South Saqqara Stone

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The South Saqqara Stone is an important archaeological artefact from Egypt.

It consists of the inscribed basalt lid of the sarcophagous of Ankhesenpepi. The South Saqqara Stone was discovered in 1932-33 by G Jequier in the westernmost of five storerooms south of the pyramid of Queen Iput II, within the pyramid complex of Pepi II (during whose reign it was created) at Saqqara.

Its importance stems from the inscriptions upon it, which constitutes a list of a number of 5th and 6th dynasty pharaohs, along with details of annual or biannual cattle counts which confirm details in other sources (such as the Turin King List), and allow archaeologists to estimate the length of their reigns.

The Stone is considered one of the earliest historical documents in existence, as it is not merely a list of dynastic ancestors for the ruling pharaoh, but includes the names of all preceding pharaohs known to the artefact’s creators, including such known usurpers as Userkare.