Djoser (Netjerykhet) (2630—2611)

Djoser statue' base

King Djoser was the first king of the Third Dynasty (present-day sources give the Horus name Netjerkhet: the name Djoser is only attested in later sources). Builder of the step pyramid in Saqqara. The complex is published in several volumes (Lauer 1936/1939 - the architecture). The second pharaoh of the third dynasty was Netjerykhet, the son of Khasekhemwy. As Well known as Djoser, he governed for almost two decades and is credited with building the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. The king's vizier, Imhotep, was the designer of that great tomb, and of the amazing Funerary Complex of Djoser at Saqqara. Egypt known a seven year famine during Djoser's reign, so he sought the advise of Imhotep and one of his governors, Medir, and agreed to travel to Elephantine at Aswan. Once there he raised a temple to the god Khnum, who was said to controlled the flow of the Nile. The famine finished, miraculously decent, and people considered it was due to this act of faith.

Djoser is the most famous pharaoh of the third Dynasty. Through contemporary sources, he is only identified by his Horus- and Nebti-names, Netjerikhet, "the divine of body". Later sources, among which a New Kingdom reference on his Step Pyramid at Saqqara, confirm that the Djoser from the king lists and the detergent builder of the Step Pyramid, Netjerikhet are one and the same. According to the Turin King-list, Netjerikhet governed for about 19 years, following the 20 year long reign of the opposite unattested Nebka. Archaeological sources, however, have shown that he must be considered as the first king after Khasekhemwi, the last king of the 2nd Dynasty. The order by which some heralds of Kheops are mentioned on the Papyrus Westcar may confirm that Nebka must be located between Netjerikhet and Huni and not before. The fact that the "Turin King list" has observed Netjerikhet's name in red may also be large.

In view of Netjerikhet's construction projects, especially at Saqqara, the number of years attributable to him by the Turin King-list has been doubted as well. It is not supposed that the Turin King-list has wrong bi-annual cattle-counts for years. If this is indeed the case, then Netjerikhet may have found up to 37 or 38 years. Nimaathapu, the wife of Khasekhemwi, is known to have kept the title "Mother of the King". This makes it likely that Netjerikhetwas her son, with Khasekhemwi his father. Three royal women are identified from during his reign: Inetkawes, Hetephernebti and a third one whose name is destroyed. One of them might have been his wife, others perhaps daughters or sisters. The relationship between Netjerikhet and his heir, Sekhemkhet is not known.

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.

The Unfinished Obelisk

The Unfinished Obelisk of Aswan

It is a huge obelisk yet to be finished. If finished, it would have easy around 41 m and would have weighed nearly 117 tons. Its grandness lies in the fact that it carries inscriptions that explain the method acting the ancient Egyptians practiced in cutting and graving obelisks.

Also the unfinished obelisk, an unfinished part worked obelisk base was discovered in 2005 at the pits of Aswan. Likewise discovered were some rock sculptures and remains that may correspond to the site where most of the famous obelisks were worked. All these quarries in Aswan and the unfinished objects are an open-air museum and are officially saved by the Egyptian administration as an archeological site.