Horus Bird (pharaoh)

Horus Bird
Horus Ba
Horus name of "Horus-Bird" inscribed on fragment P.D.IV n.108 found inDjoser's pyramid complex atSaqqara.
Pharaoh
Reign	c. 2900 BCE,Early Dynastic Period
Predecessor	Uncertain, possiblyQa'aorSneferka
Successor	Unclear, likelyHotepsekhemwy
Royal titulary Horus name Soul of Horus
Dynasty	First Dynasty

Horus Bird,also known asHorus-Ba,may have been apharaohwho may have had a very short reign between theFirstandSecond Dynasty of Egypt.Horus-Bird's burial site is unknown.

Name sources

There are very few reliable name sources for Horus-Bird. The first known attestation of this king may be aserekhwith an undetailed bird found byFlinders Petriein the tomb ofQa'aatAbydos.Another more legible inscription showing aserekhwith a bird was later found on a vessel fragment PD IV n.108 inDjoser's pyramid complex atSaqqara.An inscription on aschistvase (P.D. IV n.97) from Djoser's pyramid complex could also refer to Horus-Bird.

Since the hieroglyphic sign is written in such an erratic way, the correct reading remains uncertain. Whilst Egyptologists such asWolfgang HelckandPeter Kaplonysee a depiction of agoose,they read the name asSa(which would make it a “Son of Horus” ) or asGeb(eb)(which would make it an "Heir of Horus" ).Egyptologist Nabil Swelim instead sees a depiction of asaddle-billed storkand readsBa(making it a “Soul of Horus” ).

Identity

Very little is known about King Horus-Bird. The fewarchaeologicalevidences point to the existence of one or more ephemeral rulers followingQa'a's death and beforeHotepsekhemwyof which Horus-Bird may have been one.

Egyptologists such asJaroslav Černýand Kaplony think that Horus-Bird could be identical to the likewise sparsely attested KingHorus-Ba.Indeed, this ruler wrote his name with the leg sign or the leg and ram signs, which read "Ba". Černý and Kaplony think that the bird in theserekhof Horus-Bird is the goose sign with the same transcription, "Ba".In this caseHorus-Baand Horus "Bird" could be the same historical figure. Černý and Kaplony's theory is not commonly accepted; the presence of the Horus-Birdserekhin the tomb ofQa'apointing rather to an interregnum with Horus-Bird between the first and second dynasties.

Possible battle with Sneferka

Egyptologists such asWolfgang Helckand Peter Kaplony believe that Horus Bird andSneferkafought each other to gain the throne of Egypt. The struggles peaked in the plundering of the royal cemetery of Abydos, which was therefore abandoned. The struggle for the throne was possibly brought to an end by the founder of the2nd dynasty,kingHotepsekhemwy.A piece of evidence supporting this theory is the Horus name of Hotepsekhemwy which means"The two powers are reconciled",and could relate to a re-unification of the Egyptian realm after a period of discord.

External links

• Francesco Raffaele: Horus SNEFERKA - Horus Bird - Horus SEKHET (?) - Horus BA