Indeed, a lesser-known part of history reveals that a Pharaoh with a “gigantic” stature ruled ancient Egypt thousands of years ago – Pharaoh Sa-Nakht, from the Third Dynasty, was the “Giant” of ancient Egypt.
Sa-Nakht ruled the Nile civilization approximately 1,000 years before Ramses II ascended the throne. Historical records indicate that Ramses, considered exceptionally tall for his time at about 1.75 meters, was regarded as “short” compared to the stature of Pharaoh Sa-Nakht.
However, the true identity of Sa-Nakht and his place in the annals of the Third Dynasty remain unclear and are still the subject of debate. This has become a mystery for scholars for many years, as information about his reign, the duration of his rule, and the circumstances surrounding his death are still very vague. Most of what we know about this Pharaoh comes from a few artifacts that have survived for over 5,000 years.
The true identity of Pharaoh Sa-Nakht remains unclear.
The precise time when Sa-Nakht ascended to the throne is not well documented. Unlike Djoser, very few artifacts from his dynasty have survived to this day, leading to significant skepticism regarding the 18-year reign attributed to him by Manetho and the Turin King List. On the other hand, the Turin King List and Manetho’s records were created 1,000 to 2,000 years after the Third Dynasty existed, which means they may contain inaccuracies or unreliable data.
If we look at the records from ancient Egyptian historian Manetho and the Turin King List, Sa-Nakht is thought to have ruled the ancient Egyptian empire for 18 years, but many archaeologists believe the exact duration of this Pharaoh’s reign remains a mystery.
The identity of Sa-Nakht and his position in the chronicles of the Third Dynasty remain unclear and are still a topic of debate. Although his existence has been confirmed through fragmented inscriptions found in Tomb K2 and a painted depiction, recent archaeological discoveries at Abydos have cast doubt on the hypothesis that he was the founder of the Third Dynasty as stated in Manetho’s records and the Turin papyrus.
The exact time of his ascension remains unknown.
Very few events during the reign of Sa-Nakht are known. The discovery of bas-reliefs depicting the king at Wadi Maghareh in Sinai, alongside other kings like Djoser and Sekhemkhet, indicates a significant Egyptian presence there during the Third Dynasty.
The exact location of Sa-Nakht’s tomb has yet to be definitively identified. Archaeologists once thought that his tomb was Tomb K2 in Beit Khallaf because excavations there uncovered fragmented bas-reliefs bearing his name. However, some Egyptologists today argue that this mastaba was more likely the burial site of a high-ranking official, a prince, or a queen rather than a Pharaoh, while others continue to support the original hypothesis.
It is believed that in 1901, in the small town of Beit Khallaf, archaeologists unearthed remains belonging to Sa-Nakht – a skeleton of a man of remarkable height, nearly 2.00 meters tall.
Scientists believe he suffered from a condition called gigantism. (Illustrative image).
The skeleton was significantly taller than the average height of ancient Egyptians. The skull was also larger and wider. Although his skull index was unusually broad and resembled a brachycephalic shape, the proportions of his long bones resembled those of tropical residents and most other ancient Egyptians, particularly those from the pre-dynastic period. Scientists who studied Sa-Nakht’s skeleton now believe that he suffered from a condition known as gigantism, which occurs when the body produces excessive growth hormone. In most cases, this is due to a tumor on the pituitary gland in the brain.
According to co-researcher Michael Habicht, an Egyptologist at the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich, based on previous studies, the average height of men during this period was around 1.68 meters, making a height of nearly 2 meters truly remarkable.
Habicht and his colleagues concluded that Sa-Nakht may have had gigantism after reanalyzing the skull and bones believed to belong to Sa-Nakht. “The long bones of the skeleton show evidence of ‘excessive growth’, which are clear signs of gigantism,” Habicht stated. “Studying the evolutionary development of such conditions is significant for modern medicine.” If their diagnosis is correct, Sa-Nakht could be the oldest known case of gigantism in the world.
