Abydos King List

The Abydos King List is a royal inscription in the Temple of Seti I, Abydos, Egypt. This list displays 76 names arranged in three horizontal rows of carved cartouches on a temple wall.

The inscription was created around 1290 BCE during the reign of Seti I. It was meant to establish a direct line from the first pharaoh to the ruler at that time.

The name comes from the practice of representing kings through cartouches in formal royal records. Visitors can see the oval frames and hieroglyphs that recorded royal succession across centuries.

The inscription appears on a wall inside the temple and can be viewed during a visit. Researchers use it as a reference for studies on ancient Egyptian chronology.

Certain rulers are missing from the list, including female pharaohs and kings from the Amarna period. The bottom row repeats the throne name and personal name of Seti I throughout.

GPS coordinates: 26.18442,31.91914

Latest update: December 20, 2025 11:22