Narmer was the first king of the First Dynasty of Egypt
First Dynasty of Egypt
The First Dynasty of ancient Egypt covers the first series of Egyptian kings to rule over a unified Egypt. It immediately follows the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, possibly by Narmer, and marks the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period, a time at which power was centered at Thinis.
Narmer Palette
The Narmer Palette, also known as the Great Hierakonpolis Palette or the Palette of Narmer, is a significant Egyptian archeological find, dating from about the 31st century BC, belonging, at least nominally, to the category of Cosmetic palettes. It contains some of the earliest hieroglyphic inscrip…
What does the Narmer Palette commemorate?
Narmer may have been the first king of Upper and Lower Egypt and it is often stated as fact that the Narmer Palette commemorates his victory and the unification of Egypt.
What towns are referred to in the Narmer Palette?
Unfortunately, we do not know what towns are referred to. Narmer may have been the first king of Upper and Lower Egypt and it is often stated as fact that the Narmer Palette commemorates his victory and the unification of Egypt.
What does the palette of narmeron depict?
The palette, carved in raised relief, in fact depicts King Narmeron both sides in two ambiguous scenes. Ambiguity given, not only, but also, since on one side he is wearing the bulbed White Crown of Upper Egypt, and on the other side the Red Crown of Lower Egypt.
What does Narmer wear on his portrait?
A large picture in the center of the Palette depicts Narmer wielding a mace wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt (whose symbol was the flowering lotus). On the left of the king is a man bearing the king's sandals, flanked by a rosette symbol.
What was the purpose of the Narmer Palette?
Many scholars believe Narmer to be another name for Menes, a ruler of the First Dynasty. This object depicts the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt into the "Kingdom of the Two Lands" under the divine king. This object is a ceremonial palette used in the ritual of mixing and applying the King's eye makeup.
Who made the palette of Narmer?
The Palette, which has survived five millennia in almost perfect condition, was discovered by British archeologists James E....Narmer PaletteSizec. 64 cm × 42 cmCreated3200–3000 BC (circa)Discovered1897–1898Present locationEgyptian Museum, Cairo3 more rows
What was found with the Narmer Palette?
The “Main Deposit” at Hierakonpolis, where the Narmer Palette was discovered, contained many hundreds of objects, including a number of large relief-covered ceremonial mace-heads, ivory statuettes, carved knife handles, figurines of scorpions and other animals, stone vessels, and a second elaborately decorated palette ...
When was the palette of King Narmer made?
Narmer Palette Facts The Narmer Palette is carved of a single piece of smooth grayish-green siltstone on both sides between 3200 BC and 3000 BC. The palette tells the story of the king's Narmer victory in battle and his unification of Egypt after getting his approval from the holy gods of ancient Egypt.
Is Narmer and Menes the same person?
Narmer is often credited with the unification of Egypt by means of the conquest of Lower Egypt by Upper Egypt. While Menes is traditionally considered the first king of Ancient Egypt, Narmer has been identified by the majority of Egyptologists as the same person as Menes.
Who created Akhenaten and his family?
The Stela of Akhenaten and his family is the name for an altar image in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo which depicts the Pharaoh Akhenaten, his queen Nefertiti, and their three children....Stela of Akhenaten and his familyCreatedAmarna Period, 18th Dynasty, New KingdomDiscoveredHaus Q 47.16, Tell el-Amarna, Middle Egypt5 more rows
What does the palette of Narmer represent quizlet?
The Sun God's daily journey and the battles that the Sun God has fought are perceived to be the scenes on the palette. King Narmer wears both the crowns of upper and lower Egypt expressing his dominance over all of Egypt, along with the early importance of the solar cycle and the king's role in daily processes.
Who discovered the Silver Pharaoh?
MontetThe tomb of Psusennes I is being heralded by Egyptologists as one of the major artifacts of ancient Egypt. Montet discovered it almost by chance after his team excavated a raided tomb merely 10 yards away.
Where was the Narmer Palette found?
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.
What are the four standard bearers in Narmer?
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 Na rmer, or of the regions that already belonged to his kingdom.
What was the name of the region that Narmer conquered?
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'.
What does the falcon's nose mean?
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.
What does the king hold in his left hand?
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.
What is the significance of the Menes necklace?
It is a key piece in the identification of Menes, the almost legendary first king to have ruled over the whole of Egypt.
What is the military symbolism on the palette?
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.
What are the symbols on the Narmer Palette?
Early hieroglyphic symbols on the Narmer Palette. Both sides of the Palette are decorated, carved in raised relief. At the top of both sides are the central serekhs bearing the rebus symbols n'r (catfish) and mr (chisel) inside, being the phonetic representation of Narmer's name.
How tall is the Narmer Palette?
The Narmer Palette is a 63-centimetre-tall (2.07 ft), shield-shaped, ceremonial palette, carved from a single piece of flat, soft dark gray-green siltstone. The stone has often been wrongly identified, in the past, as being slate or schist.
What does Narmer wear in the Palette?
A large picture in the center of the Palette depicts Narmer wielding a mace wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt (whose symbol was the flowering lotus).
What is a palette used for?
Palettes were typically used for grinding cosmetics, but this palette is too large and heavy (and elaborate) to have been created for personal use and was probably a ritual or votive object, specifically made for donation to, or use in, a temple.
Where was the Palette found?
Quibell and Frederick W. Green, in what they called the Main Deposit in the Temple of Horus at Nekhen, during the dig season of 1897–98. Also found at this dig were the Narmer Macehead and the Scorpion Macehead. The exact place and circumstances of these finds were not recorded very clearly by Quibell and Green. In fact, Green's report placed the Palette in a different layer one or two yards away from the deposit, which is considered to be more accurate on the basis of the original excavation notes. It has been suggested that these objects were royal donations made to the temple. Nekhen, or Hierakonpolis, was one of four power centers in Upper Egypt that preceded the consolidation of Upper Egypt at the end of the Naqada III period. Hierakonpolis's religious importance continued long after its political role had declined. Palettes were typically used for grinding cosmetics, but this palette is too large and heavy (and elaborate) to have been created for personal use and was probably a ritual or votive object, specifically made for donation to, or use in, a temple. One theory is that it was used to grind cosmetics to adorn the statues of the deities.
What is the recto side of the narmer?
Recto side. Narmer Palette (recto) As on the other side, two human-faced bovine heads, thought to represent the patron cow goddess Bat, flank the serekhs. The goddess Bat is, as she often was, shown in portrait, rather than in profile as is traditional in Egyptian relief carving.
What is the palette in Assassin's Creed Origins?
In Ubisoft's 2017 game Assassin's Creed Origins, the Palette is a quest item and minor plot point toward the end of the main quest's storyline.
What is the Narmer Palette?
Updated November 21, 2019. The Narmer Palette is the name of an elaborately carved shield-shaped slab of gray schist made during the Old Kingdom of Dynastic Egypt (ca. 2574-2134 BC). It is the earliest monumental representation of any pharaoh: the carvings on the palette depict events in the life of King Narmer, also known as Menes, ...
Where was Narmer's palette found?
Narmer's palette was found in a deposit with 2,000 other votive objects within the ruins of a temple at his capital city of Hierakonpolis south of Luxor. British archaeologists James E. Quibell and Frederick Green found the main deposit during their 1897-1898 field season at Hierakonpolis.
Who Was Narmer?
Narmer, or Menes, ruled about 3050 BCE and was considered by the First Dynasty Egyptians as the founder of that Dynasty, the last king of what archaeologists call Dynasty 0, or the Early Bronze Age IB. Egyptian dynastic civilization began over 5,000 years ago with the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt into a single Upper Egyptian Polity based at Hierankopolis, that unification attributed to Narmer in historical Egyptian records. Numerous later Egyptian writings claim Narmer as the conqueror of all the societies along the length of the Nile River , but some scholarly doubt persists. Narmer's own tomb has been identified at Naqada.
What are some examples of carved objects depicting the deeds of Old Kingdom pharaohs?
Other examples of large carved objects depicting the deeds of Old Kingdom pharaohs include the Narmer Macehead, which illustrates the presentation of animals and people to a seated ruler , likely Narmer; a flint knife with an ivory handle showing a scene of combat found at Gebel el-Arak; and a slightly later ivory comb bearing the name of a different king of the First Dynasty. All of these are oversized, elaborate versions of common artifact types found in the Badarian/Khartoum Neolithic-Naqada I periods, and in this manner, they represent references to what would have been ancient history to the people of the Old Kingdom.
What is the Palette of the Temple?
Some, such as Wengrow, believe the palette illustrates a Mediterranean cattle cult dating back to the Neolithic. Given its recovery from within a temple deposit, the palette may be a dedicatory object for the temple in which it was found, and it was probably used in rituals that took place in the temple and celebrated the king.
Where is Narmer's tomb?
Narmer's own tomb has been identified at Naqada. Cosmetic palettes began to be used as prestige objects in Egypt as early as the predynastic Naqada II-III period (3400-3000 BCE). A depression on such palettes was used to grind pigments, which were then mixed into a colored paste and applied to the body. The Narmer Palette was probably ...
What is the name of the cow in Narmer?
Between the two is a serekh , a rectangular box containing hieroglyphs of the main protagonist, Narmer.
Why is the Narmer palette important?
Second, there are a number of formal and iconographic characteristics appearing on the Narmer palette that remain conventional in Egyptian two-dimensional art for the following three millennia. These include the way the figures are represented, the scenes being organized in regular horizontal zones known as registers, and the use of hierarchical scale to indicate relative importance of the individuals. In addition, much of the regalia worn by the king, such as the crowns, kilts, royal beard, and bull tail, as well as other visual elements, such as the pose Narmer takes on one of the faces where he grasps an enemy by the hair and prepares to smash his skull with a mace, continue to be utilized from this time all the way through the Roman era.
Where was the Narmer Palette found?
The “Main Deposit” at Hierakonpolis, where the Narmer Palette was discovered, contained many hundreds of objects, including a number of large relief-covered ceremonial mace-heads, ivory statuettes, carved knife handles, figurines of scorpions and other animals, stone vessels, and a second elaborately decorated palette (now in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford) known as the Two Dogs Palette.
What does Narmer wear?
On the other face, Narmer wears the Upper Egyptian White Crown* (which looks rather like a bowling pin) as he grasps an inert foe by the hair and prepares to crush his skull with a mace. The White Crown is related to the dazzling brilliance of the full midday sun at its zenith as well as the luminous nocturnal light of the stars and moon. By wearing both crowns, Narmer may not only be ceremonially expressing his dominance over the unified Egypt, but also the early importance of the solar cycle and the king’s role in this daily process.
Why did Narmer wear both crowns?
By wearing both crowns, Narmer may not only be ceremonially expressing his dominance over the unified Egypt, but also the early importance of the solar cycle and the king’s role in this daily process. This fascinating object is an incredible example of early Egyptian art.
When was the Palette of Narmer discovered?
The Palette of Narmer was discovered in 1898 by James Quibell and Frederick Green. It was found with a collection of other objects that had been used for ceremonial purposes and then ritually buried within the temple at Hierakonpolis.
What is the significance of the battle scenes in the Battle of Narmer?
Some have interpreted the battle scenes as a historical narrative record of the initial unification of Egypt under one ruler, supported by the general timing (as this is the period of the unification) and the fact that Narmer sports the crown connected to Upper Egypt on one face of the palette and the crown of Lower Egypt on the other—this is the first preserved example where both crowns are used by the same ruler. Other theories suggest that, rather than an actual historical representation, these scenes were purely ceremonial and related to the concept of unification in general.
When was the Narmer Palette discovered?
The Narmer Palette was discovered in 1898 by James Quibell and Frederick Green. It was found with a collection of other objects that had been used for ceremonial purposes and then ritually buried within the temple at Hierakonpolis.
Where is the Palette of King Narmer from?
Detail, Palette of King Narmer, from Hierakonpolis, Egypt, Predynastic, c. 3000-2920 B.C.E., slate, 2′ 1″ high (Egyptian Museum, Cairo) The scene showing Narmer wearing the Lower Egyptian Red Crown* (with its ...
What is the significance of the battle scenes in the Battle of Narmer?
Some have interpreted the battle scenes as a historical narrative record of the initial unification of Egypt under one ruler, supported by the general timing (as this is the period of the unification) and the fact that Narmer sports the crown connected to Upper Egypt on one face of the palette and the crown of Lower Egypt on the other—this is the first preserved example where both crowns are used by the same ruler. Other theories suggest that, rather than an actual historical representation, these scenes were purely ceremonial and related to the concept of unification in general.
What does Narmer wear?
On the other face, Narmer wears the Upper Egyptian White Crown* (which looks rather like a bowling pin) as he grasps an inert foe by the hair and prepares to crush his skull with a mace. The White Crown is related to the dazzling brilliance of the full midday sun at its zenith as well as the luminous nocturnal light of the stars and moon. By wearing both crowns, Narmer may not only be ceremonially expressing his dominance over the unified Egypt, but also the early importance of the solar cycle and the king’s role in this daily process.
Why did Narmer wear both crowns?
By wearing both crowns, Narmer may not only be ceremonially expressing his dominance over the unified Egypt, but also the early importance of the solar cycle and the king’s role in this daily process. This fascinating object is an incredible example of early Egyptian art.
Why are ancient artifacts important?
Some artifacts are of such vital importance to our understanding of ancient cultures that they are truly unique and utterly irreplaceable. The gold mask of Tutankhamun was allowed to leave Egypt for display overseas; the Narmer Palette, on the other hand, is so valuable that it has never been permitted to leave the country.
Where was the Narmer cache found?
Often, these caches include objects from a range of dates and a mix of types, from royal statuary to furniture. Two Dogs Palette, Hierakonpolis, Egypt c.3100 B.C.E. (Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford) The “Main Deposit” at Hierakonpolis, where the Narmer Palette was discovered, contained many hundreds of objects, ...
What period did the Narmer palette date from?
Although the Narmer Palette dates to Early Dynastic Period (the end of Dynasty 0 or the beginning of Dynasty 1) it conforms to the artistic formality of later Ancient Egyptian art and shows that both the hieroglyphic language and symbolic art were already well developed at this early stage.
Where is the Narmer Palette?
Narmer Palette. The Narmer Palette is one of the most famous artefacts of Ancient Egypt. It was found in the “main deposit” of the temple of Nekhen (Hierakonpolis) by Quibell and Green in the 1890s, along with (among other things) the Narmer Macehead and the Scorpion Macehead.
What does the cow represent in the Narmer Palette?
This form was regularly used in depictions of the goddess Hathor (and occasionally Bat) but some have argued that the cows are actually bulls and represent the vigour of the King. Narmer Palette. There are three scenes on the front of the palette. In the first, Narmer inspects the bodies of his slain enemies.
What does the palette of the smiting scene represent?
It is quite possible that the palette depicts the ritual re-enactment of the act of unification. Dreyer (1998) has proposed that the “smiting” scene is a replica of another found on a ivory label discovered in Abydos (Cemetery B) and that these labels represent the names of years from Narmer’s reign.
What is the name of the man with long hair in Narmer?
He is identified by a rosette and a club as the servant of the king. In front of Narmer stands a man with long hair identified as “tjet ”.
What is the meaning of the smiting pose in ancient Egyptian art?
This “smiting” pose was very common in Ancient Egyptian art. The hieroglyphs above the victim are often translated as his name “wa shu”, but an alternative reading is “first” (or “number one”) “water” (or “lake”) in which case it may refer to the event depicted as the first battle or victory in the water.
What does the standard of Narmer represent?
The standards are often described as representing territories or emblems of Narmer, but may also be referencing the “Followers of Horus”, who are thought to represent the late predynastic rulers of Egypt and who symbolised kingship (Kemp 1991).
How did the Narmer palette work?
The Narmer Palette also used a canon of proportions for the figures. The proportions of each figure were standardized in Egyptian art so that every figure could be plotted on an imaginary grid. Actual grids only survive from Dynasty 11 (2081–1938 b.c.e.) and later. Yet this figure has proportions similar to later representations. In a standing figure, such as Narmer found on the obverse, the grid would have contained eighteen equal units from the top of the head to the bottom of the foot. Particular body parts were then plotted on the grid in a regular way. Counting from the bottom of the representation, the knee fell on grid line six, the lower buttocks on line nine, the small of the back on line eleven, the elbow on line twelve, and the junction of the neck and shoulders on line sixteen. The hair-line was on line eighteen. The same ratio of body parts would have applied to Narmer's standard bearer. The individual units would have been smaller in this case since the overall figure is about one-quarter the size of Narmer. This standardized ratio of body parts gave uniformity to Egyptian representations of people. Seated representations used a grid of 14 squares.
What is the Narmer palette?
The Narmer Palette commemorated King Narmer's victory over ten enemies of Egypt some time during Dynasty 0 (3200–3100 b.c.e.). Though scholars disagree on the precise details, the narrative would have been clear to viewers contemporary with Narmer. The Narmer Palette also represented a turning point in artists' experiments with carving in relief on stone. It is the earliest known example of the mature Egyptian style. It exhibits all of the major characteristics of the Egyptian relief style that artists used for the remainder of ancient Egyptian history, over 3,000 years. It thus represents a break with a 1,400-year old tradition of art-making during the pre-dynastic period. Moreover, its subject matter—the triumphant king—remained an important theme throughout ancient Egyptian history.
How is Narmer carved?
The figures of Narmer and the other individuals were carved in the typical Egyptian style, integrating more than one perspective into one representation of a figure. The viewer "sees" a figure from more than one angle at the same time. The head was carved in profile, as if the viewer sees it from the side. Yet the eye was carved frontally, as if the figure and viewer are face to face. The shoulders were also carved frontally, but the torso, legs and feet are shown in profile. It is physically impossible to see this combination of body parts in reality. However, the artist's aim was not to present visual reality but rather an idea of what a person is. Thus Egyptian style is described as conceptual rather than visual because it meant to convey a concept or an idea rather than an image.
Where is Narmer's name on the palette?
Narmer's name appears in hieroglyphic writing at the top of both sides of the palette. It is also written in front of his face on the reverse. Hieroglyphic labels also identify the sandal bearer and the prime minister. These labels personalize these images, which otherwise could represent any king, prime minister, or sandal bearer. Hieroglyphic labels were a standard feature of Egyptian art.
What is the king's crown on the Narmer palette?
On the obverse the king wears the cone-shaped White Crown of Upper Egypt. He also wears a bull's tail and a false beard that were associated only with the king. On the reverse the king wears a similar costume, but this time with the Red Crown of Lower Egypt. Many commentators have associated the wearing of each crown on the palette with the unification of Egypt about 3,000 b.c.e.
Why is the Palette of King Narmer important?
But the Palette of King Narmer was (so “is” for us) really important because it is one of the first works of art filled with iconographic characteristics that are going to remain conventional for 3000 years! The two-dimensional and profile figures, the scene organized in horizontal zones known as registers, the use of the hierarchical scale, the symbols, the pose of Narmer ready to smash his enemy’s skull… Will continue to be utilized from this time until the Roman era!
Where was the Palette found?
Quibell and Frederick W. Green, in what they called the Main Deposit in the Temple of Horus at Nekhen in 1897-98. It has been suggested to be a royal donation made to the temple since the object itself is a monumental and very elaborate version of a type of daily use palette used for grinding and mixing cosmetics. Palettes were generally smaller, flat and minimally decorated, but these larger and decorated ones were used in temple ceremonies. Narmer’s palette is one of the finest and oldest examples and it does not surprise to be found in Nekhen, or Hierakonpolis. It was, in fact, one of four power centers in Upper Egypt.
What is the crown of Narmer wearing?
This is the back of the palette and we can see that the King Narmer is wearing the bulbed white crown of Upper Egypt while he is going to kill an enemy with a mace.
What does the bull represent in the Palette?
At the bottom of the Palette, a bull is knocking down the walls of a city while trampling on a fallen foe. The bull could represents the king since often the pharaoh is referred to as “Strong Bull”.
Who is the falcon in the Palette?
The back of the palette is clearly dominated by Narmer who is going to kill with a mace a defeated enemy. Above the prisoner a falcon, representing Horus, perched above a set of papyrus flowers, the symbol of Lower Egypt.
How many decapitated bodies are there in the movie Narmer?
At the far right of this scene are ten decapitated corpses, with heads at their feet, possibly symbolizing the victims of Narmer’s conquest.
What does the tablet on the back of the king's head mean?
Because he is wearing the two crowns (this is the first example where both are used by the same ruler), the main interpretation seems to be that the tablet represents the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt happened thanks to the king Narmer who defeated his enemies.
Overview
The Narmer Palette, also known as the Great Hierakonpolis Palette or the Palette of Narmer, is a significant Egyptian archeological find, dating from about the 31st century BC, belonging, at least nominally, to the category of cosmetic palettes. It contains some of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions ever found. The tablet is thought by some to depict the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under …
Description
The Narmer Palette is a 63-centimetre-tall (2.07 ft), shield-shaped, ceremonial palette, carved from a single piece of flat, soft dark gray-green siltstone. The stone has often been wrongly identified, in the past, as being slate or schist. Slate is layered and prone to flaking, and schist is a metamorphic rock containing large, randomly distributed mineral grains. Both are unlike the finely grained, h…
Scholarly debate
The Palette has raised considerable scholarly debate over the years. In general, the arguments fall into one of two camps: scholars who believe that the Palette is a record of an important event, and other academics who argue that it is an object designed to establish the mythology of united rule over Upper and Lower Egypt by the king. It had been thought that the Palette either depicted the unification of Lower Egypt by the king of Upper Egypt, or recorded a recent military success o…
In popular culture
The Narmer Palette is featured in the 2009 film Watchmen as one of the Egyptian objects that are present in Ozymandias's office. The Australian author Jackie French used the Palette, and recent research into Sumerian trade routes, to create her historical novel Pharaoh (2007). The Palette is featured in manga artist Yukinobu Hoshino's short story "The temple of El Alamein". The Palette is also featured in The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan where the palette is fetched by a magical sha…
See also
• List of ancient Egyptian palettes
• Libyan Palette (another well-known Predynastic Egyptian palette)
• Warka Vase (a comparable contemporaneous work of narrative relief sculpture from the Sumerian civilisation)
Bibliography
• Brier, Bob. The First Nation in History. History of Ancient Egypt (Audio). The Teaching Company. 2001.
• Friedman, Renée (2001), "Hierakonpolis", in Redford, Donald B. (ed.), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 98–100, volume 2.
• Hendrickx, Stan (2017), Narmer Palette Bibliography (PDF).
Further reading
• Bard, Kathryn A., ed. Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. London: Routledge, 1999.
• Brewer, Douglas J. Ancient Egypt: Foundations of a Civilization. Harlow, UK: Pearson, 2005.
• Davis, Whitney. Masking the Blow: The Scene of Representation In Late Prehistoric Egyptian Art. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992.
Palette and Palettes
Who Was Narmer?
Iconography of The Narmer Palette
The Obverse Side
The Purpose of The Narmer Palette
- There are several interpretations of the purpose of the palette. Many perceive it as a historical document—a bit of political braggadocio—specifically of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. Others feel it is a reflection of early Dynastic attitudes towards the cosmos. Some, such as Wengrow, believe the palette illustrates a Mediterranean catt...
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