Tomb of (Narmar)I Dynasty
Two joined chambers B17 and B18 composed tomb of Narmer.The B7 chamber of dimensions: 3.0 x 4.1(m) is better preserved. Walls of B18 chamber had collapsed, Later they were rebuilt and supported with few rows of brick and in some places additionally with wood. Later the brick was covered with mud mortar and painted white. In the B17 chamber there are two holes, each ca. 65cm deep. Presumably they were used to stick posts supporting the roof.
Notes:
The unification of Egypt at the end of the predynastic period took places in two stages: spread of a uniform material culture, as evidenced by the diffusion of products characteristic of the Naqada culture, and the establishment of unified political control. Later Egyptian tradition contains references to the existence of separate northern and southern kingdoms, perhaps at Buto in the Delta and Hierakonpolis in Upper Egypt, respectively.Hierakonpolis has been producing much evidence of its being an important center. It was a major urbanized center of the Naqada culture and a residence of powerful Upper Egyptian chiefs. The tow-sided Narmer palette, for example, is interpreted as being a thanks-offering for successful definitive victory of the southern kingdoms. King Narmer is thought to have reigned c. 3150 BCE as first king of the 1st dynasty and last king of the 0 dynasty) of a unified ancient Egypt. The rebus of his name as shown on his palette and on other inscriptions s composed of a chisel, thought to be read n'r, above a catfish as he could also be called, appears thus on seal imprisons from the 1st Dynasty tombs of the King Den (tomb) and King Ka (tomb) at Abydos (where we believe he may have himself built a tomb), and also at Tell Ibrahmin A wad, Narmer'sname and that of his possible predecessor Sorpion have also been found on pottery vessels from the site of Minshat Abu Omar in the eastern Delta. The name of Narmer also occurs in Hierakonpolis on objects in addition to the Palette and the Macehead such as potsherds etc. Narmer's importance as the probable unifier of lower and Upper Egypt is indicated primarily e the Palette and the Macehead which are attributed to him. His name-rebus appears on both. But his power in the region must have extended further, since Egyptian shreds inscribed with Narmer's name have also been found and in southern Palestine. The Narmer Palette was discovered by J.E Quibll at Hierakonpolis in 1897-98. the obverse is divided into three registers, uppermost of which gives his name in a serekh flanked by human-face bovines. The second register shows Narmer wearing the white crown of upper Egypt smiting an enemy. The third register shows dead, nude enemies. On the reverse the upper register showing his name-serekh is repeated. The second register shows Narmer now wearing the red crown of lower Egypt, inspecting rows of nude, decapitated enemies. The third register shows a man mastering serpent-necked lions, and the fourth register shows a bull destroying a town and trampling a dead enemy. Narmer may have considered Buto as the central capital of the Delta he had just conquered. On his palette is a hieroglyphic group that could be read as Ta Mehu, the later name for the Delta region. Since Narmer is shown with the red crown he was thus the first to ascribe this crown to the entire Delta and thus lower Egypt. He may have transferred the Red Crown from Nubt /Naqada to represent the entirety of lower Egypt. The Narmer macehead, also discovered at Hierakonpolis has had three interpretations. Petrie's theory, also held by later scholars, was that the macehead depicted the political marriage of Nithotep, princess of the north, with Narmer. Other scholars feel the maehead depicts a celebration by Narmer of his conquest of the north, while still others regard the macehead as commemorating a Sed-festival of the king. Nithotep's grave has been found at Naqada. with Narmer's name as well as with king Aha's name. Nithotep thus is linked with two kings as wife and mother.