Wahibre Ibiau was an ancient Egyptian petty king, perhaps of the 13th Dynasty, during the Second Intermediate Period. He may have reigned for about 10 years according to the Turin King List.
Reign Despite a relatively long reign for the period, Wahibre Ibiau (throne name: Wahibre; birth name: Ibiau, also Ibiaw, Iaib, or Ia-ib) is known from only a few objects, mostly scarab seals bearing his name.Photos from the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology on Digital Egypt. He is also named on the stela of an official named Sahathor, probably from Thebes.British Museum inventory number EA 1348.https://pnm.uni-mainz.de/5/inscription/1090 Alexander Ilin-Tomich Persons and Names of the Middle Kingdom Finally, a fragment of faience from El-Lahun mentions this king.Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, inventory number UCL 16056.
A notable member of Ibiau's royal court was the namesake vizier Ibiau. It has been suggested that this vizier could have been the same person as the pharaoh Ibiau earlier in his life,William C. Hayes, in The Cambridge Ancient History, 1973, vol. II, part I, p. 51ff. but in more recent times it was pointed out that such an identification is conjectural and unproven.Wolfram Grajetzki, Court Officials of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom, London 2009, p. 40.
Attestations Ibiau is mostly attested by small finds, see Ryholt 1997:355-354 File 13/32.
Beirut, National Museum | At Byblos, a scarab seal.Tufnell 1984 no 3169. UCL 16056 | At Lahun (Kahun), a faience cup fragment. Ryholt (1997:147) notes that this may date to shortly before Lahun was abandoned. The Asiatic portion of the population may have migrated to and contributed to the expansion of Tell el-Daba, Nile Delta. Unknown | At Lisht, a stamp-seal. MMA 09.180.1139 | At [el-Mahamid Qibli], a bead with dedication to Sobek, Lord of smnw which was found at Lisht.
Cylinder seals | At [el-Mahamid Qibli], 3x cylinder seals with dedicartion to Sobek, Lord of smnw.Aberdeen 21160.Cairo JE 72666, JE 72667.
Scarab seals | Provenance Unknown, 8x scarab seals.Pr. Loc Unknown, Berlin 324/73, BM EA 66157, BM EA 66158, MMA 10.130.160, Ex Northumberland, Petrie Museum UC 11572, UC 11584.
Mentions Overseer of Compound Ibiau The Overseer of Compound, Ibiau, with the title string ḫtmw-bjtj; jmj-rꜣ ḫnrt jb(⸗j)-jꜥ (PD 62). Habachi (1984) identified Overseer of Compound Ibiau with Vizier Ibiau.Person PD 62 Retrieved 9 June 2025. However, other family members (children) appear to be different.
Stela BM EA 1348 | A stela with royal name Wahibre Ibiau (cartouche) belonging to Sihathor and Overseer of Compound, Ibiau (PD 62).BM EA1348 Retrieved 9 June 2025.Person PD 62 Retrieved 9 June 2025. Statue Aswan 1343 | At Elephantine, a statue with Overseer of Compound Ibiau (PD 62), same person as BM EA 1348.Aswan 1343 Retrieved 9 June 2025.
Non-Contemporary Attestation Karnak King List His name does not appear in the preserved parts of the list.
Turin King List The Turin King List 8:02 mentions "The Dual King Wahibra Jaib, 10 years, 8 months, 28 days".Turin King List: column 8 Retrieved 9 June 2025. His predecessor is Khahotepra (8:01) and successor is Merneferra (8:03).
See also List of pharaohs
References
Bibliography
K. S. B. Ryholt, The Political Situation in Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period (Carsten Niebuhr Institute Publications, c. 1800–1550 BC, 20. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, 1997), 353–54, File 13/32.