3866 Zeser (T´er-sa).—Second or fourth king. Builder of the Step Pyramid of Saqqarah. Dr. Budge says of this: “It is certainly the oldest of all the large buildings which have successfully resisted the action of wind and weather, and destruction by the hand of man.”
Monuments.—The Step Pyramid; the Great Sphinx of Gizeh.
Rapid development of civilisation during the first three dynasties.
IVth DYNASTY, 3766-3566 B.C.
3766 Sneferu.—First king. He wars against the robber-like tribes of the desert. He is said, on a monument of the XIIth Dynasty, to have founded Egyptian dominion in the peninsula of Sinai, which he conquered for its mineral wealth.
Monuments.—A number of carved stones, a bas-relief at Wady Magharah showing him smiting an enemy.
3733 Khufu or Cheops.—Builder of the Great Pyramid, Khut—“The Horizon.”
3666 Khaf-Ra.—Builder of the pyramid Ur,—“The Great.”
3633 Men-kau-Ra.—Builder of the pyramid Her,—“The Supreme.” He enlarges it after it is built. He afterward builds another pyramid at Abu Roash, and was probably buried there.
A peaceful dynasty. Brilliant age of art and literature.
Vth DYNASTY, 3566-3300 B.C.
3566 A new house from Elephantine “of priestly character” founded by Us-kaf.
3533 Sahu-Ra.—One of the most renowned rulers of the Old Memphis Kingdom. Wars in Sinai.
Monument.—Pyramid Khaba, at Abusir.
3433 Usen-en-Ra.—First Pharaoh to adopt a second cartouche with his private name, An. He holds the rule over the peninsula of Sinai.
Monuments.—The pyramid Menasu; a victory tablet at Wady Magharah; two statues, etc.
3366 Tat-ka-Ra (Assa).—He continues to wage war with even greater activity in the peninsula of Sinai.
Monuments.—The oldest papyri of authentic date belong to this reign. They are: “The Papyrus of Accounts” found at Saqqarah and the “Proverbs of Ptah-hotep.”
Ptah-hotep was probably the uncle and tutor of the king, under whose patronage the work was given to the world.
3333 Close of dynasty and first period of Egyptian history with King Unas.
Monument.—Pyramid Nefer-asu, at Saqqarah.
No great monuments in this dynasty. An age of decline. The art of building shows a great falling off from that of the IVth Dynasty. Methods are careless; decoration becomes formal, coarse, and flat.
Monument of Vth Dynasty.—The Palermo stele, containing, among others, names of some of the pre-dynastic kings of Lower Egypt.
VIth DYNASTY, 3300-3000 B.C.
3300 A new line of vigorous Memphite kings founded by Teta.
Monument.—Pyramid Tat-asu at Saqqarah, one of the first and worst despoiled by plunderers.
3233 Pepi Ist.—Most important ruler of this dynasty. He has left more monuments than any other ruler before the XIIth Dynasty. Great and successful wars against the Aamu and Herusha, inhabiting the desert east of the Delta. War against the people of Terebah, a country of doubtful location, probably in western Asia.
Monuments.—The long inscription on the tomb of Una, Pepi’s general, is our source of the history of this reign. Pyramid Men-nefer, at Saqqarah; the red granite sphinx of Tanis; statuettes, etc.
3066 Queen Men-ka-Ra.—The Nitocris of Herodotus. The early part of this dynasty is characterised by foreign conquest and exploration, but toward the end internal troubles have brought the kingdom to a state of disorganisation. Architecture rapidly declines.
VIIth, VIIIth, IXth, AND Xth DYNASTIES, 3000-2700 B.C.
3000-2700 A long era of confusion. Rapid decay of the Memphite power in the VIIth and VIIIth Dynasties, while that of Thebes is rising. The Delta invaded and occupied by Syrian tribes, which drive the capital from Memphis south to Heracleopolis. A great wall is built across the Isthmus of Suez to keep the invaders out. Dynasties IX and X at Heracleopolis in constant conflict with the Theban princes, in which the latter gradually attain their independence and establish the XIth (First Theban) Dynasty. For about a century the Xth and XIth Dynasties probably reign contemporaneously.
Monuments.—Mainly scarabs. THE OLD THEBAN (MIDDLE) KINGDOM
XIth DYNASTY, 2700-2466 B.C.
2700 Beginning of the Old Theban (Middle) Kingdom. Antef I (?), first of nine (?) kings. They are all buried at the foot of the Western Mountain of the Theban Necropolis.
Monument.—The coarsely carved coffin of Antef I, rudely painted in red, blue, and yellow. (Now in the Louvre.)
2600 Mentuhotep II (Neb-taui-Ra).
Monuments.—A tablet at Konosso relating his conquest of thirteen tribes; inscriptions in the quarries of Hammamat.
2550 Metuhotep III.—The greatest king of the dynasty, judging from the number of his monuments. A patron of art. His worship continues till a late day.
Monuments.—Pyramid Khut-asu, at Thebes; sandstone tablet at Silsilis; tablets at Assuan; a temple at Thebes.
2500 Sankh-ka-Ra.—Last king of dynasty. The first voyage to Punt and Ophir under the leadership of Hannu takes place in his reign.
Monuments.—Inscriptions at Hammamat recording the voyage to Punt; a statue found at Saqqarah.
XIIth DYNASTY, 2466-2250 B.C.
2466 The power of Thebes is now firmly established, and the country enters upon a period of greatness with Amenemhat I, the first king, who shows remarkable vigour. Expedition against the Libyans, Herusha, Mazau, and Sati (Asiatics).
Monuments.—The great temple of Amen at Thebes; statues; inscriptions; the papyrus containing the famous “Instructions to his Son”; and the memoirs of Sineh (Sinehat or Sinhue).
2446 Usertsen I.—Took charge of foreign campaigns in his father’s reign. Asserts his power in the Sinaitic peninsula. Warlike expedition to Nubia as related on the Tomb of Ameni. Enlarges temple at Karnak. Order re-established in the land.
Monuments.—Obelisk of Heliopolis; a portrait bust and statues; the tomb of Ameni.
2400 Amenemhat II.—Works the mines of Sarbut-el-Khadem. Manetho says he was slain by his chamberlains.
2370 Usertsen II.
Monuments.—A curious and unusual temple at Illahun; a bust of Queen Nefert; the tomb of Khnum-hotep with historical records.
2340 Usertsen III.—A famous name. The conqueror of Ethiopia after many campaigns. He makes the conquest secure by fixing the frontier of Egypt above the Second Cataract and building the fortresses of Semneh and Kummeh. Afterward revered as the founder of Ethiopia.
Monuments.—A papyrus containing a long hymn to the king; statues; pyramid at Dahshur; tomb of Princess Set-hathor, which contained some remarkable jewellery.
2305 Amenemhat III.—Constructs Lake Mœris as a storage reservoir for the Nile overflow. Also the Labyrinth palace. These are his monuments.
2265 Amenemhat IV.—The dynasty begins to decline.
2255 Queen Sebek-neferu-Ra, sister of Amenemhat IV.
The XIIth Dynasty a great age for art and literature. Immense activity in building. The literary style is the model for future ages. Valuable historic records on the tombs.