Horus Narmer
Horus Narmer is usually considered the first king of the 1st Dynasty, perhaps even the first to have ruled over the whole of Egypt, or as the last king of the Predynastic Period. He is one of the first Egyptian kings to have left some historical records.
Narmer Quick Facts
ChronologyDynasty: 1st
Predecessor: Ka (?), Scorpion (?)
Successor: Horus Aha
Highest year: 1 Year Label
Family
Children: Horus Aha (?)
Principal Monuments
Tomb: Umm el-Qa’ab B17/B18
Biography of Horus Narmer
Very little is known about the king we call Horus Narmer. Even the reading and meaning of his name are not certain. What we do know is that his name has been found throughout Egypt, which is sometimes interpreted that Narmer was the first king to have ruled over he whole of Egypt. That sources mentioning Narmer's supposed predecessors haven't been found to the same extent may have more to do with the fact that the number of sources containing writing that predate Narmer is very low.Narmer's name has also been found outside Egypt, in Syria-Palestine, indicating that there was an active trade going on between Egypt and parts of the Ancient Near East.
Two pits found at Umm el-Qa’ab, near Narmer’s own modest tomb, refer to Horus Ka and Horus ‘Mouth’ (or Iri-Hor) whose names have also been found in Lower Egypt. The proximity of their tombs to Narmer’s suggests that they were among his direct predecessors.
A king named “Scorpion", whose name is recorded on a ceremonial macehead found at Hierakonpolis, is sometimes interpreted as a predecessor of Narmer. The stylistic similarities between this macehead and several artefacts bearing the name of Narmer, which have also been found at Hierakonpolis, put “Scorpion" in close proximity to Narmer. This has led some researchers to believe that he was either Narmer's immediate predecessor or a rival king who ruled in the south of the country. In the former case, however, one would expect a tomb for “Scorpion” not too far away from Narmer’s in Umm el-Qa'ab. And in the latter case, it is surprising that further traces of a king “Scorpion” at Hierakonpolis are very rare, nor have we found any source from the time of Narmer to indicate a battle against a kingdom in the south of Egypt.
Destruction of city walls by different animals, assumed to symbolise a king.
Source: Tiradriti, Egyptian Treasures, p. 38.
Source: Tiradriti, Egyptian Treasures, p. 38.
It is generally assumed that Narmer was married to a queen named Neithhotep. This is based on the assumption hat Neihhotep was Horus Aha's mother and that succession went from father to son, making Narmer Aha's father. As there is no known source that places Narmer and Neithhotep in the same context, this assumption cannot be confirmed.
The Catfish, symbol of Narmer, striking down its
foes. Ivory label found in Hierakonpolis, now in the Ashmolean Museum in
Oxford.
Another label shows the catfish, symbol of Narmer, striking down a series of bound enemies. From the accompanying text, it may inferred that the enemies are identified as Tshehenu, 'Libyans', which could point to a battle in the western part of the Nile Delta.
Narmer's military activity in the Nile Delta may confirm that he annexed at least part of Lower Egypt to his realm, and may be one of the sources pointing to him as the king who unified Upper and Lower Egypt. This is one of the achievements that could identify him with the almost legendary king Menes, whom Ancient Egyptian tradition credits for being the first king to have ruled over the whole of Egypt.
This year label of
Narmer shows the Catfish, symbolising Narmer’s name, striking down a foe
identified by a marshland. Although different in style, the event
depicted here closely resembles the one on the Narmer Palette.
Source: EEF Archive.
Source: EEF Archive.
One of the many names of Memphis was inb-HD, usually translated as “White Wall” and written by combining the hieroglyphs representing a wall and a mace. A seal impression found to the south of Memphis, shows Narmer’s name written inside a wall, connected to a mace. The combination of wall and mace can be understood as inb-HD, and may have resulted in later generations crediting Narmer with the founding of the “White Wall”, Memphis.
Drawing of a seal
impression that combines Narmer’s name with signs that represent a wall
(square) and a mace, and that could be read as the ancient name of
Memphis.
Source: Kaplony, Inschriften der ägyptischen Frühzeit, Band III, Tafel 18, abb. 34.
Source: Kaplony, Inschriften der ägyptischen Frühzeit, Band III, Tafel 18, abb. 34.
Despite Narmer’s later possible status, he was buried in a tomb at Umm el-Qa'ab, to the west of Abydos, that seems quite modest compared to that of his successors.
Titulary of Horus Narmer
Horus Name
- Hr nar
Horus the catfish ? - Hr nar-mr
Horus the raging catfish ? - Hr nar-mr.w
Horus the raging catfish ? - Hr nar-mr TA
Horus the raging catfish ?- The meaning of the added TA is not clear.
- Hr nar-mr TA.w
Horus the raging catfish ?- The meaning of the added TAw is not clear. Note, however, that it is written outside the serekh.
- mni
Menes- This name is only known through non-contemporary kinglists. The identification of Horus Narmer with Menes is tentative and still open to some debate.
Manetho
Africanus: Menes
Eusebius: Menes
The identification of Narme with Manetho's Menes is tentative.
Alternative names in modern-day literature
Nar-mer, Mer-nar, Horus-Narmer, Hor Narmer, Hor-Narmer, Menes, Ménès, Ménes, Mena, Meni, Ména, Méni
Alternative names in modern-day literature
Nar-mer, Mer-nar, Horus-Narmer, Hor Narmer, Hor-Narmer, Menes, Ménès, Ménes, Mena, Meni, Ména, Méni
Narmer Artefacts
Several
artefacts bearing the name of Horus Narmer, or made in a
style reminiscent of that of Narmer, help us understand the earliest
phases of documented Ancient Egyptian history.
The deposit where it was found also contained other artefacts stemming from the early beginnings of Ancient Egypt's recorded history: fragments of a ceremonial mace head belonging to Narmer and other mace head fragments inscribed with the name of king Scorpion, one of Narmer's alleged predecessors. The exact finding circumstances of these artefact have, however, not been noted in the survey report.
Palette back
Most of the palette's back side is decorated with a scene showing the king about to strike down a foe, whom he grabs by the hair. This is the oldest known example of a type of scene that would continue to be used until the end of the pharaonic culture, even by kings who do not seem to have waged any wars at all. As such, the historical value of this type of scene can be doubted.
The king wears a short skirt decorated with bovine heads and an animal's tail. He also wears the White Crown which is usually associated with Upper Egypt. It is, however, not certain whether in Narmer's time, this crown already had its traditional geographical significance, or whether it was associated more with a specific part of the king's overall responsibilities.
Narmer's victim is shown kneeling in front of him, the upper part of his arms close to his body, as if to indicate that he was bound. Apart from a girdle, he is represented naked. The contrast between the naked victim and the clad king perhaps denotes that the victim was considered as barbaric.
The signs of a harpoon and a lake behind his head have sometimes been interpreted as the name of the victim: Washi. This interpretation is, however, very doubtful, as it was unusual for official documents to actually provide the name of an enemy. Comparing the Narmer Palette to the Label of Den, which shows a similar scene, makes it more likely that the harpoon is to be read as the 'number one' and the lake as 'water', indicating that this was Narmer's first victory in a watery area such as a lake or a marshland.
The
images above the victim's head may seem to support the latter
interpretation: a falcon, without a doubt a symbol of the king, is
perched on top of some papyrus plants that sprout from a marshland. The
left side of this marshland is decorated with a man's head that is quite
similar to that of the fallen foe. The hook with which the falcon
appears to be pulling at the personified marshland's nose, symbolises
the breath of life that it takes out of the fallen land.
The mention of a marshland on the palette has very often been seen as a reference to the marshy lands of the Nile Delta, Lower Egypt. Indeed, in traditional times, Lower Egypt would be symbolised by a hieroglyph that represents a marshland. It is however equally likely that the marshland on the palette represents just that: a marshland, which could have been part of the Nile Delta, but it could also have been the Fayum oasis, for instance, or just an area that happened to be flooded at the time.
Behind the king an apparently bald person holds a pair of sandals in his left hand and a basket in his right. Of the two hieroglyphic signs that are written behind the man's head, the lower one can be read as 'servant'. The top sign, the asterisk or floral element, also appears on the Scorpion Macehead, right before the sign of the scorpion that identifies the king. It may thus perhaps have been a sign to write the word 'king' and if this is the case, then the bald man following Narmer on his palette, was a 'servant of the king'. The fact that the king is represented as barefooted and followed by a sandal-bearer perhaps suggests a ritual nature for the scene depicted on the palette.
Below
this central scene, underneath the king's feet, lie two overthrown,
naked enemies. One of their arms is raised up, the other is drawn behind
their backs. Their legs are sprawling and their entire posture
indicates that they are fallen enemies. To the left of each victim, a
hieroglyphic sign is drawn, the left-most representing a wall and the
other some sort of knot. Both signs are usually interpreted as names of
places that have been captured by Narmer. Their reading is unknown so
even if they do denote names of places, we do not know which places they
are.
Palette front
In the top scene of the palette's front, the second figure from the left, identified by the two signs in front of him as Narmer, is represented wearing the Red Crown, that is usually associated with Lower Egypt. As is the case with the White Crow, it is not certain whether in Narmer's time, the Red Crown already had its traditional geographical significance, or whether it was associated more with a specific part of the king's overall responsibilities.
The king holds a mace in his left hand, while his right arm is bent over his chest, holding some kind of flail. He is followed by the same bald figure that holds sandals in his left hand and some kind of basket in his right. A rectangle above this sandal-bearer's head contains a sign of uncertain meaning.
Narmer is preceded by a long-haired person who holds an emblem in his hands. The signs accompanying this figure could be read as Tshet yet their meaning is unknown. A person similarly designed and with the same hieroglyphs, can also be found on the ceremonial maceheads of both Narmer and 'Scorpion'. His role is normally interpreted as that of a 'shaman' and is not paralleled in later sources.
Four standard bearers are represented in front of the Tshet person. The left-most standard represents some kind of animal skin, the second a dog and the next two a falcon. These standards might be the emblems of the royal house of Narmer, or of the regions that already belonged to his kingdom.
The object of this procession is made clear on the right hand side of the scene: 10 decapitated corpses are shown lying on the ground, their heads thrown between their legs. Above the victims, a ship with a harpoon and a falcon in it, are drawn. These signs are often interpreted as the name of the conquered region. If this name has remained the same throughout the history of Ancient Egypt, then the region conquered by Narmer was the Mareotis region, the 7th Lower-Egyptian province.
The two signs in front of the probable name of the region, the wing of a door and a sparrow are thought to mean 'create' or 'found'. The entire group could thus be interpreted that on the occasion of the conquest of the Mareotis region, Narmer founded a new province, whose name was written by the ship, the harpoon and the falcon.
The central scene on the palette's front represents two men tying together the stretched necks of two fabulous animals. Between the animal's necks, a circular area is a bit deeper than the palette's surface. This lower circular area indicates the place where a cosmetic would be put if this were not a ceremonial palette.
The tying together of the necks of the two animals has often been interpreted as a symbol for the tying together of Upper and Lower Egypt. Nothing, however, indicates that the animals are to be seen as the symbols of Upper or Lower Egypt. This is a unique image and no later parallels are known. It is not impossible that they have just been used to create a circular area in the centre of the palette. In addition, ceremonial palettes often represent the theme of taming wild animals, one of the traditional tasks of the king.
The scene at the bottom of the palette's front face continues the imagery of conquest and victory. A bull, almost certainly a symbol of the king's vigour and strength, tramples a fallen foe and attacks the walls of a city or fortress with its horns. The name of the city or fortress attacked by the bull is written within the walls, but its reading is unknown.
Meaning
The overall military symbolism on the palette is clear. Using different types of imagery, the king is shown again and again as victorious over his enemies. He is shown striking down a kneeling enemy, whilst stepping on the bodies of some other foes on the palette's back. On the front of the palette, he is represented overlooking the decapitated corpses of his foes or as a bull vigorously trampling an enemy and breaking down the walls of a city or a fortress.
The fact that Narmer is shown wearing the White Crown on one side and the Red Crown on the other, has often been forwarded as proof that it was he who united Upper and Lower Egypt. This was based on the assumption that both crowns have always had their traditional geographical significance, but even if this were correct, the palette doesn't prove that Narmer didn't already wear the Red Crown before.
Some Egyptologists have doubted the historicity of the events portrayed on the palette, forwarding the hypothesis that it served a ritual purpose rather than recording a historical event. Indeed, several instances of the scene where a king strikes down his foes do not seem to have been based on actual fact but were part of the royal propaganda that portrays the kings as the protector of the country. This type of scene is also very common on entrances to temples, where they were intended to ward off any evil that might want to enter the temple.
Against this, it must be pointed out that the palette does mention three names of cities or fortresses that were overthrown. The palette also refers to the founding of a region indicated by the signs ship-harpoon-falcon, a group of signs that at least in later times would be used to denote the 7th Lower Egyptian province located in the eastern Nile Delta.In addition, a label found in 1998 during excavations in Abydos, does seem to confirm the historicity of the palette. On this label, a catfish strikes down a fallen enemy. The enemy's headgear consists of 3 papyrus plants, a reference to a marshland that is very similar to the personified marshland on the Narmer Palette. It is not unlikely that both sources actually do refer to the same event: a battle in a marshland, probably located in the eastern Nile Delta, which resulted in a victory for Narmer and the probable founding of the 7th Lower Egyptian province.
-----------------------------
The Narmer Palette
The Narmer palette is a finely decorated plate of schist of about 64 cm high. It was found in a deposit in Hierakonpolis, a Predynastic capital located in the South of Egypt, during the excavation season of 1897/98. Its size, weight and the fact that it was decorated on both sides show that it was a ceremonial, commemorative rather than an actual cosmetic palette intended for daily use. It is a key piece in the identification of Menes, the almost legendary first king to have ruled over the whole of Egypt.The deposit where it was found also contained other artefacts stemming from the early beginnings of Ancient Egypt's recorded history: fragments of a ceremonial mace head belonging to Narmer and other mace head fragments inscribed with the name of king Scorpion, one of Narmer's alleged predecessors. The exact finding circumstances of these artefact have, however, not been noted in the survey report.
Both sides of the palette are decorated with ritual or historical scenes.
Source: Tiradriti, Egyptian Treasures, pp. 40-41
Source: Tiradriti, Egyptian Treasures, pp. 40-41
Decoration
The top of the palette is decorated in a similar manner on both sides: the name of the king is inscribed in a so-called serekh
between two bovine heads. The animals' heads are drawn from the front,
which is rather uncharacteristic of later Egyptian art. In most
publications, these heads have been described as cows' heads, which is
usually interpreted as an early reference to the cow-goddess, Bat or
perhaps Hathor. It is, however, equally possible that the animals are
bulls and that they refer to the bull-like vigour of the king, a
symbolism that occurs in the scene at the bottom of the palette front
as well.Palette back
Most of the palette's back side is decorated with a scene showing the king about to strike down a foe, whom he grabs by the hair. This is the oldest known example of a type of scene that would continue to be used until the end of the pharaonic culture, even by kings who do not seem to have waged any wars at all. As such, the historical value of this type of scene can be doubted.
The king wears a short skirt decorated with bovine heads and an animal's tail. He also wears the White Crown which is usually associated with Upper Egypt. It is, however, not certain whether in Narmer's time, this crown already had its traditional geographical significance, or whether it was associated more with a specific part of the king's overall responsibilities.
Narmer's victim is shown kneeling in front of him, the upper part of his arms close to his body, as if to indicate that he was bound. Apart from a girdle, he is represented naked. The contrast between the naked victim and the clad king perhaps denotes that the victim was considered as barbaric.
The signs of a harpoon and a lake behind his head have sometimes been interpreted as the name of the victim: Washi. This interpretation is, however, very doubtful, as it was unusual for official documents to actually provide the name of an enemy. Comparing the Narmer Palette to the Label of Den, which shows a similar scene, makes it more likely that the harpoon is to be read as the 'number one' and the lake as 'water', indicating that this was Narmer's first victory in a watery area such as a lake or a marshland.
The
images above the victim's head may seem to support the latter
interpretation: a falcon, without a doubt a symbol of the king, is
perched on top of some papyrus plants that sprout from a marshland. The
left side of this marshland is decorated with a man's head that is quite
similar to that of the fallen foe. The hook with which the falcon
appears to be pulling at the personified marshland's nose, symbolises
the breath of life that it takes out of the fallen land.The mention of a marshland on the palette has very often been seen as a reference to the marshy lands of the Nile Delta, Lower Egypt. Indeed, in traditional times, Lower Egypt would be symbolised by a hieroglyph that represents a marshland. It is however equally likely that the marshland on the palette represents just that: a marshland, which could have been part of the Nile Delta, but it could also have been the Fayum oasis, for instance, or just an area that happened to be flooded at the time.
Behind the king an apparently bald person holds a pair of sandals in his left hand and a basket in his right. Of the two hieroglyphic signs that are written behind the man's head, the lower one can be read as 'servant'. The top sign, the asterisk or floral element, also appears on the Scorpion Macehead, right before the sign of the scorpion that identifies the king. It may thus perhaps have been a sign to write the word 'king' and if this is the case, then the bald man following Narmer on his palette, was a 'servant of the king'. The fact that the king is represented as barefooted and followed by a sandal-bearer perhaps suggests a ritual nature for the scene depicted on the palette.
Below
this central scene, underneath the king's feet, lie two overthrown,
naked enemies. One of their arms is raised up, the other is drawn behind
their backs. Their legs are sprawling and their entire posture
indicates that they are fallen enemies. To the left of each victim, a
hieroglyphic sign is drawn, the left-most representing a wall and the
other some sort of knot. Both signs are usually interpreted as names of
places that have been captured by Narmer. Their reading is unknown so
even if they do denote names of places, we do not know which places they
are.Palette front
In the top scene of the palette's front, the second figure from the left, identified by the two signs in front of him as Narmer, is represented wearing the Red Crown, that is usually associated with Lower Egypt. As is the case with the White Crow, it is not certain whether in Narmer's time, the Red Crown already had its traditional geographical significance, or whether it was associated more with a specific part of the king's overall responsibilities.
The king holds a mace in his left hand, while his right arm is bent over his chest, holding some kind of flail. He is followed by the same bald figure that holds sandals in his left hand and some kind of basket in his right. A rectangle above this sandal-bearer's head contains a sign of uncertain meaning.
Narmer is preceded by a long-haired person who holds an emblem in his hands. The signs accompanying this figure could be read as Tshet yet their meaning is unknown. A person similarly designed and with the same hieroglyphs, can also be found on the ceremonial maceheads of both Narmer and 'Scorpion'. His role is normally interpreted as that of a 'shaman' and is not paralleled in later sources.
Four standard bearers are represented in front of the Tshet person. The left-most standard represents some kind of animal skin, the second a dog and the next two a falcon. These standards might be the emblems of the royal house of Narmer, or of the regions that already belonged to his kingdom.
The object of this procession is made clear on the right hand side of the scene: 10 decapitated corpses are shown lying on the ground, their heads thrown between their legs. Above the victims, a ship with a harpoon and a falcon in it, are drawn. These signs are often interpreted as the name of the conquered region. If this name has remained the same throughout the history of Ancient Egypt, then the region conquered by Narmer was the Mareotis region, the 7th Lower-Egyptian province.
The two signs in front of the probable name of the region, the wing of a door and a sparrow are thought to mean 'create' or 'found'. The entire group could thus be interpreted that on the occasion of the conquest of the Mareotis region, Narmer founded a new province, whose name was written by the ship, the harpoon and the falcon.
The central scene on the palette's front represents two men tying together the stretched necks of two fabulous animals. Between the animal's necks, a circular area is a bit deeper than the palette's surface. This lower circular area indicates the place where a cosmetic would be put if this were not a ceremonial palette.
The tying together of the necks of the two animals has often been interpreted as a symbol for the tying together of Upper and Lower Egypt. Nothing, however, indicates that the animals are to be seen as the symbols of Upper or Lower Egypt. This is a unique image and no later parallels are known. It is not impossible that they have just been used to create a circular area in the centre of the palette. In addition, ceremonial palettes often represent the theme of taming wild animals, one of the traditional tasks of the king.
The scene at the bottom of the palette's front face continues the imagery of conquest and victory. A bull, almost certainly a symbol of the king's vigour and strength, tramples a fallen foe and attacks the walls of a city or fortress with its horns. The name of the city or fortress attacked by the bull is written within the walls, but its reading is unknown.
Meaning
The overall military symbolism on the palette is clear. Using different types of imagery, the king is shown again and again as victorious over his enemies. He is shown striking down a kneeling enemy, whilst stepping on the bodies of some other foes on the palette's back. On the front of the palette, he is represented overlooking the decapitated corpses of his foes or as a bull vigorously trampling an enemy and breaking down the walls of a city or a fortress.
The fact that Narmer is shown wearing the White Crown on one side and the Red Crown on the other, has often been forwarded as proof that it was he who united Upper and Lower Egypt. This was based on the assumption that both crowns have always had their traditional geographical significance, but even if this were correct, the palette doesn't prove that Narmer didn't already wear the Red Crown before.
Some Egyptologists have doubted the historicity of the events portrayed on the palette, forwarding the hypothesis that it served a ritual purpose rather than recording a historical event. Indeed, several instances of the scene where a king strikes down his foes do not seem to have been based on actual fact but were part of the royal propaganda that portrays the kings as the protector of the country. This type of scene is also very common on entrances to temples, where they were intended to ward off any evil that might want to enter the temple.
Against this, it must be pointed out that the palette does mention three names of cities or fortresses that were overthrown. The palette also refers to the founding of a region indicated by the signs ship-harpoon-falcon, a group of signs that at least in later times would be used to denote the 7th Lower Egyptian province located in the eastern Nile Delta.In addition, a label found in 1998 during excavations in Abydos, does seem to confirm the historicity of the palette. On this label, a catfish strikes down a fallen enemy. The enemy's headgear consists of 3 papyrus plants, a reference to a marshland that is very similar to the personified marshland on the Narmer Palette. It is not unlikely that both sources actually do refer to the same event: a battle in a marshland, probably located in the eastern Nile Delta, which resulted in a victory for Narmer and the probable founding of the 7th Lower Egyptian province.
-----------------------------
Commemorative Label of Horus Narmer
A
label bearing the name of Horus Narmer was found during the German
archeological survey of Abydos in 1998. The drawings on this label may
relate to the same historic event that is also portrayed on the Narmer Palette.
In the top register, a personified catfish, symbol of Narmer, raises a mace in one hand, while in the other, it has grasped the papyrus headgear of the foe it is about to strike down. Although portrayed differently, the latter figure is, to some extent, reminiscent of the personified marshland on the back of the Narmer Palette and it is not unlikely that both sources relate to the same event.
Narmer’s Year Label shows the king, symbolised by his name, slaying an enemy from a marshland.
Source: EEF Archive.
Source: EEF Archive.
In the top register, a personified catfish, symbol of Narmer, raises a mace in one hand, while in the other, it has grasped the papyrus headgear of the foe it is about to strike down. Although portrayed differently, the latter figure is, to some extent, reminiscent of the personified marshland on the back of the Narmer Palette and it is not unlikely that both sources relate to the same event.
-----------------------
Narmer Macehead
A
nicely preserved macehead bearing the name of Horus Narmer was found in a
deposit during the 1897/98 archaeological survey at Hierakonpolis,
along with the Narmer Palette and a fragmentary macehead
with the name of king 'Scorpion'. Its decoration has lead to several
hypotheses, some seeing it as a record of Narmer's supposed conquest of
Lower Egypt, while others see it as a purely ritual object.
The macehead is now on display at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
In
the central scene, which takes up the entire height of the macehead, a
king, identified as Horus Narmer, wearing a tight fitting robe and the
Red Crown, is seated on a raised platform underneath a canopy. A bird,
most likely representing the Upper Egyptian patron goddess Nekhbet,
holds out its wings above the canopy in a protective gesture.The way
the king is depicted is very reminiscent of later representations of the
Heb Sed, a royal jubilee that was first celebrated in the 30th
year of a king's reign and then every 3 years after that. This has led
some researchers to propose that the macehead commemorates Narmer's Heb
Sed. Against this hypothesis, it has been argued that traditional Heb
Sed scenes show the king in the same setting twice -once wearing the Red
Crown, as on the macehead, and once wearing the White Crown. This
argument is, however, based on the assumption that the Red and White
Crowns already had their geographical significance in Narmer’s time and
that the Sed festival already centred around the concept of the dual
kingship.
Drawing of the images on the Narmer Macehead. The king is seated on a throne on a raised dais.
Based on: Adams-Cialowicz, Protodynastic Egypt, p. 15
The
area in front of the king is divided into three registers. In the middle
register, facing the king, a fully cloaked figure sits in a dais. Early
researchers have interpreted this figure as a princess being presented
to the king to be his bride. As the Upper Egyptian Narmer may have
conquered at least parts of Lower Egypt, it has been proposed that this
princess was of Lower Egyptian origin and that her marriage to Narmer
sealed the union between the two parts of the country. The hypothesis
that this alleged princess is to be identified as Neithhotep
is too farfetched to have much credibility and is contradicted by the
fact that Neithhotep was buried in the Upper Egyptian graveyard of
Naqada.
More recently, a comparison with the few other sources where this figure is depicted, may suggest that it represents a deity rather than a person, but here too, it is not clear which deity was intended and what its role in the scenes on the Narmer Macehead was.
The figure facing the king is followed by a sequence of 3 semi-circles, 3 men and 3 semi-circles. The 3 men are shown with spread legs, as if they were running, and their arms crossed against their chests. Their crossed arms against their chests may suggest that they were bound and thus captive enemies, but the fact that they seem to be running contradicts this.
The semi-circular elements between which the runners are depicted, also evoke the imagery of the Sed festival, be it that in those cases, it is the king himself who is shown running.
Above the figure in a dais, in the top register, there is an enclosure housing what appear to be a cow and a calf.
Four standard bearers, very similar to the one's depicted in the top register of the Narmer Palette's front, are facing the king. The image of these standard bearers would continue to be used until the end of the Pharaonic civilisation, for instance in the temple scenes showing the king coming out of the palace on his way to the temple.
The bottom register records a count of 400.000 cattle, 1.422.000 sheep and 120.000 men, the latter being represented as bound captives. This has led to the suggestion that Narmer is being presented the spoils of a war, or, more concretely, the spoils of his conquest of Lower Egypt. It must, however, be pointed out that except for the possibility that the runners in the middle register might be prisoners, nothing in the macehead's decoration points to a military context.
It has also been suggested that the numbers shown are the result of a census, but it would then be amazing that the population is represented as captive men.
The area immediately behind the king and his podium, is divided into two registers. In the bottom register, the same sandal bearing man as the one on the Narmer Palette, is followed by a man holding a long stick over his shoulder.
Above them, the wigged Tshet figure, also known from the Narmer Palette, and possibly some sort of shaman, is followed by two more men holding a stick over their shoulders.
The final set of drawings represents some animals in an enclosure in the bottom register. Above this enclosure, a low rectangular structure, having a vase on a pedestal in the front, a pole, perhaps part of a flag pole in the middle, and a bird perched upon a higher structure in the back is depicted. The perching bird upon a shrine-like structure is often used to symbolise the Lower Egyptian city of Buto and may thus allow us to place the events depicted on the macehead in this ancient city. Excavations in the late 1980s at the site of Buto have indeed revealed mudbrick buildings dated to the Early Dynastic Period, and some even to the reign of Narmer.
Although many hypotheses have been offered to explain the drawings on the Narmer Macehead, none are fully satisfactory. What does seem to be clear, however, is that is appears to commemorate a festival or a ceremony held by Narmer at Buto, but whether this festival is linked to an important historic event, such as the conquest of the city, or whether it is just a festival attended by the king, is not clear at all.
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The macehead is now on display at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
Macehead of Horus Narmer.
Drawing of the images on the Narmer Macehead. The king is seated on a throne on a raised dais.
Based on: Adams-Cialowicz, Protodynastic Egypt, p. 15
More recently, a comparison with the few other sources where this figure is depicted, may suggest that it represents a deity rather than a person, but here too, it is not clear which deity was intended and what its role in the scenes on the Narmer Macehead was.
The figure facing the king is followed by a sequence of 3 semi-circles, 3 men and 3 semi-circles. The 3 men are shown with spread legs, as if they were running, and their arms crossed against their chests. Their crossed arms against their chests may suggest that they were bound and thus captive enemies, but the fact that they seem to be running contradicts this.
The semi-circular elements between which the runners are depicted, also evoke the imagery of the Sed festival, be it that in those cases, it is the king himself who is shown running.
Above the figure in a dais, in the top register, there is an enclosure housing what appear to be a cow and a calf.
Four standard bearers, very similar to the one's depicted in the top register of the Narmer Palette's front, are facing the king. The image of these standard bearers would continue to be used until the end of the Pharaonic civilisation, for instance in the temple scenes showing the king coming out of the palace on his way to the temple.
The bottom register records a count of 400.000 cattle, 1.422.000 sheep and 120.000 men, the latter being represented as bound captives. This has led to the suggestion that Narmer is being presented the spoils of a war, or, more concretely, the spoils of his conquest of Lower Egypt. It must, however, be pointed out that except for the possibility that the runners in the middle register might be prisoners, nothing in the macehead's decoration points to a military context.
It has also been suggested that the numbers shown are the result of a census, but it would then be amazing that the population is represented as captive men.
The area immediately behind the king and his podium, is divided into two registers. In the bottom register, the same sandal bearing man as the one on the Narmer Palette, is followed by a man holding a long stick over his shoulder.
Above them, the wigged Tshet figure, also known from the Narmer Palette, and possibly some sort of shaman, is followed by two more men holding a stick over their shoulders.
The final set of drawings represents some animals in an enclosure in the bottom register. Above this enclosure, a low rectangular structure, having a vase on a pedestal in the front, a pole, perhaps part of a flag pole in the middle, and a bird perched upon a higher structure in the back is depicted. The perching bird upon a shrine-like structure is often used to symbolise the Lower Egyptian city of Buto and may thus allow us to place the events depicted on the macehead in this ancient city. Excavations in the late 1980s at the site of Buto have indeed revealed mudbrick buildings dated to the Early Dynastic Period, and some even to the reign of Narmer.
Although many hypotheses have been offered to explain the drawings on the Narmer Macehead, none are fully satisfactory. What does seem to be clear, however, is that is appears to commemorate a festival or a ceremony held by Narmer at Buto, but whether this festival is linked to an important historic event, such as the conquest of the city, or whether it is just a festival attended by the king, is not clear at all.
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Scorpion Macehead
A
highly fragmentary macehead bearing the name of a king 'Scorpion' was
found during the archaeological survey of Hierakonpolis in 1897/98,
along with the Narmer Palette and other objects dated to the very beginning of the Early Dynastic Period. It is now on display at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
Restored to full size, the limestone macehead is about 25 centimetres high. Its size and weight alone indicate that the purpose of this macehead was ceremonial rather than practical. Its finely carved decoration has played an important role in the debate surrounding the supposed unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.
The
beautifully sculpted central figure is king 'Scorpion', identified by
the floral element and the scorpion in front of him. He wears the White
Crown, traditionally associated with Upper-Egypt, a tunic and an
animal's tail extending from the back of his tunic. He holds a hoe in
his hands, ready to cut open the ground.
Before him stands a man, facing the king and pouring sand on the ground. This type of scene is known throughout the Pharaonic history: it shows the king while preparing the foundations of some kind of building.
Below the king, a strip of water is represented, which could indicate that 'Scorpion' is laying the foundations of a dam or dike. There is no indication where such a dam may have been constructed.
Behind the king, two men are shown bearing large fans to protect him from the heat, and behind them, two registers of marsh plants are shown. On the lowest register, the plants are followed by some women clapping their hands and dancing. The level above represents a seated person.
Before the king at least two men were standing carrying a standard pole, representing the monarchy or the territories belonging to that monarchy.
Above the entire scene, at least seven standards are shown. On each of them, a bird, perhaps representing the word "people", is hanged by the neck. These standards are often interpreted as a representation of the territories and the peoples conquered by ‘Scorpion', suggesting that he was a warrior-king.
It has sometimes been suggested that the king might have been represented wearing the Red Crown, normally associated with Lower-Egypt, on the missing part of the mace head. A tentative reconstruction made by Krzysztof M. Cialowicz shows the king indeed wearing the Red Crown (see drawing above: the lighter part is reconstruction). This reconstruction is based on the assumption that a large figure was standing facing the two standard bearers to the right of 'Scorpion's name. A small part of a foot and an even smaller part of a leg of such a figure may perhaps be recognised on the remaining parts of the mace. Because of the size of this figure, it must have represented the king. Two other, very small fragments each contain two leaves of a floral element and a small stroke to the right. In his reconstruction, Cialowicz interprets these two small strokes as part of the Red Crown.
If this reconstruction is correct, then the Red Crown may indeed have been worn by a king prior to the reign of the Horus Narmer. If the Red Crown was associated with Lower-Egypt before Narmer's reign, then Cialowicz's reconstruction would show that Upper- and Lower-Egypt may already have been united before Narmer came to power.
However, Cialowicz' reconstruction is solely based on a few scanty traces on the remaining fragments of the mace head. In Cialowicz's reconstruction, the two traces of a Red Crown are located on two small, individual fragments. Each fragment contains part of a sign representing a flower, a sign that we can find combined with 'Scorpion's symbol elsewhere on the mace head. In Cialowicz's reconstruction, however, the lower flower is placed where we would expect to find the symbol of the scorpion, making it very doubtful that the lower fragment is to be placed directly underneath the higher one. As a result, it is also unlikely that the two fragments can be connected directly and that they contained the representation of the Red Crown.
A stylistic comparison of the Scorpion Macehead with both the palette and the macehead of Horus Narmer, has revealed that at the very least, all three artefacts are very likely to have been produced at the same atelier.
This, and the absence of any other known sources to mention king 'Scorpion' has led some Egyptologists to propose that 'Scorpion' and Horus Narmer were actually the same. Throughout Ancient Egypt's recorded history, it was not unusual for a king to change part of his titulary to reflect a change in policy or to reflect a particular event that occurred during his reign. Until more sources are found that would confirm 'Scorpion' as a different king, the hypothesis that he and Narmer were the same, cannot be discarted.
Restored to full size, the limestone macehead is about 25 centimetres high. Its size and weight alone indicate that the purpose of this macehead was ceremonial rather than practical. Its finely carved decoration has played an important role in the debate surrounding the supposed unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.
Ceremonial Macehead
of a king identified as ‘Scorpion’. The stylistic similarities with
Narmer’s Palette are enough to at least date this ‘Scorpion’ very close
to Narmer.
Source: Baines-Malek, Atlas van het Oude Egypte, p. 79.
Source: Baines-Malek, Atlas van het Oude Egypte, p. 79.
King ‘Scorpion’ holding a hoe.
Before him stands a man, facing the king and pouring sand on the ground. This type of scene is known throughout the Pharaonic history: it shows the king while preparing the foundations of some kind of building.
Below the king, a strip of water is represented, which could indicate that 'Scorpion' is laying the foundations of a dam or dike. There is no indication where such a dam may have been constructed.
Behind the king, two men are shown bearing large fans to protect him from the heat, and behind them, two registers of marsh plants are shown. On the lowest register, the plants are followed by some women clapping their hands and dancing. The level above represents a seated person.
Before the king at least two men were standing carrying a standard pole, representing the monarchy or the territories belonging to that monarchy.
Above the entire scene, at least seven standards are shown. On each of them, a bird, perhaps representing the word "people", is hanged by the neck. These standards are often interpreted as a representation of the territories and the peoples conquered by ‘Scorpion', suggesting that he was a warrior-king.
Reconstruction drawing of the Scorpion Macehead.
Source: Adams-Cialowicz, Protodynastic Egypt, p. 8.
Source: Adams-Cialowicz, Protodynastic Egypt, p. 8.
It has sometimes been suggested that the king might have been represented wearing the Red Crown, normally associated with Lower-Egypt, on the missing part of the mace head. A tentative reconstruction made by Krzysztof M. Cialowicz shows the king indeed wearing the Red Crown (see drawing above: the lighter part is reconstruction). This reconstruction is based on the assumption that a large figure was standing facing the two standard bearers to the right of 'Scorpion's name. A small part of a foot and an even smaller part of a leg of such a figure may perhaps be recognised on the remaining parts of the mace. Because of the size of this figure, it must have represented the king. Two other, very small fragments each contain two leaves of a floral element and a small stroke to the right. In his reconstruction, Cialowicz interprets these two small strokes as part of the Red Crown.
If this reconstruction is correct, then the Red Crown may indeed have been worn by a king prior to the reign of the Horus Narmer. If the Red Crown was associated with Lower-Egypt before Narmer's reign, then Cialowicz's reconstruction would show that Upper- and Lower-Egypt may already have been united before Narmer came to power.
However, Cialowicz' reconstruction is solely based on a few scanty traces on the remaining fragments of the mace head. In Cialowicz's reconstruction, the two traces of a Red Crown are located on two small, individual fragments. Each fragment contains part of a sign representing a flower, a sign that we can find combined with 'Scorpion's symbol elsewhere on the mace head. In Cialowicz's reconstruction, however, the lower flower is placed where we would expect to find the symbol of the scorpion, making it very doubtful that the lower fragment is to be placed directly underneath the higher one. As a result, it is also unlikely that the two fragments can be connected directly and that they contained the representation of the Red Crown.
A stylistic comparison of the Scorpion Macehead with both the palette and the macehead of Horus Narmer, has revealed that at the very least, all three artefacts are very likely to have been produced at the same atelier.
This, and the absence of any other known sources to mention king 'Scorpion' has led some Egyptologists to propose that 'Scorpion' and Horus Narmer were actually the same. Throughout Ancient Egypt's recorded history, it was not unusual for a king to change part of his titulary to reflect a change in policy or to reflect a particular event that occurred during his reign. Until more sources are found that would confirm 'Scorpion' as a different king, the hypothesis that he and Narmer were the same, cannot be discarted.
Umm el-Qa'ab Tomb B17/B18
Despite
the possibility that later Egyptian chroniclers may have considered him
to be the founder of the Egyptian kingdom, Narmer was buried in a
fairly modest tomb in Umm el-Qa'ab, the Late Predynastic and Early Dynastic royal necropolis, located to the West of Abydos.
The tomb was first discovered in the 1890s during Amélineau's survey of the Umm el-Qa'ab cemetery B.
It consists of 2 rectangular pits, numbered B17 and B18, that were cut into the
ground. The larger of the two pits, B17, measures about 3 by 4.1 metres, while the lesser preserved B18 is approximately 3 by 3 metres.
The walls of the pits were lined with mudbricks and there are traces of wooden panels as well. Two 0.65 metre deep holes in the ground of B17 may have been used to place poles that supported the tomb's roof.
Narmer’s tomb consists of 2 pits.
It consists of 2 rectangular pits, numbered B17 and B18, that were cut into the
ground. The larger of the two pits, B17, measures about 3 by 4.1 metres, while the lesser preserved B18 is approximately 3 by 3 metres.
The walls of the pits were lined with mudbricks and there are traces of wooden panels as well. Two 0.65 metre deep holes in the ground of B17 may have been used to place poles that supported the tomb's roof.
Scorpion Macehead
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