Meryhathor

Meryhathor or Meryt-Hathor,[2] was a pharaoh of the 10th dynasty of Egypt, during the First Intermediate Period.

Regarded as the founder of the dynasty, Meryhathor should have begun his reign in c. 2130 BCE.[3][2] His name is not mentioned in the Turin King List but Djehutynakht II, a nomarch in Hermopolis, ordered an ink graffito mentioning Meryhathor in the alabaster quarries at Hatnub: this is so far the only attestation of this king.[4]

There is a dispute regarding his name: as the "Hathor" sign is partially damaged, some authors such as Edward Brovarski,[5] believe that the real name of this pharaoh could be Meryibre ("Beloved by the heart of Ra") which is somewhat closer to the Memphite tradition. Furthermore, some egyptologists supporting the alternative reading, also combine this king with the successor Neferkare VIII, thus is not uncommon to find a pharaoh Neferkare-Meryibre as the founder of the 10th dynasty.[6]

References

  1. Rudolf Anthes, "Die Felseninschriften von Hatnub", Untersuchungen zur geschichte und altertumskunde Aegyptens 9, Leipzig, 1928, pl. VII.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Jean Vercoutter, L'Egypte jusq'à la fin du Nouvel Empire, in Pierre Lévêque, Le premieres civilisations, Paris, Presses Universitaires de France, 1987, p. 143.
  3. William C. Hayes, in The Cambridge Ancient History, vol 1, part 2, 1971 (2008), Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-077915, p. 996.
  4. William C. Hayes, op. cit., p. 470.
  5. Royal Titulary of Mery... on Eglyphica.net (search in the Tenth dynasty)
  6. Nicolas Grimal, A History of Ancient Egypt, Oxford, Blackwell Books, 1992, p. 141.