Poole, Reginald S.: Horae Aegypticae: or, the chronology of ancient Egypt: discovered from astronomical and hieroglyphic records upon its monuments, including many dates found in coeval inscriptions from the period of the building of the Great Pyramid to the times of the Persians ; and illustrations of the history of the first nineteen dynasties, shewing the order of their succession, from the monuments (London, 1851)

Sect. III.]

CONTEMPORARY KINGS.

129

I must now proceed to show the evidence of the
contemporaneousness and relative rank of these Kings,
from the titles here given to them, which are very
various, and are evidently disposed, not ornamentally
nor regularly, but generally according to the rank
of the Dynasty or King. In the first place we ob-
serve, that the twelve remaining of the first fourteen
names are prenomens; and that, of the other names,
twelve in number, exclusive of the five erased rings,
only three are prenomens, all the rest being nomens,
although other monuments give us the prenomens of
many of them. Secondly, the first fourteen Kings
have all similar titles, as far as those titles are pre-
served, " Lord of all Egypt," " Lord of Upper and
Lower Egypt," " Good God," and " Lord aree-khet," a
title of which the signification is uncertain. No. 15,
Nantef L, has the title " Good God, lord of Upper and
Lower Egypt." Nos. 17, 18, 19, are each called
" Horus," or "Prince ;" and their second title is, in each
case, almost, or wholly, effaced. No. 20 is merely called
"Chief." No. 22, Papa, and No. 23, Mer-en-ra, are
both called " Lord of Upper and Lower Egypt." No.
25, Snufre, is called " Lord of all Egypt;" and Nos. 26,
27, 28, only " Good God." Besides this, after every
name is the title " Speaker of truth," in such a position
supposed to signify "deceased." Hence it is evident
that certain Kings are treated with much more honour
than others, in this list. The reason is obvious:
Thothmes III., who caused this record to be sculptured
in the great temple of Thebes, was a Diospolite King,
and therefore he gives prenomens to all the Kings of
Diospolite Dynasties. The prenomen was undoubtedly
more honourable than the nomen : the former being-
assumed by a King on his accession to the throne;

K