Neferkara I
| Neferkara I | |
|---|---|
| Neferka, Aaka, Nephercheres | |
Cartouche name of Neferkara I in the Abydos King List (cartouche no. 19)
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| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | length of reign unknown (2nd Dynasty; around 2740 B.C.) |
| Predecessor | Senedj |
| Successor | Neferkasokar |
Neferkara I (also Neferka and, alternatively, Aaka) is the cartouche name of a king (pharaoh) who is said to have ruled during the 2nd dynasty of Ancient Egypt. The exact length of his reign is unknown since the Turin canon lacks the years of rulership and the ancient Greek historian Manetho suggests that Neferkara´s reign lasted 25 years. Egyptologists evaluate his statement as misinterpretation or exaggeration.
The name “Neferkara I” (meaning “the Ka of Re is beautiful”) appears only in the Abydos King list. The royal canon of Turin lists a king´s name which is disputed for its uncertain reading. Egyptologists such as Alan H. Gardiner read “Aaka”, whilst other Egyptologists, such as Jürgen von Beckerath, read “Neferka”. Both kinglists describe Neferkara I as the immediate successor of king Senedj and as the predecessor of king Neferkasokar.
There´s no contemporary name source for this king and no Horus name could be connected to Neferkare I up to this day. In contrast, Egyptologists such as Kim Ryholt believe that Neferkara/Neferka was identical with a sparsely attested king named Sneferka, which is also thought to be a name worn by king Qaa (last ruler of 1st dynasty) for a short time only. Ryholt thinks that ramesside 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 as Neferkara II from the kinglist of Abydos and Nebkara I. from the Sakkara table.
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