Toby Wilkinson concluded that the closest servants and kinship was buried together with the king, which is why Wilkinson herein provides the first detectable evidence of a planned self-sacrifice of the members of the royal family. In addition, Wilkinson suspected that Semerkhet could have made ​​an attempt with the new architecture of the grave complex to demonstrate his power over life and death of his subjects in a literal interpretation. The tradition that the closest servants and relatives as their ruler had to follow in death, ended with the funeral QAAs, the last king of the first dynasty. Since his successor Hetepsechemui side burials are no longer occupied.

In particular, the top of the ramp were located next to Wood and Matt radicals may Basket footprints and most completely preserved clay pots. The research suggested, therefore, that already opened during the Middle Kingdom because of the Osiris cult also the grave of Semerkhet and restorations were made. In the grave spaces is also found containers of ceramic and stone, as well as pitcher seal. Furthermore, numerous deposits and fragments of furniture (eg feet ), decorated box parts, copper fittings, tools and jewelry. Near the grave complex, archaeologists discovered a grave stele of black granite, which originally stood together with another stele at the grave entrance. On its front side, the Horus name of the king is engraved. The grave also fragments were discovered by ten or eleven vessels that came from Retjenu. Of an annual tablet, which was found in the grave of Qaa and was attached to a shading schemat - oil vessel, it appears Semerchets planning of buildings Full called " Hor - ib- Netjeru ". This perhaps was a cultivation of the grave goods.

From another side, the graves grave stelae of dance and Hofzwergs Nefer come.