Dating the Pharaohs
Fig. 1. Front and Back views of the Narmer Tablet, Cairo Museum How to Date a Pharaoh Old Kingdom. Middle Kingdom. New Kingdom. 31 Dynasties. 170 Pharaohs. Nice, neat, concise historical data. But where did it all originate from? Let’s start with the terminology. What is a pharaoh? In Egyptian history, the term derives from ‘Per-aa’, literally the Great House, the private residence of the King. Around 1200 B.C., this term gradually came to refer to the King who lived there. The current spelling and pronunciation has three probable sources: from the Latin ‘Pharaonem,’ the Greek ‘Pharao,’ and the Hebrew ‘Par’oh.’ Pharaohs were perceived as both God and King. Having around 170 Pharaohs to track, the system of dynasties was implemented. From the Greek word ‘Dynasteia,’ meaning power, l...

