Shepseskare Isi

Schepseskare ( Schepses -ka -Re, also Schepeskare [ Schepes -ka- Re] ) was the fourth or fifth king ( pharaoh ) of ancient Egyptian 5th Dynasty the Old Kingdom. He reigned about within the period 2465-2460 BC about his probably very short reign of only one or two years, and its exact position in the royal family of the 5th dynasty almost nothing is known. Contemporary it is occupied only by a few seals and seal impressions, suggest the construction activities in the mortuary temple of the pyramid to its possible predecessor Raneferef. Possibly can Schepseskare a started building pyramids in the north of Abusir be assigned.

• 4.1 The Mortuary Temple of Raneferef pyramid at Abusir
• 4.2 The unfinished pyramid at Abusir

Receipts and name variants

The evidence base for Schepseskare is very thin compared to other rulers of the Old Kingdom. In the later Egyptian king lists his name is listed only in part. The only unambiguous naming comes from the King List of Saqqara from the 19th Dynasty. Also, the simultaneous Turin Royal Canon seems to have originally called Schepseskare ( column 3, line 20 ), but the corresponding entry is not obtained. The 3rd century BC living priest Manetho mentioned Schepseskare in his work Aegyptiaca under the name Sisires. Other important king lists, however, pass over Schepseskare. So missing his name as the king lists of Abydos by Seti I and Ramses II

Contemporary Schepseskare is known only by two seals and seal impressions ten or eleven. Of the latter, six out of the mortuary temple of Raneferef pyramid. A Schepseskare also attributed scarab is probably dated to the Late Period (see also below).

The seal impressions also raise questions about the correct name spelling of this king. The only fully preserved spelling variant Schepseskare is courtesy of the contemporary king list of Sakkara. On the seal impressions of the throne name of the ruler is called three times. Two times he appears there, however, not as the Schepseskare but as Schepeskare. The third mention is heavily damaged and partially read as Schepseskare, partly as Schepeskare.

Origin and family

The family background Schepseskares are unclear. Neither his parents nor his wife can be determined with certainty. Even children are not known. Suspicions that it could be with him for a son of Sahura, are pure speculation and could not be confirmed by textual evidence so far. The main reason for this assumption is ultimately the choice of location ascribed pyramid between the Pyramid of the Sun and Sahura sanctuary whose father Userkaf what is interpreted as a demonstration of the close family ties Schepseskares with one of these rulers, or with both.

According to a proposal by Vivienne Callender Nimaathapi II could be regarded as the wife of Schepseskare. For this, however, there is no epigraphic evidence. The proposal is based solely on the location and architecture of the tomb of Nimaathapi ( Mastaba G 4712 on the western cemetery of the Giza Necropolis ). The mastaba can be dated to the middle of the 5th dynasty and since Schepseskares own pyramid appears to have remained unfinished, it would be at least possible that his wife was in Giza and not in Abusir, the royal necropolis of the fifth dynasty, was buried.

Rule

Longevity

Both the Royal Canon of Turin and Manetho enter a reign of seven years for Schepseskare. Contemporary dates are not known. For this reason, the recommendations of the Turin Papyrus and Manetho were taken in older works mostly. More recently, however, came increasingly to doubt as to their accuracy. Especially attributed due to the condition of the Schepseskare pyramid complex, which was probably given up a few weeks or at most months after construction began again, is now rather assumed that Schepseskares reign only lasted a few months, or at best one year.

Circumstances of the takeover

According to the King List of Saqqara Schepseskare was the successor of the Neferirkare and predecessor of Raneferef. However, since seal impressions were discovered with his name in the mortuary temple of Raneferef, now rather the possibility is considered that he was Raneferefs immediate successor. Why though initially Schepseskare whose family classification is completely unknown, came to the throne and not equal Raneferefs brother Niuserre is unknown as yet.

Miroslav Verner offered this three possible hypothetical scenarios, however, still based on the now outdated assumption that Neferirkare and its predecessors were Sahura brothers and that there were disputes about the succession between the two branches of the family after Neferirkares death. It is now occupied by new inscription finds that Neferirkare was a son and brother no Sahure. This includes disputes about the succession, although not sufficient, however, makes modifications to the proposed scenarios required that are not yet done.

After Verner first scenario Schepseskare could be identical with Netjerirenre or another son Sahure, which actually would have had a right to the throne after the death of his father, but was ignored by Neferirkare. Finally, after the death of his son and the Neferirkares Raneferef he could enforce his claim even briefly.

After the second scenario could Netjerirenre, Sahure Crown Prince, to have died before his father and Sahure other sons were still too young to take control after his death. When, after his son Raneferef Neferirkare also died young, now arose for a son Sahure the unexpected opportunity to accede to the throne.

The third scenario, which can also represent an extension of the first or second scenario also sees Schepseskare a son Sahure, who claims his throne at the expense of Raneferefs younger brother prevailed Niuserre Raneferefs after death. Niuserre, however, could have then rapidly gained the upper hand, possibly through support of influential Hofangehöriger as his mother Chentkaus II and his later son- Ptahschepses.

Construction

According to Peter Kaplony two buildings of Schepseskare are by seal impressions may be known: first, a sun temple called " heart peace of Re" ( HTP- jb -R ˁ ) and on the other a pyramid called " awakening of Schepseskare " ( RSJ - SPSS - k3 -R ˁ ). The sun temple is yet undiscovered and there is considerable doubt as to whether it even existed. The reason for this is that on the corresponding seal next to the name of the solar sanctuary only a badly damaged Horus name stands which can be both Schepseskare and Djedkare attributed. Moreover, it often happens that on seals names were attached by kings and sun sanctuaries that are not directly related. The Pyramid of Schepseskare can possibly be identified with a started plant in the north of Abusir. Furthermore, the found in the mortuary temple of Raneref pyramid seal impressions of Schepseskare suggest that he was involved in the completion of that work.

The mortuary temple of Raneferef pyramid at Abusir

Raneferef died before his pyramid complex was completed. The sprawling temple complex on the east side of the tomb were constructed in two phases of his successors. The second and most extensive construction phase can be assigned to Niuserre. The first phase was initially only a small temple of limestone, which consisted only of an entrance hall, central hall and two victims narrow side chambers. This first phase may assign Schepseskare, as in the temple complex seal impressions were found with his name (though not in the relevant stamp section).

The unfinished pyramid at Abusir

In Abusir is a pyramid begun between the sun temple of Userkaf and the Pyramid of Sahura. When his builder Schepseskare is regarded as Abusir served as the royal necropolis exclusively during the 5th dynasty and all other rulers of this period already a tomb could be assigned. The plant was discovered in the early 1980s by Czechoslovak archaeologists led Miroslav Verner and already seems to have been abandoned a few weeks or months after construction began again. During this period an area of ​​about 100 × 100 m was leveled and begun a T-shaped pit for the underground grave spaces. The construction would Completed obsessed about the size of the nearby Neferirkare pyramid.

Schepseskare in memory of Ancient Egypt

Schepseskare seems to have played a greater role in the memory of ancient Egypt. Apart from naming opportunities in some king lists only two documents are known that may be available in conjunction with Schepseskare, but this is not backed up in both cases.

From the New Kingdom relief fragment is known, which dates from the grave of the priest Mehu from Saqqara and dated to the 19th or 20th Dynasty. On him three deities are depicted facing a number of deceased kings. These are Djoser and Djoserteti from the 3rd dynasty and Userkaf from the 5th Dynasty. From a fourth king, a strong signature of destroyed is only obtained which was read in part as Schepseskare, partly as Djedkare. The relief is an expression of personal piety of the grave owner, who had thus worship the ancient kings for him to the gods.

The second piece is a scarab of unknown origin, which bears the signature Schepeskare. Probably it is an object archaisierendes the 26th dynasty. Similar pieces are also known by the name mentions other rulers of the Old Kingdom. However, there is also the possibility that it is the title of a contemporary ruler, namely Gemnefchonsbak, a local king of the 25th Dynasty of Tanis, whose throne name was also Schepeskare.