Abydos King List, Royal inscription in Temple of Seti I, Abydos, Egypt

The Abydos King List is a carved stone panel in the Temple of Seti I at Abydos, Egypt. It shows 76 royal names in three rows of 38 oval cartouches, each topped by hieroglyphs; the lower edge is broken and a crack crosses the middle row.

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 relief is carved into a wall of the "Hall of Ancestors" in the Temple of Seti I at Abydos. Look for three rows of 38 oval cartouches; a horizontal crack crosses the middle row, and the lower edge of the stone is broken. A fragment of a similar list from Abydos, dated to the reign of Ramesses II, is held in the British Museum in London.

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.