Who Were the Pharaohs?: A History of Their Names with a List of Cartouches

In five chapters, the author explains the various names (Horus, He of the Two Ladies, Horus of Gold, He of the Sedge and Bee, Son of Ra) of the ancient Egyptian kings, covering the dawn of Egyptian writing ca 3000BC up to the Roman period. A chronological history of the names is explained with hieroglyphic texts and modern research. Cartouches of the main kings are provided. This is an excellent book for beginners, as well as for scholars, interested in this subject.

This is a wonderful little paperback that introduces the rulers of Ancient Egypt, dynasty by dynasty, from the beginning up through the Persians, the (Greek) Ptolemies and the Romans. Quirke shows the cartouches of each Pharaoh and discusses the Royal naming practices. The thing that cost this book a star is the "Index of Rulers cited in Chapters 1-4." Problem is, the list of 163 cartouches, the reason I bought the book, is in chapter five, and is thus not indexed! Unfortunately, this makes the book next to useless "in the field", i.e. at an Ancient Egyptian site or in a museum--a basic fault easily remedied! And by the British Museum, no less! Still a great book, though.