Unknown Pharaoh

This unknown pharaoh between (king Sneferka) and pharaoh Iry-Hor. His tomb may be in Abydos.

Sneferka (2859—2857)

Sneferka, this ephemeral pharaoh belongs to the very end of the 1st dynasty, a period that apparently was a time of some imbalance in society. His name is only good twice - both from finds in Sakkara.

One is a fragmentise of schist found by British archaeologist Walter Emery in the dust at the escarpment north of King Djoser's funeral complex, when he was digging mastabas from the first dynasty. (Emery: Great Tombs III, pl. 38.1). The serek (to the right) contains the three hieroglyphs making the king's name, but in a slimly different order than in the other remain from his universe - a stone vessel found under the pyramid of king Djoser and published by Egyptologist Kaplony in MDAIK in 1988. His name is not showed in any of the kings' lists made during the further 2.500 years the Egyptian state should exist. This can mean that he was a probably unknown to later generations due to the fact that his reign was a very short and empty one and the remains were very few. That's the understanding why his position (unneurotic with king Bird above) cannot be showed with certainty

Qa'a (2889—2859)

Cartouche, and Restored tomb stele of King Qa'a

Most scholars believe that Qa'a was the last king of the 1st dynasty.  We may also see his name as Kaa, or different other variations. Though Egyptologists often disagree on dating, our current best guess is that he lived from about 3100 to 2890 BC. While this information on Qa'a is highly limited, until Dreyer and Kaiser analysis their data and provide us with more information, low else is knew of this early Egyptian Pharaoh..  He was probably buried in Tomb Q at Abydos, where two regular royal funerary stelae bearing his name were found on the east side of the tomb.  This tomb has been excavated on a number of several occations, first by Emile Amelineau in the 1890s, then Flinders Petrie and in 1991, by Gunther Dreyer and Werner Kaiser. The work done by this later German team revealed many little artifacts and architectural details that had been overlooked by earlier digs. These include thirty inscribed labels that describe the delivery of oil, probably made from berries or tree resins, and probably from the Syria-Palestine area.

Seal impressions and artifacts have also been discovered in Tomb Q with the name of Hetepsekhemwy, the first pharaoh of the second dynasty.  This suggests that Hetepsekhemwy completed Tomb Q, and that there was no real break between the first and 2nd dynasties of Egypt. The change in dynasties from the 1st to the second was originally reported by Manetho without explanation. We also know of four tombs in Sakkara that date to this kings reign.  The smaller part of two wooden statues were base in one of these tombs in a set of rooms on the north side.  Some scholars believe this may have been an offering chapel, and that the mortuary temple in pyramid complexes may have got from this structure. Egyptologists have also discovered the stelae of two of Qa'a's officials, Merka and Sabef.  These stelae have more complex inscriptions then earlier hieroglyphics, and may have signaled in increasing edification in the use of this writing.

Burial position of King Qa'a:

His tomb in abydos (tomb q) where two funerary stele mark his tomb, which also has notes from Hetepsekhemwy, his successor. The width of the funerary chamber about (10 x 5 m).