Sanakht

From ArchaeoWiki

Sanakht (also referred to as Nebka) was a ruler of the Third Dynasty, possibly the first, though his absolute position is uncertain and debated [cf Wilkinson 1999:101-103; Seidlmayer 1996:198-200, n.14 for a discussion of Sankaht's place within the Third Dynasty].

As a ruler Sanakht is little known, on account of a general lack of evidence from his reign—several seal impressions recently excavated on Elephantine bear his name, however [Seidlmayer 1996: fig. 3].

Sanakht is thought by some possibly to have been the brother of Djoser, who succeeded him as the second ruler of the dynasty.

Sanakht is known to have initiated the exploitation of the mineral resources of the Sinai: copper and turquoise in particular. The fragment of a large rock relief carved in red sandstone, originating in the Wadi Maghara but now in the British Museum [BM EA 691], depicts the king—wearing the Red Crown of Lower Egypt and labelled with his serekh-name—adopting the posture of smiting his foe [Gardiner, Peet and Cerný 1955: № 4; Spencer 1993: fig. 77; Arnold (ed.) 1999: 176-177, № 8].

Bibliography

• Gardiner, Alan H. and Peet, T. Eric [1955], The Inscriptions of Sinai, volume 2 (translation and commentary, edited and completed by Jaroslav Cerný), London: Egypt Exploration Society, 1955.

• Seidlmayer, Stephan Johannes [1996], "Die staatliche Anlage der 3. Dyn. in der Nordweststadt von Elephantine, archäologische und historische Probleme", in Bietak, Manfred (ed.), Haus und Palast im Alten Ägypten - , Internationales Symposium 8. bis 11. April 1992 in Kairo, [Untersuchungen der Zweigstelle Kairo des ÖAI], Vienna, 1996, pp.195-214.

• Spencer, A.J., Early Egypt - The Rise of Civilisation in the Nile Valley, London: British Museum, 1993.

• Wilkinson, Toby A.H. [1999], Early Dynastic Egypt, London and New York: Routledge, 1999.