The amazing history of Ancient Egypt: all the most interesting things about the land of the pharaohs. Interesting facts about Egyptian pharaohs Which of the depicted pharaohs is why

Morning toilet. Robe of Osiris.

The awakening of the ruler always began with a hymn in honor of the rising sun and was accompanied by an elaborate ceremony that prepared him for the morning exit. The pharaoh rose from his bed and washed himself with rose water in a gilded bath. Then his divine body was rubbed with aromatic oils under the whisper of prayers, which had the property of driving away evil spirits. At the royal court, a special event was the morning toilet ceremony of the pharaoh. In the presence of the entire family, especially close courtiers and scribes who held long papyri in their hands for writing, specially trained servants fussed over him. The barber shaved his head and cheeks, and he used razors with different blades. The razors were placed in special leather cases with handles, and these, in turn, were placed in elegant ebony caskets, which also contained tweezers, scrapers, and nightlights for manicure and pedicure. Having completed the first part of the toilet, the godlike man with a smoothly shaved head and a short beard, fresh and vigorous, passed into the hands of the next specialists who were engaged in his make-up. They kept their paints in small vessels made of glass and obsidan. In elegant spoons, they diluted dry paints from carefully ground malachite, galena (lead eye gloss), antimony and clay pigments.
This is how Tutankhamun described his morning dressing during his stay on the island of Crete, as an ambassador, D.S. Merezhkovsky (“The Birth of the Gods. Tutankhamun on Crete”): ... In front of a mirror made of red copper, a special master lined his eyes. The master tried on his shaved head with wigs of various designs - vaulted, bladed, tiled. The barber offered him two kinds of beards tied with ribbons: Amon's cube made of hard horsehair and Osiris' flagellum made from the blond hair of Libyan wives. The guard brought a white dress made of the finest “royal linen” - “woven air”, all in flowing folds; the wide sleeves in feathery folds looked like wings, the tightly starched apron protruded forward in a multi-fold transparent, as if a glass pyramid. When Tuta got dressed... he looked like a cloud: he was about to flutter up and fly away.”

Joseph Interpreting Pharaoh's Dream, 1894

The royal outfit was not just luxurious, it had to correspond to the divine essence of its owner. Therefore, the morning ceremony was completed by decorating the royal person with precious symbols of royal power. The necklace or mantle was made of strung gold plates and beads with a flat clasp at the back, from which a gold tassel of chains and flowers of amazingly fine and exquisite workmanship descended down the back. Such necklaces appeared shortly before the era of Ramses. The classic mantle was made up of numerous rows of beads. The last one, lying on the chest and shoulders, had a teardrop shape, all the others were round or oval. It was also decorated with two falcon heads. The mantle was held on by two laces, which were tied at the back. In addition to the necklace, the pharaoh wore a chest decoration with an image of a temple on a double gold chain. Three pairs of massive bracelets adorned the arms and legs: wrists, forearm and ankles. Sometimes a long, thin tunic was worn over the entire costume, tied with a belt made of the same fabric.

Cleansed and fumigated with incense, fully clothed, the pharaoh walked to the chapel, tore off the clay seal from its doors and alone entered the sanctuary, where a wonderful statue of the god Osiris reclined on an ivory bed. This statue had an extraordinary gift: every night its arms, legs and head, cut off by the once evil god Seth, fell off, and the next morning, after the prayer of the pharaoh, they grew back on their own. When the most holy ruler was convinced that Osiris was safe again, he took him from his bed, bathed him, dressed him in precious clothes and, seating him on a malachite throne, burned incense before him. This ritual was extremely important, since if the divine body of Osiris did not grow together one morning, this would be a harbinger of great disasters not only for Egypt, but for the whole world. After the resurrection and vestment of the god Osiris, the pharaoh left the door of the chapel open so that the grace emanating from it would pour out throughout the whole country; he himself appointed priests who were supposed to guard the sanctuary, not so much from the evil will of people, but from their frivolity, as it happened more than once that someone, carelessly coming too close to his place, received an invisible blow that deprived him of consciousness, and sometimes even life. (B. Prus “Pharaoh” description of the life of Ramses XII)

Pharaoh's breakfast

Having completed the ritual of worship, the pharaoh, accompanied by priests singing prayers, went to the large refectory hall. There was a table and a chair for him and nineteen other tables in front of nineteen statues representing the nineteen previous dynasties. When the pharaoh sat down at the table, young girls and boys ran into the hall, holding silver plates with meat and sweets and jugs of wine in their hands. The priest, who oversaw the royal kitchen, tasted food from the first plate and wine from the first jug, which the servants, kneeling, then served to the pharaoh, and other plates and jugs were placed in front of the statues of the ancestors. After the pharaoh, having satisfied his hunger, left the refectory hall, the dishes intended for the ancestors were passed on to the royal children and priests.

Pharaoh's work

The life of the pharaoh, both public and personal, was strictly regulated. Morning time was reserved for government affairs. From the refectory, the pharaoh headed to an equally large reception hall. Here the most important state dignitaries and closest members of the family greeted him, falling on their faces, after which the Minister of War, the High Treasurer, the Chief Justice and the Supreme Chief of Police reported to him on the affairs of the state. The reports were interrupted by religious music and dancing, during which the dancers covered the throne with wreaths and bouquets.

James Tissot. Joseph and His Brethren Welcomed by Pharaoh (1900)

Prophetic dreams of the pharaoh

After this, the pharaoh went to a nearby office and rested for several minutes, lying on the sofa. Then he poured out libations of wine before the gods, burned incense, and told the priests his dreams. Interpreting them, the sages drew up the highest decrees on matters awaiting the decision of the pharaoh. But sometimes, when there were no dreams or when their interpretation seemed wrong to the ruler, he smiled complacently and ordered to do such and such. This order was a law that no one dared to change, except in detail.

Supreme Grace

In the afternoon hours, the God-equal, carried in a stretcher, appeared in the courtyard in front of his faithful guard, after which he climbed onto the terrace and, addressing the four cardinal directions, sent them his blessing. At this time, flags fluttered on the pylons and powerful sounds of trumpets were heard. Anyone who heard them in the city or in the field, be it an Egyptian or a barbarian, fell on his face so that a particle of the highest grace would descend on him. At such a moment it was impossible to hit either a person or an animal, and if a criminal sentenced to death could prove that the sentence was read to him during the pharaoh’s exit to the terrace, his punishment was commuted. For ahead of the ruler of earth and sky walks might, and behind is mercy.

James J. Tissot, "Pharaoh Notes the Importance of the Jewish Peopler" (1896-1900)

Blessed Touch

Having made the people happy, the ruler of all things under the sun descended into his gardens, into the thicket of palm trees and sycamore trees, and rested there, receiving tribute from his women and admiring the games of the children of his house. If one of them attracted attention with his beauty or dexterity, he called him over and asked:

Who are you, baby?

“I am Prince Binotris, the son of Pharaoh,” answered the boy.

What's your mother's name?

My mother is Lady Ameses, Pharaoh's woman.

What can you do?

I can already count tens of ten and write: “May our father and God, holy Pharaoh Ramses, live forever!”
The Lord of Eternity smiled benevolently and with his gentle, almost transparent hand touched the curly head of the lively boy. From that moment on, the child was truly considered a prince, although the pharaoh continued to smile mysteriously. But whoever was once touched by the divine hand should not have known grief in life and was elevated above the rest.

The end of the day of the godlike pharaoh

For dinner, the ruler went to another refectory, where he shared dishes with the gods of all the nomes of Egypt, whose statues stood along the walls. What the gods did not eat went to the priests and high courtiers.
 In the evening, the pharaoh received Mrs. Nicotris, the mother of the heir to the throne, and watched religious dances and various performances. Then he went back to the bathroom and, having cleansed himself, entered the chapel of Osiris to undress and lay down the wonderful god. Having done this, he locked and sealed the doors of the chapel and, accompanied by a procession of priests, headed to his bedchamber.”

The intimacy of the relationship between a young couple - a young pharaoh and his wife - is conveyed in the gesture of the fragile queen, with which she brings a small bouquet of flowers to her husband, as if inviting him to inhale the aroma of spring primroses. The color scheme of the picture also creates a feeling of joy: a combination of fawn, bluish and light green tones. The pharaoh's costume consists of a white shenti, over which a sindon of white transparent fabric is draped. The ends of the sindon, thrown over the front, are richly embroidered and finished with relief metal stripes. On the inside, the sindon is reinforced with a belt, the long ends of which descend from the right and left sides. They are embroidered with transverse stripes. The small wig is decorated with a uraeus, and at the back there are two ribbons of the same fabric as the belt. In the right hand there is a staff - a symbol of the power of the pharaoh. The shoulders and chest are covered with a uskh made of colored plates. The costume of the pharaoh's wife is much less decorated. It consists of two main parts - a long kalaziris made of light transparent fabric and a “haik of Isis” coverlet made of the same white, but even more transparent fabric.

The Egyptian kings were treated as real living gods. They were the rulers of one of the first great civilizations, they lived in luxury, and in their hands was power hitherto incredible for one person. Egyptian rulers lived happily while hundreds or even thousands of people died during the construction of the magnificent pyramids and statues in their honor. And when the pharaohs themselves died, they were buried in giant tombs that hid their bodies from prying eyes for almost 4,000 years.

In the history of mankind, no one before had such absolute power and influence and lived in such prosperity as the pharaohs. Sometimes such omnipotence greatly spoiled the kings, which is not surprising for imperfect human nature.

10. Pygmy obsession and Pharaoh Pepi II

Pepi The Second was about 6 years old when he became king of Egypt, meaning he was just a small child when he was entrusted with ruling over an entire kingdom. Undoubtedly, much more power was concentrated in the hands of Pepi than should be trusted to a 6-year-old fool.

It is not surprising that the young king was a very spoiled child from childhood. Shortly after his accession to the throne, Pepi received a letter from an explorer named Harkhuf in which he told the pharaoh a story about an encounter with a dancing pygmy (a representative of a short African people living in the equatorial forests). This message so amazed and inspired the pharaoh that he wanted to see the strange pygmy in person.

“Drop everything and come with him to my palace!” Pepi wrote in response. The child ordered that nothing happen to Harkhuf and took serious care of security. “When you board the boat, gather your trusted servants and let them surround the pygmy on all sides as he walks along the ladder so that he does not fall into the water under any circumstances! When the pygmy goes to sleep in his hammock, people devoted to you should also lie around him. Check it 10 times every night!” Pharaoh strictly ordered. As a result, Pepi received his pygmy safe and sound.

Since childhood, he has been accustomed to getting everything he wants and considering himself much more important than anyone else on Earth. By the time he reached adulthood, the pharaoh was already such a spoiled and capricious person that he even forced his slaves to smear themselves with honey and walk around him naked so that Pepi would not be bothered by flies.

9. Giant genital monuments of King Sesostris

Sesostris was one of the greatest military leaders in Egyptian history. He sent warships and armies to every corner of the known world and extended the Egyptian kingdom further than any other ruler of that empire. After each battle, in honor of his success, Sesostris erected huge columns depicting genitals.

The king left these pillars at the sites of all his battles. Many of them were engraved with texts about who he was, how he defeated his enemy, and about his confidence in divine approval of his policy of invading all foreign countries.

In addition, Sesostris left a detail on these columns that was intended to characterize the army of the defeated enemy. If the opponents were strong and fought with dignity, he added an image of a penis to the monument. But if the enemy was weak, an engraving in the form of a vagina appeared on the monument.

These columns were erected throughout the continent, and lasted for a long time. Even the famous ancient Greek historian Herodotus saw several pillories of Sesostris. 1,500 years later, some of them still stood in Syria, a reminder of the defeats of their ancestors.

8. Urine washing and Pharaoh Feros

Sesostris's son, Pheros, was blind. Perhaps it was a hereditary disease, but the official version of the Egyptian chronicles said that the heir to the throne was cursed. According to legend, the banks of the empire began to flood, and Feros became angry that the river was causing damage to his kingdom. Enraged, he threw his spear at her. The pharaoh hoped that in this way he would pierce the bottom of the Nile and release all the water, but the gods, outraged by his audacity, cursed the ruler with blindness.

After 10 years, the oracle told Feros that his vision could be restored. All that is required is to wash your face with the urine of a woman who has never slept with anyone other than her own husband.

Feros tried washing his eyes with his wife's urine, but it didn't help. He never regained his sight, and his wife just threw up her hands, assuring that she had not cheated on him. Then Pharaoh gathered all the women in the city, ordered them all to go to the toilet in the same jug in turn, and one by one poured its contents over his eyes.

It worked. After several dozen women, Feros found the most faithful Egyptian woman and was healed. To celebrate, the king married this girl and burned his former wife. At least that's what the legend says. Although it is unlikely that magic urine saved the pharaoh’s sight, and perhaps such a story was invented to justify his strange addiction to female urine.

7. Hatshepsut's fake beard

Hatshepsut was one of the few women awarded the reign over ancient Egypt. She had big plans for the empire, but on the path to success the queen had to overcome some obstacles. At that time, Egypt, although it was a much more progressive country than others, women were not treated equally here, and therefore the queen had a hard time.

To make her situation easier, she even ordered her people to always paint her as a man. In all images, Hatshepsut was supposed to be presented to the public with a muscular body and a beard. The queen called herself the “Son of Ra” and supposedly also always wore a fake beard in public. It seemed to her that this way ordinary subordinates and noble Egyptians would take her more seriously.

Hatshepsut managed to do a lot of good things for her kingdom, and she thought that her tricks and dressing up as a man were largely the reason for this. However, her son ended up doing everything he could to erase his mother's legacy from the country's history so that no one would know that Egypt was ruled by a woman. He succeeded so well that until 1903 no one suspected that Hatshepsut was a woman.

6. The Bad Smelling Diplomacy of King Amasis

Amasis was not the most polite and well-mannered king in the history of ancient Egypt. He was not only an alcoholic, but also a kleptomaniac - the pharaoh stole the things of his friends, and then convinced them that these things were never theirs.

He acquired the throne by force. The former king of the empire sent him to suppress the uprising, but when Amasis arrived, he realized that the rebels had a very good chance of victory. It was then that he decided to lead them, instead of fulfilling the instructions of the legitimate pharaoh. Amasis was not a sophisticated diplomat, so he declared war very rudely - he raised his leg, farted and told the messenger: “Tell this to your king!”

All the obscene habits of Amasis had their important consequences. When he was a simple kleptomaniac, Amasis was sent to appear before the priests to decide whether he was guilty or not. When Amasis became pharaoh, he punished all the seers who had acquitted him earlier. The king believed that if the priests were actually talking to the gods, they should have known that he was a thief rather than allow him to escape judgment.

5. The city of noseless criminals and the ruler of Aktisanes

The people of Amasis could not endure such a king for long. He was a very rude and harsh pharaoh, so he was soon overthrown from the throne. This time the Egyptian revolution was led by an Ethiopian named Actisanes, who was going to rule much wiser and more merciful than his predecessor.

He had his own approach to criminals. The executioners cut off the nose of everyone who committed a crime, and then the culprit was sent to live in the city of Rhinocolura, which literally translates as the city of cut off noses.

It was inhabited exclusively by noseless criminals who had to survive in the harshest conditions in the country. The water in Rinocolura was very dirty, and its crippled inhabitants built from fragments of rubble.

At first glance, all this does not fit with the new pharaoh's promise to be gentler than Amasis, but for the 6th century BC this was actually considered the pinnacle of generosity towards criminals. The Romans wrote about Rinocolura that this is an example of Actisanes’ very good attitude towards his subordinates. In ancient times, if your nose was cut off for a crime, it was considered great luck.

4. 100 children of King Ramses II

Ramses the Second lived so long that people even began to worry that he would never die. In a time when most kings were killed during the first years of their reign, Ramses lived a very long time - 91 years. And all this time he was having a good time. Throughout his life, he not only built more statues and monuments than any other king of Egypt, but he also slept with more women than anyone else in the country.

By his old age, Ramses had at least 100 children from 9 wives. To produce so many heirs, you need to spend a lot of time in bed. Ramses married almost every girl he fell in love with. When he invaded the Het kingdom, the pharaoh refused to make peace with the rulers of these lands until they gave him their eldest daughter. He also did not hesitate to turn his gaze to his own daughters. Ramses married three of them, including his first child.

Perhaps the pharaoh had four such wives. Historians are not yet sure whether Henutmire was his daughter or his sister, but since we are talking about Ramses II, it makes no difference who she was before she became his wife.

3. Pharaoh Cambyses' hatred of animals

Cambyses was not an Egyptian, he was a Persian and the son of Cyrus the Great. After his people conquered Egypt, Cambyses was made head of the conquered land. During his reign, he became especially famous for his hatred of animals.

Almost every Egyptian story about Cambyses contains a passage about the killing of some beast. Early in his reign, the pharaoh went to visit Apis, a bull whom the Egyptians idolized. Right in front of the priests caring for the living deity, the king pulled out a dagger and began to beat the animal with it, laughing in the faces of the dignitaries with the words: “This is a god worthy of the Egyptians!”

No matter how it might seem, the reason for killing the unfortunate bull was not his attitude towards the Egyptians. In fact, the son of Cyrus simply really liked to watch the suffering of animals. During his time in power, Cambyses organized fights between lion cubs and puppies, and forced his wife to watch the animals tear each other apart.

2. The city of King Akenaten, built on broken backs

Akhenaten completely changed Egypt. Before he took the throne, the Egyptians had many gods, but Akenaten banned polytheism and left only one idol - Aten, the sun god. This meant serious changes in the life of Egypt, the implementation of which took a lot. So much so that Pharaoh literally tired his people to death.

In honor of the only god Aten, King Akenaten built a whole new city - Amarna. The pharaoh herded 20,000 people to the construction site, and it didn’t matter to him at what cost they would pay to participate in this mission, or how they would feel. The unfortunate Egyptians had to endure all the loads or die. Based on an analysis of bones from the city cemetery, archaeologists concluded that more than two-thirds of the workers who died here had broken bones, and a full third of them had a broken spine.

People were fed very poorly. Almost every resident of the new city was exhausted, and no one was allowed to seek treatment or rest for too long. If someone broke the rules, tried to grab an extra piece of food or was lazy, the disobedient subordinate was sentenced to death and stabbed to death.

All this suffering of the Egyptians turned out to be a futile sacrifice, because immediately after the death of Akenaten, all his undertakings were destroyed, and his inglorious name was almost erased from the history of Egypt.

1. Pharaoh Menkur's refusal to die

Even the pharaoh dies. And although the great names of the Egyptian kings were always accompanied by the title “eternal” or “immortal,” each ruler knew that his turn would come to leave this world. They built pyramids for themselves in order to spend a comfortable afterlife, but still each of the pharaohs once had doubts about what awaits a person after his eyelids close for the last time.

Menkaure, a pharaoh who ruled in the 26th century BC, was definitely unsure about what would happen after his death. When an oracle came to him and reported that the king had only 6 years to live, he was struck to the core and plunged into true horror. Menacur did everything possible to avoid death.

One day he decided that he could outsmart the gods. The pharaoh thought this: if the night never comes, a new day will not come, and if the next day does not come, time will not be able to move forward, and this means that Menakur will not die. Therefore, every evening he lit as many lamps and candles as possible, and convinced himself that he was extending the daylight hours. For the rest of his life, the king hardly slept at night, spending time in the light of man-made lamps, drinking alcohol and having fun until the morning, at the same time fearing that the very moment was about to come when “his candle would go out.”

The word "pharaoh" owes its origin to the Greek language. It is noteworthy that it was found even in the Old Testament.

Mysteries of history

As the ancient legend says, the first pharaoh of Egypt - Menes - later became the most popular deity. However, in general, information about these rulers is rather vague. We cannot even say that they all actually existed. The Predynastic period is covered most fully in this regard. Historians identify specific people who ruled Southern and Northern Egypt.

Attributes

The ancient pharaohs of Egypt underwent a mandatory coronation ceremony. The location of the traditional ceremonial event was Memphis. The new divine rulers received symbols of power from the priests. Among them were a diadem, a scepter, a whip, crowns and a cross. The last attribute was shaped like the letter “t” and was topped with a loop, symbolizing life itself.

The scepter was a short staff. Its upper end was curved. This attribute of power originated from such a thing could belong not only to kings and gods, but also to high officials.

Peculiarities

The ancient pharaohs of Egypt, like sons, could not appear before their people with their heads uncovered. The main royal headdress was the crown. There were many varieties of this symbol of power, among which are the White Crown of Upper Egypt, the Red Crown “Deshret”, the Crown of Lower Egypt, as well as the “Pschent” - a double version consisting of the White and Red Crowns (symbolizing the unity of the two kingdoms). The power of the pharaoh in Ancient Egypt even extended to space - so strong was the admiration for each heir of the creator of the world. However, it would be wrong to say that all pharaohs were despotic rulers and sole rulers of destinies.

Some ancient images depict the pharaohs of Egypt with headscarves covering their heads. This royal attribute was gold with blue stripes. Often a crown was placed on him.

Appearance

According to tradition, the ancient pharaohs of Egypt were clean-shaven. Another external distinctive feature of the rulers is the beard, which symbolized male strength and divine power. It is noteworthy that Hatshepsut also wore a beard, albeit a fake one.

Narmer

This pharaoh is a representative of the 0th or 1st dynasty. He reigned around the end of the third millennium BC. The slab from Hierakonpolis depicts him as the ruler of the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt. It remains a mystery why his name is not included in the royal lists. Some historians believe that Narmer and Menes are the same person. Many people still argue about whether all the ancient pharaohs of Egypt are truly non-fictional characters.

Significant arguments in favor of the reality of Narmer are found objects such as a mace and a palette. The oldest artifacts glorify the conqueror of Lower Egypt named Narmer. It is stated that he was the predecessor of Menes. However, this theory also has its opponents.

Menes

For the first time, Menes became the ruler of an entire country. This pharaoh marked the beginning of the First Dynasty. Based on archaeological evidence, it can be assumed that his reign was around 3050 BC. Translated from ancient Egyptian, his name means “strong”, “durable”.

Legends dating back to the Ptolemaic era say that Menes did a lot to unite the northern and southern parts of the country. In addition, his name was mentioned in the chronicles of Herodotus, Pliny the Elder, Plutarch, Aelian, Diodorus and Manetho. It is believed that Menes is the founder of Egyptian statehood, writing and cults. In addition, he initiated the construction of Memphis, where his residence was located.

Menes was famous as a wise politician and an experienced military leader. However, the period of his reign is characterized differently. According to some sources, life for ordinary Egyptians became worse under the reign of Menes, while others note the establishment of worship and temple rituals, which testifies to the wise management of the country.

Historians believe that Menes passed away in the sixty-third year of his reign. The culprit in the death of this ruler is believed to have been a hippopotamus. The enraged animal inflicted fatal injuries on Menes.

Chorus Akha

The history of the pharaohs of Egypt would be incomplete without mentioning this glorious ruler. Modern Egyptologists believe that it was Hor Akha who united Upper and Lower Egypt and also founded Memphis. There is a version that he was the son of Menes. This pharaoh ascended the throne in 3118, 3110 or 3007 BC. e.

During his reign, ancient Egyptian chronicles began. Each year received a special name based on the most striking event that occurred. Thus, one of the years of the reign of Hor Aha is called as follows: “defeat and capture of Nubia.” However, wars were not always fought. In general, the period of reign of this son of the Sun god is characterized as peaceful and calm.

The Abydos tomb of Pharaoh Hor Akha is the largest in the northwestern group of similar structures. However, the most pretentious is the Northern Tomb, which is located in Saqqara. Items with the name Hor Akha carved into it were also found. Most of them are wooden labels and clay seals found on vessels. Some ivory pieces were carved with the name Bener-Ib ("sweet at heart"). Perhaps these artifacts brought to us the memory of the pharaoh's wife.

Jer

This son of the Sun God belongs to the 1st Dynasty. It is estimated that he reigned for forty-seven years (2870-2823 BC). Not all ancient pharaohs of Egypt could boast of a large number of innovations during their reign. However, Jer was one of the ardent reformers. It is assumed that he was successful in the military field. Researchers found a rock inscription on the west bank of the Nile. It depicts Jer, and in front of him is a captive man kneeling.

The tomb of the pharaoh, located in Abydos, is a large rectangular pit, which is lined with bricks. The crypt was made of wood. 338 additional burial sites were found near the main burial site. It is assumed that servants and women from Jer's harem are buried in them. All of them, as required by tradition, were sacrificed after the burial of the king. Another 269 graves became the final resting place of nobles and courtiers of the pharaoh.

Den

This pharaoh reigned around 2950 AD. His personal name is Sepati (this became known thanks to the Abydos list). Some historians believe that it was this pharaoh who first wore the double crown, symbolizing the unification of Egypt. History says that he was the leader of military campaigns on the island. From here we can conclude that Den was determined to further expand the Egyptian kingdom in this direction.

The pharaoh's mother was in a special position during the reign of her son. This is evidenced by the fact that she rests not far from Den's tomb. Such an honor still needed to be achieved. In addition, it is assumed that Hemaka, the custodian of the state treasury, was a highly respected person. On ancient Egyptian labels found, his name follows the name of the king. This is evidence of the special honor and trust of King Dan, who united Egypt.

The tombs of the pharaohs of that time were not distinguished by any special architectural delights. However, the same cannot be said about Dan's tomb. Thus, an impressive staircase leads to his tomb (it faces east, directly towards the rising sun), and the crypt itself is decorated with red granite slabs.

Tutankhamun

The reign of this pharaoh falls approximately on 1332-1323 BC. e. He nominally began to rule the country at the age of ten. Naturally, real power belonged to more experienced people - the courtier Ey and the commander Horemheb. During this period, Egypt's external positions were strengthened due to pacification within the country. During the reign of Tutankhamun, construction was intensified, as well as the restoration of the sanctuaries of the gods, neglected and destroyed during the reign of the previous pharaoh - Akhenaten.

As it was established during anatomical studies of the mummy, Tutankhamun did not even live to be twenty years old. There are two versions of his death: the fatal consequences of some illness or complications after a fall from a chariot. His tomb was found in the notorious Valley of the Kings near Thebes. It was practically not plundered by ancient Egyptian marauders. During archaeological excavations, a great variety of precious jewelry, clothing, and works of art were found. Truly unique finds were the box, seats and gilded chariot.

It is noteworthy that the aforementioned successors of the king - Ey and Horemheb - tried in every possible way to consign his name to oblivion, classifying Tutankhamun among the heretics.

Ramesses I

This pharaoh is believed to have reigned from 1292 to 1290 BC. Historians identify him with the temporary worker of Horemheb - the powerful military leader and supreme dignitary of Paramessu. The honorary position he held sounded like this: “the manager of all the horses of Egypt, the commandant of the fortresses, the caretaker of the Nile entrance, the envoy of the pharaoh, the charioteer of His Majesty, the royal clerk, the commander, the general priest of the Gods of the Two Lands.” It is assumed that Pharaoh Ramses I (Ramesses) is the successor of Horemheb himself. On the pylon there is an image of his magnificent ascension to the throne.

According to Egyptologists, the reign of Ramses I is not distinguished by either duration or significant events. He is most often mentioned in connection with the fact that the pharaohs of Egypt Seti I and Ramesses II were his direct descendants (son and grandson, respectively).

Cleopatra

This famous queen is a representative of the Macedonian. Her feelings for the Roman commander were truly dramatic. Cleopatra's reign is infamous due to the Roman conquest of Egypt. The obstinate queen was so disgusted by the idea of ​​​​being a captive (of the first Roman emperor) that she chose to commit suicide. Cleopatra is the most popular ancient character in literary works and films. Her reign took place in co-reign with her brothers, and after that with Mark Antony, her legal husband.

Cleopatra is considered the last independent pharaoh in Ancient Egypt before the Roman conquest of the country. She is often mistakenly called the last pharaoh, but this is not so. A love affair with Caesar brought her a son, and with Mark Antony a daughter and two sons.

The pharaohs of Egypt are most fully described in the works of Plutarch, Appian, Suetonius, Flavius ​​and Cassius. Cleopatra, naturally, also did not go unnoticed. In many sources she is described as a depraved woman of extraordinary beauty. For a night with Cleopatra, many were ready to pay with their own lives. However, this ruler was smart and courageous enough to pose a threat to the Romans.

Conclusion

The pharaohs of Egypt (the names and biographies of some of them are presented in the article) contributed to the formation of a powerful state that lasted more than twenty-seven centuries. The rise and improvement of this ancient kingdom was greatly facilitated by the fertile waters of the Nile. The annual floods perfectly fertilized the soil and contributed to the ripening of a rich grain harvest. Due to the abundance of food, there was a significant increase in population. The concentration of human resources, in turn, favored the creation and maintenance of irrigation canals, the formation of a large army, and the development of trade relations. In addition, mining, field geodesy and construction technologies were gradually mastered.

Society was controlled by the administrative elite, which was formed by priests and clerks. At the head, of course, was the pharaoh. The deification of the bureaucratic apparatus contributed to prosperity and order.

Today we can say with confidence that Ancient Egypt became the source of the great heritage of world civilization.

Pharaoh- the modern name of the kings of Ancient Egypt.

The usual designation for Egyptian kings was “belonging to the Reed and the Bee,” that is, Upper and Lower Egypt, or simply “the ruler of both lands.”

Despotic monarchies in Egypt arose in the second half of the 4th millennium BC. e. There were the eras of the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom. Since the time of the Middle Kingdom, it has been established full title of Egyptian kings, consisting of five names:

Choral name.

Nebti-name (was associated with the patron goddesses of Egypt Nekhbet and Wadzhit).

Golden name (gold in Egyptian culture was associated with eternity).

Throne name (adopted upon accession to the throne).

Personal name (given at birth, in inscriptions preceded by the title “son of Ra”).

Some names of Egyptian gods and Egyptian pharaohs can be very useful for those involved in esotericism or the occult. These names may carry a program of increased intuition, which can help read information from subtle planes. Moreover, this information may contain hidden or lost data about the magic of past civilizations, and even about the technologies of past civilizations. Therefore, if you are interested in such things and, suppose, take one of the strong pseudonyms chosen from the names of Egyptian gods or pharaohs, then it is quite possible that special program, which, like a radar antenna (dish), will receive signals from the past, from ancient civilizations. Thanks to this, you will be able to obtain information that is not yet known or little known in the modern world. T What pseudonym is a chance to come into contact with the knowledge of the ancients.

Below you can see a list of names of Egyptian pharaohs.

Names of Egyptian pharaohs

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter A:

Ajeeb

Adikalamani

Actisanes

Alara

Amanislo

Amanitheca

Amanitore

Amasis II

Amenmes

Amenhotep

Amirteus II

Analmai

Anlamani

Apopi I

Apry

Ariamani

Arikankarer

Arkamani I, II

Arses

Artaxerxes I, II, III

Aspelta

Atlanersa

Achoris

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter B:

Bardia

Baskakeren

Biheris

Bokhoris

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter B:

Veneg

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter G:

Gaumata

Gorsiotef

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter D:

Darius I, II, III

Djedefra

Djedkar II Shema

Djedkara Isesi

Jer

Djoser

Dudimos I

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter I:

imichet

Iniotef II

Iri-Khor

Itiesh

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter K:

Kakaura Ibi I

Cambyses II

Kamos

Karkamani

Kashta

Xerxes I, II

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter M:

Maat

Melenaken

Menes

Menkara

Menkauhor

Mentuhotep I, II, III, IV

Menkheperra

Merenra I, II

Merenhor

Meribre

Merikara

Merneith

Mernofera Aib

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter N:

Nakrinsan

Narmer

Nasakhma

Nastasen

Natakamani

Nebereau I

Nebefaura

Nebkara Kheti

Nectanebo I, II

Neferefre

Neferit I, II

Neferkara I - VII

Neferkasokar

Neferkaura

Neferkauhor

Neferkahor

Neferhotep I

Necho I, II

Nikara I

Ninecher

Nitocris

Niuserra

Niheb

Nubnefer

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter O:

Osorkon I, II, III

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter P:

Pami

Pe-Khor

Pelkha

Pentini

Peribsen

Petubastis I

Piancalara

Piankhi

Pinedjem I

Piopi I, II

Psammetichus I

Psammut

Psusennes I, II

Ptah

Ptolemy I - XV

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter R:

Ramesses II - VIII

Raneb

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter C:

Sabrakamani

Sakhmakh

Sanakht

Sahura

Sebekhotep I -VII

seka

Secudian

Semenra

Semenkhkara

Semerkhet

Senebkay

Senedd

Seneferka

Setnakht

Sekhemkara

Sekhemkhet

Siamon

Siaspika

Smendes

Sneferu

Sogdian

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter T:

Taa II Seqenenra

Takelot I, II, III

Talakamani

Tamftis

Tanutamon

Tausert

Taharqa

Tachos

Aunts

Tefnakht I

Tutankhamun

Thutmose

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter U:

Waji

Uajkara

Ugaf

Unegbu

Unis

Userkara

Userkaf

Usermont

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter X:

Huba

Hababash

Khasekhemui

Hat Khor

Khafre

Heju Khor

Henger

Cheops

Herihor

Kheti I, II, III

Hian

Horemheb

Huni

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter Sh:

Shabaka

Shabataka

Shepseskara

Shepseskaf

Sherakarer

Shoshenq I -III

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter E:

Names of Egyptian pharaohs starting with the letter Y:

Jakubher

Ahmose I

Ahmose-Nefertari

Ahmose-Sitkamos

Mythical rulers

Ptah

Osiris

Oleg and Valentina Svetovid

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In our book "The Energy of the Name" you can read:

Selection of a name based on astrology, embodiment tasks, numerology, zodiac sign, types of people, psychology, energy

Selecting a name using astrology (examples of the weakness of this name selection technique)

Selection of a name according to the tasks of incarnation (life purpose, purpose)

Selecting a name using numerology (examples of the weakness of this name selection technique)

Choosing a name based on your zodiac sign

Choosing a name based on the type of person

Choosing a name based on psychology

Choosing a name based on energy

What you need to know when choosing a name

What to do to choose the perfect name

If you like the name

Why you don’t like the name and what to do if you don’t like the name (three ways)

Two options for choosing a new successful name

Corrective name for a child

Corrective name for an adult

Adaptation to a new name

The origin of the pharaohs, periods of the history of Ancient Egypt. Lists of pharaohs

Fragments of an ancient Egyptian chronicle carved on stone around the middle of the 3rd millennium BC have reached our time. e. The text of the chronicle lists Egyptian rulers. (By the way, they were not always called pharaohs. The name and title of the pharaoh were considered sacred, so they avoided naming them and clarified the name of a particular pharaoh only when it was absolutely necessary. This, of course, does not make the work of historians easier.) From the middle In the 2nd millennium, the Egyptians called their ruler “per-o” - “big house”. The later word “pharaoh” came from this definition.

Every year, entries were made into the chronicle about the reign of the king. The kings listed in the chronicle in the 4th millennium BC. e. preceded by numerous tribal leaders and kings who owned the regions of Northern and Southern Egypt. The chronicle also gives the names of the kings of the northern part of Egypt, about whom no information was preserved already in the 3rd millennium, only names and the approximate sequence of reign.

There are quite a lot of monuments of material culture and even written sources left about the ancient era of Egypt, but they are very brief, fragmentary, incomplete, written in a very ancient language that is difficult to decipher. For this reason, very little is known about the origins of the first Egyptian pharaohs. It would be much easier if the ancient chroniclers indicated at least the dates of birth and death of their kings, but the ancient Egyptians did not have a chronology similar to the modern one, which is why there are so many mysteries in the history of Ancient Egypt, and in Egyptology there are different chronologies.

The history of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt is so long that historians, for convenience, divided it into several periods, each of which is comparable in duration to the history of any European power.

Ancient kingdom(2707-2170 BC) - the era of the great pyramids.

Middle Kingdom(2119-1793 BC) – development of writing.

New kingdom(1550-1069 BC - the time of great architects.

Later kingdom(715-332 BC) – period of Persian rule.

After the end of each great era, there came a time of chaos, the division of Egypt into two parts. These times are characterized as Periods of Decay:

The first period of collapse (or the First Transition Period) – 2170-2019 BC. e.

Second period of collapse (or Second Transition Period) – 1794/93-1550 BC. e.

Third period of collapse (or Third transition period) – 1070/69-714 BC. e.

But in general, the history of the Egyptian pharaohs began in the prehistoric era, which is usually defined as the Predynastic period, followed by the time of the Early Dynasties - c. 3100-2700 BC e. (I and II dynasties - 3100-2700 BC). In those very ancient times, Egypt gradually developed its high culture. The dynasties of Ancient Egypt finally ended under the Greek pharaohs Ptolemies (332-30 BC). In 30 BC. e. Egypt became a Roman province. The famous Queen Cleopatra is considered the last ruler on the throne of the pharaohs.

The first pharaoh Aha (or Menes) reigned from approximately 3032 to 3000 BC. e. and managed to unite two parts of the country - Upper and Lower Egypt.

All eras are divided into dynasties that ruled for three thousand years - a total of 31 dynasties. All chronologies of Ancient Egypt are rather conditional, because due to the passage of time and in the absence of accurate data, historians have to use indirect indications and compare different sources. Therefore, the dates of the reign of the pharaohs are given tentatively - in different historical sources you can find data that differs by entire decades.

Lists of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt have been discovered in temples. The oldest such list dates back to the Fifth Dynasty (2498-2345 BC) - the so-called Palermo Stone. On a slab of black basalt, split into several pieces of different sizes, is carved a list of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt for six or seven centuries, starting from the prehistoric period, that is, from the end of the 4th millennium BC. One of the pieces mentions some of the last Egyptian kings of the Predynastic Period (before about 3150 BC). The list ends with Pharaoh Neferirkare, who ruled in the middle of the Fifth Dynasty. It is noteworthy that the “Palermo Stone” not only names the pharaohs, but also describes the most important events that happened during their reign.

In another list of pharaohs - from the Karnak temple - all the royal ancestors of Pharaoh Thutmose III (XVIII dynasty) are named. All that is missing are a few pharaohs from the Second Period of Decay.

The most famous list of ancient Egyptian pharaohs contains the so-called Abydos list, which is carved on the stone walls of the Temple of Seti I in Abydos. It shows Pharaoh Seti I showing his son Ramses II long rows of cartouches of 76 Egyptian kings, starting with Menes and ending with Seti I. Rulers from the Second Period of Decay, otherwise called the Second Intermediate Period, are also omitted there, as at Karnak.

The Abydos list also lacks five kings of the 18th dynasty: Hatshepsut, Akhenaten, Smenkhkare, Tutankhamun and Aye (Queen Hatshepsut was excluded, in all likelihood, by order of Thutmose III, and the four remaining pharaohs belonged to the Amarna period and were cursed as apostates).

The Saqqara List has 47 cartouches (originally 58) and names pharaohs from Anedjib of the First Dynasty to Ramses II. There are no pharaohs of the Second Intermediate Period there either.

The most detailed list is recognized as the famous Turin Canon. Its age is, according to experts, about 1200 years. This list originally contained three hundred names of pharaohs, but the papyrus was badly damaged during transportation, and many of its fragments have not survived. This is all the more unfortunate because parts of the meticulously compiled document, where the dates of the reign were entered with an accuracy of month and day, have disappeared.

Manetho of Semennite, the only known ancient Egyptian historian, made a huge contribution to the history of Ancient Egypt. Manetho wrote the “History of Egypt,” which has come down to us in fragments, in the form of quotations in the works of other ancient historians - Josephus, Sextus Africanus, Eusebius of Caesarea and others, who used his works to supplement their own knowledge about Egypt. Manetho was in all likelihood a priest or high priest under Ptolemy I (306/304-283/282 BC). He used temple documents and archives and had greater opportunities, compared with modern historians, to become acquainted with ancient Egyptian historical sources. Manetho divided the entire history of Ancient Egypt into 30 dynasties, and this principle of division has been preserved to this day (although it is now customary to count 31 dynasties).

Some information about the Egyptian pharaohs was gleaned from the works of historians and chroniclers of other countries, for example, Greek historians of the 5th century BC. e. Herodotus and the 1st century BC. e. Diodorus, who also paid attention to historical events in such a large and important country as Egypt.

All lists indicate the sequence of reign of the pharaohs and their names. However, these lists are incomplete; as a rule, they omit the pharaohs of the transitional periods. And in the list of Manetho, as in the texts of Herodotus and Diodorus, Greek versions of the names of the pharaohs are given. Egyptian names of pharaohs can only be found in ancient Egyptian texts.

Indications of the length of the reign of the pharaohs are found on seal impressions on clay wine vessels. The age of the pharaoh can sometimes be judged by the results of research using the radiocarbon method.

The radiocarbon method of dating biological remains, objects and materials of biological origin is based on measuring the ratio of carbon isotopes in the material. Carbon is present in the earth's atmosphere in the form of stable isotopes C-12 and C-13 and the radioactive isotope C-14. Carbon is constantly exposed to cosmic radiation penetrating the atmosphere, and this produces the radioactive isotope C-14. When an organism dies and decomposes, stable isotopes are preserved, but the radioactive isotope decays with a half-life of 5568 + 30 years, so its content in the remains gradually decreases. Knowing the initial content of the isotope in the tissues and finding out how much remains, you can find out how much radioactive carbon has decayed and, in this way, determine the time that has passed since the cessation of the body’s vital activity.

The principle of radiocarbon dating was proposed by the American physicist and chemist Willard Libby back in 1946. Since then, its application in various conditions and for various organic materials has been improved to reduce the error. Currently, radiocarbon dating is considered one of the most reliable ways to determine the age of organic remains, although not all scientists accept this.

When applied to the pharaoh's mummy, radiocarbon analysis makes it possible to obtain fairly reliable data on the dates of his birth and death. If the pharaoh died very young (like Tutankhamun), experts also consider the condition of his skeleton and so-called “wisdom teeth.”

The degree of kinship between the ancient Egyptian pharaohs is difficult to establish. Genetic analysis of mummies is rarely carried out, and in those cases when it was carried out, the results were positive - the pharaohs and their spouses were related by blood. But genetic research is complicated by the fact that, for better preservation, the mummies were irradiated with gamma rays, and this irradiation affected the results. A genetic study of the bone marrow and dental tissue of some mummies has been successfully carried out. But the complexity of the analysis and questionable results are likely to dampen the ardor of researchers.

The lists of pharaohs indicate the sequence, but not the reign dates and years of life of each individual pharaoh. Since Ancient Egypt did not have precise chronology, more or less accurate dating always created great difficulties. It is not surprising that the data that can be found in the works of Egyptologists differ greatly, sometimes by a hundred years. The latest dating is based on modern research, but novelty is not a guarantee of accuracy.

It is somewhat easier to imagine what the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt looked like, because numerous images have been preserved, including signed ones. Even if we take into account that there might have been no portrait resemblance at all, that the author painted an ideal image of the divine ruler of Egypt, he was still based on the real features of his contemporaries, although he embellished them. Whether the artist saw, at least from a distance, his royal model is unknown. The authors of the images of the pharaohs were probably guided, like icon painters, by the established canons, but it is not at all excluded that these canons may have involved the introduction of some individual features. There is a certain similarity in the faces of all pharaohs, but differences are still visible, so we can assume the presence of portrait similarities with specific pharaohs.

The appearance of the pharaohs has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years. Due to the hot climate, they sometimes wore no other clothing except an apron-like loincloth made of thin linen, tied at the waist with a belt. On special occasions, animal tails were attached to this belt - a custom that probably remained from the times when the rulers of Egypt were tribal leaders and the main hunters of the tribe. Tribes who earned their living by hunting had a custom of wearing animal skins during rituals or wearing fangs, tails or other parts of the bodies of killed animals. Sometimes during rituals, pharaohs, also according to a long tradition, wore a fur cape or a whole panther skin on their shoulders. In later centuries, instead of a loincloth, the pharaohs wore tunics made of the finest linen. The chest was completely covered by wide, massive gold necklaces with precious stones and pearls. On special occasions, the royal person was decorated with gold buckles, necklaces, tiaras, hairpins, pendants, and all this splendor weighed more than one kilogram.

The pharaoh was supposed to wear a crown or scarf on his head. Sometimes in everyday life the pharaohs limited themselves to only a scarf or a wig. The head was usually shaved, and there were many wigs - everyday and formal, curled in different ways or braided. Over a headscarf or wig, the pharaohs wore a uraeus - a golden diadem in the shape of a cobra preparing to attack.

There was not one crown, but several different ones: hedjet - the crown of Upper Egypt in the form of a tall white cap, reminiscent of a pin; deshret - the red crown of Lower Egypt, cylindrical in front with a long protrusion at the back; pschent – ​​double combined crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. For ritual purposes, the pharaohs wore the atef crown - a skillfully made reed cap, sometimes equipped with horns. The pharaohs of the 18th dynasty began to wear a blue round crown in the form of a helmet.

The striped scarf of the Nemes pharaohs was tied on the head, almost covering the forehead, two ends were connected at the back, the other two were freely and symmetrically extended over the shoulders and chest. There was also a simpler version of tying a klaft scarf, in which the ends were tied at the back of the head or fastened with gold hairpins and released onto the back. On the crowns and scarves of the pharaoh there was always a uraeus above the forehead - an image of a cobra, which was a sign of the power of the rulers of Egypt. The snake was always presented unfurled, ready to attack, with its head raised, which was supposed to indicate readiness to fight against the forces of evil.

The pharaoh probably could not dress himself, put on his headdresses correctly, and he needed servants for his ceremonial vestments.

A typical detail of the pharaoh's appearance was an extended beard. Pharaohs, like ordinary Egyptians, shaved their mustaches and beards. An artificial beard, carefully curled or braided, laid in a trapezoid shape or completely straight, was attached to the chin with ribbons tied to the wig. Egyptian gods were depicted with beards, which means that the pharaoh should have the same one to emphasize his divinity.

In Ancient Egypt there was a custom of lining the eyes and applying makeup to the face. Decorative cosmetics were applied generously. In the tombs of the pharaohs, archaeologists found a large number of boxes, vials and bowls with a whole supply of various ointments, paints, whitewash, and aromatic substances. Some drugs must have had a healing effect. In all images of pharaohs, their eyes are brightly outlined and painted on with black paint. This may be due to the belief that black paint protected against eye diseases, which were widespread, or warded off evil spirits.

Pharaohs are often depicted with a scepter and whip crossed on their chest. Perhaps these royal regalia were inherited by the pharaohs from their distant predecessors, tribal leaders. For the leader of a tribe of cattle breeders, a staff and a whip were common attributes and signs of power. The pharaoh's scepter must have symbolized the shepherd's crook and the duty of the pharaohs to take care of their people, to guard them as a shepherd guards his flock, to protect them from enemies, beating them with a powerful hand, armed with a whip, a symbol of weapons. The mysterious whip at the same time strongly resembles a fly fan - a necessary item in everyday life. Scepters could have different shapes - for example, with the head of the god Set, which symbolized the power and might of the pharaoh.

God Set reigned in the desert and, according to scientists, the prototype of his head was the head of the desert shrew, which is still found in savannas and semi-deserts from Morocco to western Libya.

As for shoes, in Ancient Egypt almost everyone walked barefoot, not excluding the nobility and even the pharaoh himself. The pharaoh wore sandals made of papyrus or leather only for ceremonial exits outside the palace, and in his chambers, in all likelihood, he walked barefoot on smooth stone slabs. Ordinary people did not have the right to wear the same shoes as rulers and dignitaries, and they did not need them. In order to protect their feet from hot sharp stones and sand in the heat of work, they sometimes tied soles of hard leather or woven straw to their feet with belts, but, as a rule, the Egyptians walked on the ground barefoot.

This text is an introductory fragment.