The Seventeenth Dynasty (Part 12)

Nebkheperre Intef was almost certainly succeeded by Sekhemre Wepmaat Rahotep. Nekheperre had a wife named Sobekemsaf and Rahotep had a mother named Sobekemsaf, which probably means that Rahotep was Nebkehheperre’s son (Beckerath, p. 196) and these two Kings can be fit into the Turin Canon in spots one and two or in spots eleven and twelve. If Winlock is correct in his belief that the Kings of Dynasty Seventeen are listed on the Abbott Papyrus in the inverse order of their reigns (Beckerath, p. 195), then Nebkheperre and Rahotep cannot be Kings eleven and twelve as Sekhemre Shedtowi Sobekemsaf would then be out of order on the Abbott Papyrus. Placing Nekhepere and Rahotep in spots one and two solves this problem however. Furthermore, a stela of Queen Sobekemsaf was found at Edfu in the same workshop as stelae dating to the last years of the Thirteenth Dynasty (Beckerath, p. 171). This suggests that her husband should be placed as early in Dynasty Seventeen as possible. Since Nebkheperre cannot be placed in the second through tenth spots on the Turin Canon (his name does not fit in the surviving fragments of the papyrus in these places) he must be the first King of the Dynasty. The second King must have a name starting with Sekhemre and Sekhemre Wepmaat Rahotep fits this criteria.

This leaves three open spots on the Turin Canon. Since Sekhemre Herhermaat Intef is known to have buried Sekhemre Wepmaat Intef these two kings must be placed next to one another on the Turin Canon. If the previous arguments are accepted, then the only place this can be done is in spots eleven and twelve. It should be pointed out that these places on the Canon require that the King’s names have a “-re” in them, and that both of the Intef’s fit this requirement. The only remaining king, Sekhemre Wadjkau Sobekemsaf, must be the third king of the dynasty. This fits with the remaining fragments of the Canon, which require a royal name in this place that contains “Sekhemre”.

Thus it can be seen that the order of the kings given in previous posts to this blog fits all the available evidence.