Master Notes
Egypt of the Pharaohs –– Notes from Readings
Late Predynastic
Naqada: one of the cultures in Nile valley
One of the largest known in the Nile Valley during Pre-Dynastic Period
Naqadization: Ousted, engulfed or incorporated other cultures: culminated in political unification and statehood; cultural unification occurred before political unification
Gradual conquest and subjection of more and more extensive areas of Nile Valley until whole of Upper Egypt was under Naqada control
Hunting and nomadism in south; settled farming and cattle husbandry in north
Stratified society
Richness of pictorial imagery
Decorated tomb of a chief of Hierakonpolis: first instance of smiting motif but no traces of writing
Hierakonpolis: site of Narmer palette
Snake-neck panthers whose intertwined necks symbolize unification
Bull tramples enemy with hooves, destroys city with horns: bull = symbol of pharaonic royal power
10 decapitated figures with heads between feet
King wearing white crown, smiting victim
Falcon (Horus/king) perched on papyrus thicket with 6 blossoms holds in claw a rope attached to a head that protrudes from soil on which papyrus thicket grows
Falcon (king or god) conquered land of papyrus (Delta or Lower Egypt)
4 of 5 sections represent death-dealing power of king: message centers on war, violence, death, subjection
Not peaceful expansion but lethal conflict, victory of south over north
Dynasty 0
Horus name title: king as incarnation of Horus
Irihor (?)
“Scorpion”: ruled over Upper Egypt and parts of Delta
War-like and violent form of self-representation
Scorpion Macehead: Scorpion wearing white crown, sporting bull’s tails, followed by fan bearers, scorpion near head, facing man holding basket and men holding standards (ceremonial flag); holding hoe that smashed up dikes and opened Nile flood
Narmer: royal Residence lay in southern Upper Eypt
Palermo Stone: fragmentary tablet of black basalt recording annals of kings of early period and Old
Late Predynastic
Naqada: one of the cultures in Nile valley
One of the largest known in the Nile Valley during Pre-Dynastic Period
Naqadization: Ousted, engulfed or incorporated other cultures: culminated in political unification and statehood; cultural unification occurred before political unification
Gradual conquest and subjection of more and more extensive areas of Nile Valley until whole of Upper Egypt was under Naqada control
Hunting and nomadism in south; settled farming and cattle husbandry in north
Stratified society
Richness of pictorial imagery
Decorated tomb of a chief of Hierakonpolis: first instance of smiting motif but no traces of writing
Hierakonpolis: site of Narmer palette
Snake-neck panthers whose intertwined necks symbolize unification
Bull tramples enemy with hooves, destroys city with horns: bull = symbol of pharaonic royal power
10 decapitated figures with heads between feet
King wearing white crown, smiting victim
Falcon (Horus/king) perched on papyrus thicket with 6 blossoms holds in claw a rope attached to a head that protrudes from soil on which papyrus thicket grows
Falcon (king or god) conquered land of papyrus (Delta or Lower Egypt)
4 of 5 sections represent death-dealing power of king: message centers on war, violence, death, subjection
Not peaceful expansion but lethal conflict, victory of south over north
Dynasty 0
Horus name title: king as incarnation of Horus
Irihor (?)
“Scorpion”: ruled over Upper Egypt and parts of Delta
War-like and violent form of self-representation
Scorpion Macehead: Scorpion wearing white crown, sporting bull’s tails, followed by fan bearers, scorpion near head, facing man holding basket and men holding standards (ceremonial flag); holding hoe that smashed up dikes and opened Nile flood
Narmer: royal Residence lay in southern Upper Eypt
Palermo Stone: fragmentary tablet of black basalt recording annals of kings of early period and Old