Nepherites I c. 399–393 BC

A general from Mendes in the Delta who overthrew Amyrtaeus in 399 BC, founded the 29th Dynasty and made Mendes his capital. He built at Mendes, Buto, Memphis and Akoris, and a tomb at Mendes with his shabtis may be his. A black stone sphinx with his name is in the Louvre, beside one of his successor Hakor.

Birth name: Nefaarud

nꜣy.f-ꜥꜣw-rwḏ: “His great ones flourish”

His throne name was Baenre Merynetjeru, "the soul of Ra, beloved of the gods", written with the ram of Mendes, his home town, for the soul (bꜣ).

Sign by sign

Ripple of water N35n The sound n. Also means 'of, to'.
Egyptian vulture G1ꜣ The sound ꜣ. Often read as 'a' in names.
Two strokes Z4y The sound y. Also marks a dual.
Horned viper I9f The sound f. Also means 'he, his'.
Wooden column O29ꜥꜣ Great.
Coil Z7w The sound w (the hieratic form of the quail chick).
Plural strokes Z2 Marks a plural.
Bowstring T12rwḏ Firm, strong.

Now draw this cartouche yourself

Where to see Nepherites I's name today

Museum

Louvre, Paris

The Louvre's Department of Egyptian Antiquities, mostly in the Sully wing, holds a whole Old Kingdom tomb chapel, the cartouches of several kings on one sphinx and a painted stela you can read sign by sign. Champollion himself was its first curator.

Names of gods (Ra, Amun, Ptah) are written first out of respect, even when they are read later. Dates are approximate; we follow Ian Shaw (ed.), The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000).