| Neferkara I | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Neferka, Aaka, Nephercheres | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Relief of the cartouche of Neferkara on the Saqqara table | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pharaoh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Senedj | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Neferkasokar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dynasty | 2nd Dynasty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Neferkara I (Ancient EgyptianNefer-Ka-Ra; which means “beautiful soul of Ra” or “the soul of Ra is perfect”, also spelled asNeferka and, alternatively,Aaka) is thecartouche name of a king (pharaoh) who is said to have ruled during the2nd Dynasty ofAncient Egypt. The exact length of his reign is unknown since theTurin canon lacks the years of rulership[1] and the ancient Egyptian priestManetho suggests that Neferkara's reign lasted 25 years.[2] Egyptologists evaluate his statement asa misinterpretation orexaggeration.
Although the name “Neferkara” appears in theAbydos King list several times, this very Pharaoh according toJürgen von Beckerath and several others is not depicted here. It is assumed that the 19th entry in this list is to be assigned to a much later PharaohHuni whose nomen presumably wasNeferka.[3]The name “Neferkara” however appears in theSaqqara King list. TheTurin Royal Canon lists a king's name which is disputed for its uncertain reading. Egyptologists such asAlan H. Gardiner read “Aaka”,[1] whilst other Egyptologists, such as Beckenrath, read “Neferka”. Both kinglists describe Neferkara I as the immediate successor of KingSenedj and as the predecessor of KingNeferkasokar.[4][5][6]
There is no contemporary name source for this king and noHorus name could be connected to Neferkara I up to this day.[4][5] In contrast, Egyptologists such asKim Ryholt believe that Neferkara/Neferka was identical to a sparsely attested king namedSneferka, which is also thought to be a name used by KingQa'a (the last ruler of the 1st dynasty) for a short time only. Ryholt thinks thatRamesside scribes misleadingly added the symbol of the sun to the name “(S)neferka”, ignoring the fact that the sun itself was no object of divine adoration yet during the 2nd dynasty. For a comparison he points to cartouche names such asNeferkara II from thekinglist of Abydos andNebkara I from the Sakkara table.[7]
Aidan Dodson equated Neferkara withSeth-Peribsen.[8]
The ancient historian Manetho called Neferkara I “Népherchêres” and reported that during this king's rulership “the Nile was flowing with honey for eleven days”. Egyptologists think that thiscollocation was meant to show that the realm was flourishing under King Nephercheres.[6][9]
Egyptologists such as Wolfgang Helck,Nicolas Grimal,Hermann Alexander Schlögl andFrancesco Tiradritti believe that kingNynetjer, the third ruler of second dynasty, left a realm that was suffering from an overly complex state administration and that Ninetjer decided to split Egypt to leave it to his two sons (or, at least, rightful throne successors) who would rule two separate kingdoms, in the hope that the two rulers could better administer the states.[10][11] In contrast, Egyptologists such asBarbara Bell believe that an economic catastrophe like afamine or a long lasting drought affected Egypt. Therefore, to address the problem of feeding the Egyptian population, Ninetjer split the realm and his successors founded two independent realms, until the famine came to an end. Bell points to the inscriptions of thePalermo stone, where, in her opinion, the records of theannual Nile floods show constantly low levels during this period.[12] Bell's theory is refuted today by Egyptologists such asStephan Seidlmayer, who corrected Bell's calculations. Seidlmayer has shown that the annual Nile floods were at usual levels at Ninetjer's time up to the period of theOld Kingdom. Bell had overlooked, that the heights of the Nile floods in the Palermo stone inscription only takes the measurements of thenilometers aroundMemphis into account, but not elsewhere in Egypt. Any long-lasting drought can therefore be excluded.[13]
It is a commonly accepted theory, that Neferkara I had to share his throne with another ruler. It is just unclear yet, with whom. Later kinglists such as theSakkara list and the Turin canon list the kingsNeferkasokar andHudjefa I as immediate successors. The Abydos list skips all these three rulers and name a kingDjadjay (identical with kingKhasekhemwy). If Egypt was already divided when Neferkara I gained the throne, kings likeSekhemib andPeribsen would have ruled Upper Egypt, whilst Neferkara I and his successors would have ruled Lower Egypt. The division of Egypt was brought to an end by king Khasekhemwy.[14]
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