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Book SynopsisCleopatra. Nefertiti. Hatshepsut. All of them are ancient Egyptian female rulers who rose above their predominantly patriarchal societies to become controllers of a great empire. Missing from this list, however, is Sobekneferu, ancient Egypt’s first female ruler. Why was the reign of this powerful woman all but forgotten?
Piecing together the lost history of the first female pharaoh, Andrew Collins presents the first comprehensive biography of Sobekneferu. Using every text and monument that concerns Sobekneferu and her time in power, he examines her achievements as ruler, the political and religious issues of her age, the temples and ruins associated with her, and her continuing impact on ancient Egypt after her reign. He explores her relationship with her brother Amenemhet IV, her sister Neferuptah, and their father Amenemhet III, regarded as one of the most beloved pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom. He examines Sobekneferu’s untimely end, the fate of her body, and the cult that developed in her name.
Discussing Sobekneferu’s magical beliefs and practices, Collins shows how they centred on the crocodile god Sobek, the hippo goddess Neith, and the circumpolar stars of the night sky in which they were personified. He also reveals how the setting of the Crocodile Star (Eltanin), the brightest star in the constellation of Draco, aligns with Sobekneferu’s suspected pyramid. Examining the modern-day resurrection of Sobekneferu among the occultists and mystics of Victorian London, Collins shows how she is the true inspiration behind every ancient Egyptian female queen who comes back to life after her tomb is found--as featured first in Bram Stoker’s shocking 1903 novel
The Jewel of the Seven Stars and later in several modern blockbuster movies.
Revealing how Sobekneferu has left a lasting impact on culture and occulture through the ages despite being nearly erased from history, Collins shows how her continuing legacy is perhaps, ultimately, her true resurrection.
Trade Review“Founded on robust academic rigor, in The First Female Pharaoh Andrew Collins has woven an impeccable tapestry that reveals the importance of women in leadership in millennia past, today, and in the future.” * Christopher Dunn, author of The Giza Power Plant and Lost Technologies of Ancient Egypt *
“With his customary flair for unearthing the secrets of the ancient world, Andrew Collins’s study of the little-known female Egyptian pharaoh Sobekneferu is destined to become a classic. Her life and place in Egyptian history is presented engagingly and forensically, while the author’s own passion for the subject is clear on every page. This is an important book.” * Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince, authors of When God Had a Wife: The Fall and Rise of the Sacred Femi *
“This new book by Andrew Collins, who I’ve known for more than forty years, deals with the story of the first female ruler in history. Sobekneferu was the last ruler of the Twelfth Dynasty in Egyptian history. More than two centuries later Hatshepsut became the second Egyptian queen. As always, Andrew Collins uses his historical knowledge, along with his deep imagination, to bring the story of Sobekneferu to life.” * Ahmed Osman, author of The Egyptian Origins of King David and the Temple of Solomon and The Lost Cit *
“Finally, a long-overdue opus honoring one of history’s most enigmatic women—Sobekneferu. Andrew Collins has scoured historical records, archaeological discoveries, and scattered images of this mysterious yet powerful female ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt to piece together this first major overview of her Twelfth Dynasty reign as a queen and pharaoh.” * Ani Williams, harpist, singer, songwriter, author, sound therapist, and pilgrimage guide *
"This is the first ever biography that has been written about this historical Egyptian figure. Collins meticulously pieces together the nearly lost history of Sobekneferu. He describes how under her ruler-ship Egypt survived a very dark period in its history known as the Second Intermediate Period and how it managed to become one of the most powerful and influential empires of the ancient world." * Brent Raynes, Alternate Perceptions Magazine *
"Absolutely fascinating, impressively informative, expertly written, nicely illustrated, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation,
The First Female Pharaoh: Sobekneferu, Goddess of the Seven Stars by Andrew Collins will prove to be a prized and endearingly appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Egyptology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the cult, magic, reign, and resurrection of the first female ruler in Egypt that
The First Female Pharaoh is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99)." * Midwest Book Review *
In
The First Female Pharaoh: Sobekneferu, Goddess of the Seven Stars, author Andrew Collins (Göbekli Tepe: Genesis of the Gods, 2014) does rigorous archaeological detective work, analyzing a variety of statues and beads honoring Sobekneferu, in an effort to humanize her and unravel the mystery of her life and death. This book also has a historical whodunit vibe, as Collins explores possible political intrigues that may have led to her rise and fall. It’s amazing how much information can be gleaned about her from so few inscriptions and artifacts, and Collins walks the reader through each exhibit, clarifying its context. * Rachel McConnell, Musing Mystical *
Table of ContentsForeword: History Is Made of Discoveries By Jan Summers Duffy
Acknowledgments
Preface: The Knowing of Sobekneferu PART 1
Discovering Sobekneferu 1 Female Pharaohs
2 Ruler of the Two Lands
3 Sobekneferu—The Story As We Know It
4 The Woman behind the Pharaoh
5 The Cult of Sobekneferu
6 Sobekneferu and the Heb Sed Mystery
PART 2
Road to Destiny 7 Sobekneferu in Canaan
8 The Vengeful Goddess
9 Divine Right to Rule
PART 3
Seeds of Destruction
10 The Sister of Sobekneferu
11 The King’s Daughters
12 Fate of the Dynasty
13 Sibling Rivalry
14 Flawed Visions
15 The Fall of Egypt
PART 4
Regicide 16 The Mystery of Queen Nitocris
17 Sobekneferu as Nitocris
18 Mother of Crocodiles
19 The Vengeance of Nitocris
20 The Death of Sobekneferu
21 Enemies of Sobekneferu
PART 5
Faith 22 Joseph in Egypt
23 The Heliopolitan Connection
24 When Sobekneferu Met Joseph
25 Sobekneferu—The Asiatic Connection
PART 6
Two Lands
26 Sobekneferu the Builder
27 The Magnificent Labyrinth
28 At the Center of It All
29 Navel of the World
PART 7
Ancestors 30 The Mystery of Mazghuna North
31 Temple of the Crocodile
32 Place of the Ancestors
33 The Seven Snake Gods
34 Sobekneferu’s Final Resting Place
PART 8
Resurrection 35 Goddess of the Seven Stars
36 Servants of Sobek
37 Path of the Headless One
38 Typhonian Gnosis
Appendix: Sobekneferu on Film and Television
Notes
Bibliography
Index
