Friday 8 July 2016

First Egyptian Dynasty

According to Herodotus Upper and Lower Egypt were united by Menes (who may be representing a number of kings involved in the process of unification), the founding king of the first dynasty who, according to Manetho, came from the Thinite province in Upper Egypt.
Djet
Whether unification was achieved by military or peaceful means is uncertain. According to tradition, Menes founded Memphis on an island in the Nile and extended his power as far as the first cataract.

First Egyptian Dynasty
Aha/Menes/Aka(?) 3100 BCE c. 32nd century (?)  Mainstream opinion identifies Narmer with Menes, however a minority of scholars identify Menes with Hor-Aha.
Hor-Aha(Attah)   starting 3080 ± 30 BCE (p = 0.32)[4]
Djer       (Gani Eri) 3073–3036 BCE 41 years
Djet   (Bag Eri)    3008–2975 BCE?
Merneith (mother of Den)     3008? 2946–2916 BCE
Den/Dan/Dun(Dunu)/(Dunu Idu)     2975–2935-2911 BCE or 2928–2911 BCE 19 to 50 years (42 years)
Anedjib     2916–2896 BCE 20 years
Semerkhet     2912–2891 BCE? 20 years
Qa'a     2906–2886 BCE? 30 years

He sent ambassadors to Canaan and Byblos in Phoenicia to establish peaceful commercial trade links. He founded the city of Crocodilopolis and built the first temple to the god Ptah. Legend has it, that he died at the age of sixty three, killed by wild dogs and crocodiles near Fayum. According to Manetho he was killed by a hippopotamus after a 62 year reign.
Merneith
His was buried at Saqqara, the necropolis of Memphis. His wife Neithotep became regent until their child, Djer, was old enough to reign.

Djer, married to Herneith, ruled from Memphis during fifty years, building palaces and conducting military expeditions against Asiatics in the Sinai desert. An inscription with his name south of the first cataract points to the extent of the realm. Of Djet (Wadj), who succeeded him little is known. His limestone stela was found near Abydos where he was buried.

Queen Merenith ruled Egypt as regent when Den became king as a child. There are, however, many scholars who think that Merenith was a ruler in her own right. Stone vessels and sealings bearing her name were found at Saqqara, as was a stela with her name written in an archaic form with crossed arrows signifying the name of Neith. Merenith has two burial sites, one at Abydos and one at Saqqara (Mastaba 3503). The Saqqara tomb contains some artifacts that show the the name of a high court official called Seshemka. The Abydos burial complex is amongst those of the kings of her dynasty.
 During Den's fifty year reign he conducted military campaigns in the Sinai desert in order to gain control of the mineral deposits there.

He was buried at Saqqara, even though he built his mortuary complex in Abydos.

Semerkhet
The cult of Apis was introduced during his reign. Anendjib who was legitimized by his marriage to Betrest of the Memphite royal family, ruled for fourteen years from Memphis. His power over the south was challenged by local tribes and the northern nomes were often rebellious.

Semerkhet reigned for only nine years, and is thought by some to have been a usurper. According to Manetho disasters occurred during his reign. He may have caused the unrest during Anendjib's reign. He is responsible for erasing Anendjib's name from stone vases. A little black stela bearing his name is the only direct evidence found. Qa'a is mentioned on jar sealings and two damaged stela.

One one of these stela he is shown wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt and being embraced by the God Horus.
Hor/Aha
According to Manetho he reigned for about 26 years. He was buried at Abydos in the tomb designated Tomb Q. A German archaeological expedition in 1993 re-excavated the tomb and discovered that several alterations had been made in the tomb.

 Until the reign of Den Egypt seems to have enjoyed stability and prosperity. Order broke down during Anendjib's reign, when conflicting factions caused changes that would end this great dynasty. The practice of subsidiary burial where retainers were killed in order to serve the ruler in the afterlife ceased after the reign of Qa'a.

Sources: Egyptian, Indian and Sumerian King lists' transcriptions,   Herodotus and Manetho



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