Early Dynastic Egypt

by Toby A H Wilkinson

pottery production 33–6 priesthood see royal family;

  titles, religious

  Ptah (deity) 263, 281, 292–3 pyramids see Dahshur;

  Huni; Khaba; Maidum; Seila; Sekhemkhet;

  Step Pyramid complex; Zawiyet el-Aryan

  Pyramid Texts:

  references to celestial afterlife 257, 258, 266;

  references to deities, general 264, 286, 288, 295, 301;

  references to deities, specific Utterances 282, 283, 284, 289–90, 294, 297;

  references to regalia, shrines and cult objects 193, 296, 298–9, 319; as a source for early theology 203;

  as a source for interpreting the Step Pyramid complex 248

  Qaa, King 80–1;

  and administration 116, 121, 127, 133, 135, 136, 137, 140, 143, 148;

  and foreign relations 157, 159;

  names and titles of 202, 204;

  relationship to other kings 82, 83;

  and religion 273, 281, 292;

  rock-cut inscriptions of 292, 333;

  Sed-festival of 212–13;

  tomb of 26, 80–1, 237–8, 257

  (see also human sacrifice);

  year labels of 218, 222, 300, 301, 305;

  see also Deir Sitt Damiana Qahedjet, King 95, 103–5, 202

  Qau 274, 280

  Qena 56, 295

  Qift 169, 170

  Quibell, I.E. 6–7, 9

  Qus 169, 170

  Quseir 56, 170

  Qustul 39–40, 48, 51, 54, 176–7, 179, 345;

  incense burner 39, 49, 54, 194;

  and trade 43, 46, 180

  Ra (deity) 84, 273, 293

  Rafiah 44

  Raneb see Nebra red crown 193;

  association with Neith 221; as a deity 284;

  as an item of royal regalia 102, 192–4, 211, 274, 275, 287;

  origins of 48–9

  regalia, royal 186–96; see also bull’s tail; double crown; flail;

  heqa-sceptre;

  khat-head-dress’, nemes-head-dress;

  sandals; red crown; uraeus;

  was-sceptre; white crown Reisner, G.A. 7–8

  royal cult 117, 274–9, 299;

  statues 78, 274–6 royal family:

  in government 112, 114, 135–6, 138, 148, 185–6; in the priesthood 273

  royal foundations 116–24, 134, 365;

  see also domains; estates

  royal names 53, 87, 98, 100, 200–8

  royal placenta 198–9, 266, 299 royal tomb:

  development of 41, 233, 234–8, 240–3, 244–5, 246–7, 253–5;

  orientation of 235, 236–8, 256, 257;

  symbolism of 40, 230–1, 233, 255–9;

  see also Saqqara, Second Dynasty royal tombs; Sekhemkhet, step pyramid complex of;

  Step Pyramid complex; Umm el-Qaab;

  Zawiyet el-Aryan, ‘layer pyramid’ royal visits 71, 72, 221–2, 281, 284, 363

  Saad, Z.Y. 12–13

  Saïs:

  as cult centre of Neith 291, 320;

  as Predynastic centre 50, 325, 363;

  royal visits to 72, 221–2, 320

  Sanakht, King 101–3, 248;

  and administration 128, 132, 134;

  expeditions to the Sinai 166, 167

  (see also Sinai);

  names and titles of 202, 208;

  seal-impressions of 5, 250, 330

  sandals 155, 191 Saqqara:

  élite tombs see North Saqqara; excavations at 9–16, 25;

  Second Dynasty royal tombs 83–5, 88, 142, 230, 240–3, 241, 243, 250–1, 256, 257;

  see also funerary enclosures; Hemaka;

  Sekhemkhet, step pyramid complex of; Step Pyramid complex

  Satet (deity) 293–4

  scorpion, as cultic object 148, 270, 299

  ‘Scorpion’, King 56–7, 179, 191;

  at Hierakonpolis 39, 51–2, 270, 310;

  possible tomb of 23, 56, 235 Scorpion macehead:

  and aspects of royal iconography 46, 56, 111, 185, 191, 194;

  discovery of 7;

  depiction of divine images on 268;

  depictions of standards on 197, 199, 290, 294; as evidence for royal ritual 216

  secondary products 126, 129–33

  Sed (deity) 281, 294, 298

  Sed-festival 76, 199, 210, 212–15, 258, 285;

  organisation of 135;

  of specific kings 75, 81, 86, 87, 94;

  in temple decoration 305, 312, 316;

  see also Step Pyramid complex Seila 104, 254, 277

  Sekhemib-perenmaat, King 90–1, 142, 157, 202, 282, 295

  Sekhemkasedj (official) 121, 146–7

  Sekhemkhet, King 94, 98–9, 166;

  and administration 134, 140;

  names and titles of 202, 205, 284;

  step pyramid complex of 14, 88, 99, 162, 243, 247, 252–3;

  see also Sinai Sekhen see ‘Ka’ Semerkhet, King 79–80;

  and administration 116, 121, 124;

  and foreign relations 158, 159;

  names and titles of 202, 203, 207, 208, 284, 292;

  and religion 281, 283, 285, 291, 296, 300;

  tomb of 77, 79–80, 237;

  see also funerary enclosures Sened, King 88–9, 242

  Seshat (deity) 273, 294

  Seth (deity) 294–5, 298;

  as god of Naqada 37–8, 39, 48, 192;

  relationship with other deities 282, 284, 292, 293;

  in royal iconography 197, 198, 199;

  in royal titulary 82, 89, 202, 203, 207

  Sethroë 89, 157

  Seyala 177

  Shellal 182

  Shu (deity) 295

  Shunet ez-Zebib 23, 93, 228, 245–6;

  boats adjacent to 25, 160, 257;

  functions of 238, 277;

  as precursor of Step Pyramid complex 95, 249; seal-impressions from 116, 132, 143, 296

  silver 30, 163

  Sinai 165–7;

  as cult centre of Sopdu 296;

  Egyptian aggression against 71, 157, 206;

  iconography of Wadi Maghara inscriptions 102, 192, 196, 201, 300;

  northern 44, 155;

  turquoise mining expeditions to Wadi Maghara 62, 97, 99, 102, 134, 140, 143–4, 163, 172

  Sneferka, King 82, 209

  Sneferu, King 61, 103;

  and foreign relations 160, 180;

  names and titles of 201, 208; pyramids of see Dahshur; Maidum;

  Seila;

  see also Metjen Sobek (deity) 282, 295–6

  social stratification 34–5, 44

  Sokar (deity) 170, 296

  Sokar festival see festivals Sopdu (deity) 296–7

  standards 197–9, 198, 299

  state formation, factors involved in 44–7, 113 statues see divine images;

  royal cult

  Step Pyramid complex (of Netjerikhet) 95–6, 228, 247–52;

  construction of 98, 113, 236, 242, 253, 311;

  excavation and restoration of 9–10, 13–14;

  and developments in royal mortuary architecture 17, 23, 93, 231, 238, 246, 259;

  functions and symbolism of 256, 277;

  galleries beneath the Western Massif and North Court 84, 88, 89, 242;

  ink inscriptions from 137, 138, 291;

  Great Court 214;

  inscribed stone vessels from 62, 77, 86, 87, 89, 90, 91, 263, 275, 279, 285, 288, 294, 296, 343; relief fragment from 301;

  relief panels from 104, 188, 189, 190, 199, 276, 277, 285, 287, 299;

  seal-impressions from 92, 101;

  Sed-festival court 212, 213, 214–15, 249, 303;

  see also Imhotep Sumer 170

  Susa 170

  Syria, Egyptian contacts with 21, 41, 158;

  see also Amuq;

  trade, with the Near East

  Ta-Sety 71, 92, 177;

  see also Nubia

  Tarkhan 8, 9, 49, 165, 295–6, 361–2;

  élite First Dynasty mastabas at 73, 225, 324;

  inscriptions from 54, 57, 58, 69, 293<
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  Taur Ikhbeineh 151

  Taurus Mountains 164

  taxation 45, 58, 112–13, 125, 126–7, 220–1

  Tel Erani 24, 69, 151–2, 154

  Tell Arad 44, 69, 154, 160, 166

  Tell Basta see Bubastis Tell el-Fara‘in see Buto Tell el-Farkha 22, 364

  Tell el-Iswid south 22, 164, 340–1 Tell er-Ruba see Mendes

  Tell Ibrahim Awad 22, 58, 364;

  shrine 270, 306, 316–17

  (see also votive offerings) Tell Timai see Mendes

  Tel Maahaz 152

  temple building 222, 272, 304, 305–6

  This 290, 326, 354–5;

  as home city of First Dynasty 67, 231; as regional capital 40, 352;

  and state formation 46, 47–51, 52

  Thoth (deity) 198, 264, 297 titles:

  administrative 115–16;

  courtly 135–9;

  religious 148, 272–4;

  royal 200–8;

  see also officials

  tomb U-j (Abydos) 19, 38, 40–3, 46, 256;

  as evidence for state formation 48, 50, 51;

  heqa-sceptre from 188; labels from see writing

  trade:

  long-distance 43, 162–5;

  with the Near East, Early Dynastic 15, 69, 71, 72, 74, 77, 80, 81, 157–62, 364;

  with the Near East, Predynastic 21, 35–6, 41–2, 43, 46, 47, 113, 151, 240, 341, 363;

  with sub-Saharan Africa 40, 43, 46, 177, 181, 346, 348;

  with Nubia 29, 43, 113, 345, 348

  treasury, the 117, 125–33, 126, 221;

  see also officials Tukh 104, 278

  Tura 8, 16, 165, 362;

  inscriptions from 54, 55, 56, 69, 72

  Turin Canon 63, 199;

  and the Third Dynasty 94, 95, 96, 98, 99, 102, 103, 254, 279 turquoise see Sinai

  ‘Two Ladies’ title and names 200, 203–5, 204

  Uadji see Djet

  Umm el-Qaab 4, 17, 48, 97, 227, 229, 230, 232, 259;

  First Dynasty royal tombs 231–8;

  Second Dynasty royal tombs 244–5 unification, political 3, 45, 47–52, 264, 360

  uraeus 191–2, 300 urban centres:

  definition of 323;

  functions of 326–7 urbanism:

  evidence for 327–8;

  factors influencing 40, 324–6

  vizier 14, 113, 137–9

  votive offerings 264, 268, 269–72, 283, 298, 299;

  from Abydos 5, 40, 189, 270–1, 286, 313, 314–15;

  from Badari 315;

  from Elephantine 18, 308;

  from Hierakonpolis 309–10

  (see also Hierakonpolis ‘Main Deposit'); from Tell Ibrahim Awad 316–17

  Wadi Abbad 169, 348 Wadi Abu Kua 169

  Wadi Chagab 169

  Wadi Dara 171–2

  Wadi Digla 36, 360

  Wadi Fawakhir 169

  Wadi Hammamat 37, 169–71, 313, 350–1

  Wadi Hellal 81, 333, 348–9

  Wadi Hof 360

  Wadi Maghara see Sinai Wadi Miyah 169

  Wadi Qash 69, 169 Wadi Umm Sidrah 172 Wadj see Djet

  Wadjet (deity) 222, 284, 292, 297;

  see also ‘Two Ladies’ title and names Wadji see Djet

  was-sceptre 189–90, 288 Way, T. von der 20 Weneg, King 87–8

  Wepwawet (deity) 192, 263, 297–8;

  relationship with other deities 281, 294;

  standard of 102, 167, 191, 192, 197, 198, 199, 300

  western desert 81, 143, 167–8, 173–4, 206;

  rock-cut inscriptions 62, 73, 84, 196

  white crown 49, 91; as a deity 285;

  as an item of royal regalia 39, 91, 194–5, 202, 211, 274

  Wildung, D. 21

  wine 41–2, 119, 131, 154

  writing, early 14, 19, 41, 42, 44–6, 52, 112, 318, 319, 340

  Xoïte Nome 147

  year labels 62, 79, 81, 204;

  of Narmer 26, 66, 68;

  as a source for administration 110;

  as a source for early kingship 218–19, 221–3;

  as a source for religion 266–7, 268, 284, 300, 302, 318, 342

  Zawiyet el-Aryan:

  First Dynasty cemetery 69, 71, 362;

  ‘layer pyramid’ 94, 99, 101, 247, 253–4

  Zawiyet el-Meitin 104, 278

  Zer see Djer Zet see Djet

  Table of Contents

  Figure 7.2 The royal cemetery at Saqqara. The plan shows the large number of Early Dynastic features in this part of the Memphite necropolis: (1) a group of graves dating to the reign of Den, possibly outlining a ritual arena; (2) and (3) two large rectangular enclosures of uncertain date (named the Ptah-hotep enclosure and the Gisr el-Mudir, respectively); (4) a set of underground galleries forming the tomb of Hetepsekhemwy and/or Nebra; (5) the location of a second set of underground galleries, forming the tomb of Ninetjer; (6)

  ix

  x

  xii

  xvii

  Egyptology and the Early Dynastic Period

  Birth of a Nation State

  Historical Outline

  Administration

  Foreign Relations

  Kingship

  Royal Mortuary Architecture

  Cults and Shrines

  The Rise of Urbanism

  The Regions of Egypt

  316

  317

  327

  356

  3

  5

  7

  8

  10

  17

  64

  73

  184

  196

  204

  218

  240

  xviii

  xx

  22

  31

  35

  44

  53

  55

  67

  74

  83

  85

  100

  102

  107

  108

  117

  123

  132