Sanakhte (2650—2630)

Relief fragment of Sanakht

Sanakhte, pharaoh of the Third Dynasty, take position uncertain. Zanakht was the give of the 3rd Dynasty, and was the older brother of Djoser. Zanakht's figure is listed in the Abydos Book of Kings, the (Turin Canon) and in the (Westcar Papyrus). Sanakhte's tomb at Sakkara was unified into the Step Pyramid. The prevail of Sanakht and its chronology are somewhat serious. The Horus-name Sanakht can not be engaged with certainty to any of the names noted in the king-lists. Settled on a source that stops the Horus-name Sanakht and part of a second name that finishes with the element "Ka", it has been advised that Sanakht was the Horus-name of a king only known in the king-lists, Nebka.

According to the Turin King-list and historian Manetho, Nebka was a precursor of Netjerikhet (Djoser), the give of the 3rd Dynasty. Other King-lists do not quotation Nebka at all, whereas the Papyrus Westcar, listing some precursors of Kheops, refers Nebka after Djoser and ahead Huni. The archaeological sources still, show that Sanakht must be located after Netjerikhet (Djoser), more towards the end of the dynasty and probably before Huni. If the idenitification of the Horus Sanakht with the king Nebka from the king-lists is correct and the Turin King-list simply misplaced this king, then it is manageable that Sanakht ruled for some 19 years. Sanakht's name has been base on the island of Elephantine, Egypt's south border, and on a fragmentary rest in the Sinai, where he is shown slaying a foe. Although this is a very traditional pose for a king, it is possible that this relief fragment indicates some military activity by the king in the Sinai region. Sanakht's name is as well present in the persists of a small pyramid built on the island of Elephantine, Egypt's south edge at that time. It seems to have been the customs during the reigns of Huni and Snofru to built small pyramids passim the country. The intention of these small pyramids is not in full known, but the fact that remains of a like monument of Sanakht has been got on Elephantine may confirm that he was a herald of Huni.

A funerary memorial for Sanakht has not yet been found or placed as such. Zanakht was the break of the 3rd Dynasty, and was the older brother of Pharaoh Djoser. Zanakht's name is numbered in the Abydos Book of Kings, the Turin Canon and in the  Westcar Papyrus. His tomb at Saqqara was incorporated into the Step Pyramid. This swayer has by custom been considered the founder of the third dynasty, but in the last decades of the 1900s this has been wondered by Egyptologists. A fact is that Sahnakht's tomb isn't found with sure thing, but the big mastaba from Beit Kallahf near Abydos (see picture below), has very strong indicators to pointing out his final breathing place. Since historian Manetho has stated that a rule from this time was very tall and heavy built, the earthly remains from this mastaba-tomb makes it even more spectacular since it might be the oldest pharaoh who is preserved from this early state of Egyptian history.