Crocodile (pharaoh)

Crocodile

Shendjw

black ink inscription from Tarkhan

Pharaoh

Reign

Naqada III (Predynastic Egypt)

Predecessor

unknown

Successor

unknown

Royal titulary

Horus name

Hor-Shendjw
Šndjw
The subduer

Burial

TT 1549

Crocodile (also read as Shendjw^[1]) is the provisional name of a predynastic ruler, who might have ruled during the late Naqada III epoch. The few alleged ink inscriptions showing his name are drawn very sloppily, and the reading and thus whole existence of king "Crocodile" are highly disputed. His tomb is unknown.

Name sources

The proposed existence of Crocodile is based on Gunter Dreyer's and Edwin van den Brink's essays. They are convinced that Crocodile was a local king who ruled at the region of Tarkhan. According to Dreyer, Crocodile's name appears in black ink inscriptions on burnt earthen jars and on several seal impressions found in tomb TT 1549 at Tarkhan and tomb B-414 at Abydos. He sees a crawling crocodile and a rope curl beneath it and reads Shendjw ("the subduer").^[1] Van den Brink thinks alike and reads Shendjw, too, but sees only a large rope curl sign inside the serekh.^[2]

Reign and datation

Almost nothing is known about Crocodile's reign. If he existed, he might have had his capital at Tarkhan, where his proposed tomb was excavated. Dreyer places him in a time shortly before the kings Iry-Hor, Ka and Narmer. He points to guiding inscriptions on the jars mentioning a Hen-mehw ("brought from Lower Egypt"). This specific diction of designations of origin is archaeologically proven for the time before three mentioned kings, from king Ka onward, it was Inj-mehw (with the same meaning).^[1]

One interesting artifact that possibly depicts king Crocodile, was found at Hierakonpolis in the so-called Main deposit. The artifact is a piece of a broken mace head which shows traces of a once completed relief scene. The conserved part of the relief shows the head and upper torso of a seated king figure inside a hebsed-pavillon. It wears the Red Crown of Upper Egypt, a hebsed cloak and a flail. Right before the face of the king traces of a golden rosette (the predynastic crest of the kings) and a certain hieroglyph are visible. Unfortunately, all but the hieroglyph is damaged, leaving room for interpretations. Mainstream Egyptologists consider the sign to be either the name of Crocodile or king Scorpion II.^[3]

A clay seal impression from Minshat Abu Omar is also of special interest to Egyptologists: in the centre of the impression it shows a serekh-like frame with a bucranium above and a crocodile crawling through grass inside. Right of this crest a divine standard is depicted, a recumbent crocodile with two projectings (either lotus buds^[1] or ostrich feathers^[4]) sprouting out of its back is sitting on that standard. The whole arrangement is surrounded by rows of crocodiles with rope curls beneath, which seems to point to the proposed reading of Crocodile's royal serekh. But Egyptologists Van den Brink and Ludwig David Morenz argue against the idea that the seal impression talks about the ruler. In their opinion, the inscription celebrates the foundation of a shrine for the god Sobek at a city named Shedyt (alternatively Shedet).^[2] The city and the shrine are known from Old Kingdom inscriptions, the main cult centre was located at Medinet el-Fayum. For this reason, Sobek was worshipped during early dynasties as "Sobek of Shedyt".^[5]

References

1 2 3 4 Günter Dreyer: Horus Krokodil, ein Gegenkönig der Dynastie 0. In: Renee Friedman and Barbara Adams (Hrsg.): The Followers of Horus, Studies dedicated to Michael Allen Hoffman, 1949–1990 (Egyptian Studies Association Publication, vol. 2). Oxbow Publications, Bloomington (IN) 1992, ISBN 0946897441, p. 259-263.
1 2 Edwin van den Brink: The Nile Delta in Transition - from 4th - 3rd Millennium BC. Institute of Archaeology and Arabic Studies, Tel Aviv 1992, p. 28 - 35.
↑ Barbara Adams: Ancient Hierakonpolis. Aris and Phillips, Warminster 1974, ISBN 9780856680038, p. 15 - 19, obj. 2.
↑ Toby A.H. Wilkinson: Early Dynastic Egypt. Routledge, London 2002, ISBN 1134664206, p. 256.
↑ Marco Zecchi: Sobek of Shedet, The Crocodile God in the Fayyum in the Dynastic Period. Todi, Perugia 2010, ISBN 978-88-6244-115-5, p. 5-6.

Pharaohs

Protodynastic to First Intermediate Period (<3150–2040 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female ) uncertain

Protodynastic
(pre-3150 BC)

Lower	Hsekiu Khayu Tiu Thesh Neheb Wazner Mekh Double Falcon

Upper	Scorpion I Crocodile Iry-Hor Ka Scorpion II Narmer / Menes

Early Dynastic
(3150–2686 BC)

I	Narmer / Menes Hor-Aha Djer Djet Merneith Den Anedjib Semerkhet Qa'a Sneferka Horus Bird

II	Hotepsekhemwy Nebra/Raneb Nynetjer Ba Nubnefer Horus Sa Weneg-Nebty Wadjenes Senedj Seth-Peribsen Sekhemib-Perenmaat Neferkara I Neferkasokar Hudjefa I Khasekhemwy

Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

III	Nebka Djoser Sekhemkhet Sanakht Khaba Qahedjet Huni

IV	Snefru Khufu Djedefre Khafre Bikheris Menkaure Shepseskaf Thamphthis

V	Userkaf Sahure Neferirkare Kakai Neferefre Shepseskare Nyuserre Ini Menkauhor Kaiu Djedkare Isesi Unas

VI	Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Pepi II Merenre Nemtyemsaf II Netjerkare Siptah

1^st Intermediate
(2181–2040 BC)

VII VIII	Menkare Neferkare II Neferkare III Neby Djedkare Shemai Neferkare IV Khendu Merenhor Neferkamin Nikare Neferkare V Tereru Neferkahor Neferkare VI Pepiseneb Neferkamin Anu Qakare Iby Neferkaure Neferkauhor Neferirkare Wadjkare Khuiqer Khui

IX	Meryibre Khety Neferkare VII Nebkaure Khety Setut

X	Meryhathor Neferkare VIII Wahkare Khety Merykare

Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period (2040–1550 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female ) uncertain

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1802 BC)

XI	Mentuhotep I Intef I Intef II Intef III Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep III Mentuhotep IV

Nubia	Segerseni Qakare Ini Iyibkhentre

XII	Amenemhat I Senusret I Amenemhat II Senusret II Senusret III Amenemhat III Amenemhat IV Sobekneferu

2^nd Intermediate
(1802–1550 BC)

XIII	Sekhemrekhutawy Sobekhotep Sonbef Nerikare Sekhemkare Amenemhat V Ameny Qemau Hotepibre Iufni Ameny Antef Amenemhet VI Semenkare Nebnuni Sehetepibre Sewadjkare Nedjemibre Khaankhre Sobekhotep Renseneb Hor Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw Djedkheperew Sebkay Sedjefakare Wegaf Khendjer Imyremeshaw Sehetepkare Intef Seth Meribre Sobekhotep III Neferhotep I Sihathor Sobekhotep IV Merhotepre Sobekhotep Khahotepre Sobekhotep Wahibre Ibiau Merneferre Ay Merhotepre Ini Sankhenre Sewadjtu Mersekhemre Ined Sewadjkare Hori Merkawre Sobekhotep Mershepsesre Ini II Sewahenre Senebmiu Merkheperre Merkare Sewadjare Mentuhotep Seheqenre Sankhptahi

XIV	Yakbim Sekhaenre Ya'ammu Nubwoserre Qareh Khawoserre 'Ammu Ahotepre Maaibre Sheshi Nehesy Khakherewre Nebefawre Sehebre Merdjefare Sewadjkare III Nebdjefare Webenre Nebsenre Sekheperenre Djedkherewre Bebnum 'Apepi Nuya Wazad Sheneh Shenshek Khamure Yakareb Yaqub-Har

XV	Semqen 'Aper-'Anati Sakir-Har Khyan Apepi Khamudi

XVI	Djehuti Sobekhotep VIII Neferhotep III Mentuhotepi Nebiryraw I Nebiriau II Semenre Bebiankh Sekhemre Shedwast Dedumose I Dedumose II Montuemsaf Merankhre Mentuhotep Senusret IV Pepi III

Abydos	Senebkay Wepwawetemsaf Pantjeny Snaaib

XVII	Rahotep Nebmaatre Sobekemsaf I Sobekemsaf II Sekhemre-Wepmaat Intef Nubkheperre Intef Sekhemre-Heruhirmaat Intef Senakhtenre Ahmose Seqenenre Tao Kamose

New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period (1550–664 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female ) uncertain

New Kingdom
(1550–1070 BC)

XVIII	Ahmose I Amenhotep I Thutmose I Thutmose II Thutmose III Hatshepsut Amenhotep II Thutmose IV Amenhotep III Akhenaten Smenkhkare Neferneferuaten Tutankhamun Ay Horemheb

XIX	Ramesses I Seti I Ramesses II Merneptah Amenmesses Seti II Siptah Twosret

XX	Setnakhte Ramesses III Ramesses IV Ramesses V Ramesses VI Ramesses VII Ramesses VIII Ramesses IX Ramesses X Ramesses XI

3^rd Intermediate
(1069–664 BC)

XXI	Smendes Amenemnisu Psusennes I Amenemope Osorkon the Elder Siamun Psusennes II

XXII	Shoshenq I Osorkon I Shoshenq II Takelot I Osorkon II Shoshenq III Shoshenq IV Pami Shoshenq V Osorkon IV

XXIII	Harsiese A Takelot II Pedubast I Shoshenq VI Osorkon III Takelot III Rudamun Menkheperre Ini

XXIV	Tefnakht Bakenranef

XXV	Piye Shabaka Shebitku Taharqa Tanutamun

Late Period and Hellenistic Period (664–30 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female ) uncertain

Late
(664–332 BC)

XXVI	Necho I Psamtik I Necho II Psamtik II Wahibre Ahmose II Psamtik III

XXVII	Cambyses II Petubastis III Darius I Xerxes Artaxerxes I Darius II

XXVIII	Amyrtaeus

XXIX	Nepherites I Hakor Psammuthes Nepherites II

XXX	Nectanebo I Teos Nectanebo II

XXXI	Artaxerxes III Khabash Arses Darius III

Hellenistic
(332–30 BC)

Argead	Alexander the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV

Ptolemaic	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Ptolemy VIII Euergetes Ptolemy IX Soter Ptolemy X Alexander I Ptolemy XI Alexander II Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos Berenice IV Cleopatra Ptolemy XV Caesarion

Dynastic genealogies

4^th 11^th 12^th 18^th 19^th 20^th 21^st to 23^rd 25^th 26^th 27^th 30^th 31^st Ptolemaic

List of pharaohs

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