| Ka | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sekhen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pharaoh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reign | 32nd century BC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Iry-Hor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Scorpion II?,Narmer? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Consort | Ha[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Burial | Chambers B7, B9,Umm el-Qa'ab | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dynasty | Dynasty 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ka, also (alternatively)Sekhen,[2][3] was aPredynasticpharaoh ofUpper Egypt belonging toDynasty 0. He probably reigned during the first half of the32nd century BC. The length of his reign is unknown.
The correct reading of Ka's name remains uncertain.[4] There are vessel inscriptions which show aserekh with a typicalKa-symbol, both written upright correctly, but there are also inscriptions presenting an upright serekh with an upside-downKa-symbol inside. The second form of that writing indicates a reading asSekhen (meaning "to embrace someone") rather thanKa.[5] It was also thought to be the birth name ofNarmer.[6] Because the reading of the name is so uncertain, Egyptologists and writing experts such asLudwig David Morenz prefer a neutral reading as "King Arms".[7] Ka's personal name may have been 'king Ap.'[8]
Ka ruled overThinis in the first half of the32nd century BC and was buried atUmm el-Qa'ab. He most likely was the immediate successor toIry-Hor and was succeeded either byNarmer or byScorpion II. He is the earliest known Egyptian king with aserekh inscribed on a number of artifacts. This may thus be an innovation of his reign.[9] Ka is one of the best attested predynastic kings with Narmer and Scorpion II. Beyond Abydos, he is attested in the predynastic necropolis of Adaima inUpper Egypt[10] and in the north inTarkhan,Helwan, Tell Ibrahim Awad,Tell el-Farkha (Eastern Nile Delta),Wadi Tumilat and as far north as Tel Lod in theSouthern Levant.[11]
The number of artifacts bearing Ka's serekh found outside Abydos is much greater than that of his predecessor.[11] This may be the sign of an increasing influence and perhaps conquest of larger portions of Egypt by the Thinite kings.[11]
Two underground chambers, B7 and B9, in theUmm el-Qa'ab necropolis ofAbydos are believed to be part of the tomb of King Ka. Each chamber is 1.90 m deep, B.7 is 6.0 × 3.2 m while B.9 is slightly smaller at 5.9 × 3.1 m; the two chambers are 1.80 m apart.[11]
Ka's tomb was first excavated byFlinders Petrie in 1902. The excavations yielded fragments offlint knife and pottery. In the southernmost chamber B7, more than forty inscriptions have been found on tall jars and cylinder vessels as well as a seal impression.[11][12] The tomb of Ka (B7, B9) is close to that of Iry-Hor (B1, B2) and Narmer (B17, B18). Furthermore, it is located within a sequential order linking the older "U" cemetery with the First Dynasty tombs, thus suggesting that Ka succeeded Iry-Hor and preceded Narmer on the throne.[13]
A cylinder jar found within the tomb, along with Ka's name, has inscribed the name "Ha, wife of the Horus Ka".[8]
![Shard bearing Ka's serekh from his tomb in Abydos.[14][page needed]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSerekh_of_Ka.png)
Media related toKing Ka at Wikimedia Commons| Preceded by | King of Thinis | Succeeded by |
