The Palette […] In addition, ceremonial palettes often represent the theme of taming wild animals, one of the traditional tasks of the king. The iconography of this piece expresses the traditional symbolism of government order in ancient Egypt through the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under King Narmer. The Narmer Palette is 64 centimeters (25 inches) long, and its shield shape is the same as that used for the domestic tool called a palette, which was used to hold cosmetics. ThoughtCo. Cosmetic palettes began to be used as prestige objects in Egypt as early as the predynastic Naqada II-III period (3400-3000 BCE). It was made to commemorate him and is decorated in hieroglyphics. He worked at Hierakonpolis (ancient Nekhen), where amongst other discoveries his team found the Narmer Palette in 1898. The contrast between the naked victim and the clad king perhaps denotes that the victim was considered as barbaric. Narmer's own tomb has been identified at Naqada. In Egyptian iconography, Narmer and other pharaohs often are illustrated as animals. Comparing the Narmer Palette to the Label of Den, which shows a similar scene, makes it more likely that the harpoon is to be read as the '. 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. 5) Carved into the top scrolls on both sides of Narmer’s palette are cows with human faces, sometimes portrayed as the goddesses Bat and Hathor. As is the case with the White Crow,Â. Many scholars consider him the unifier of Egypt and founder of the First Dynasty and in turn the first king of a unified Egypt. The overall military symbolism on the palette is clear. This magnificent palette of King Narmer displayed now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It is, however, not certain whether in Narmer's time, this crown already had its traditional geographical significance, or whether it was associated more with a specific part of the king's overall responsibilities. That's not unusual in Egyptian iconography—the Narmer Palette is one of a series of elaborately carved, portable objects dated to the formative period of Dynastic culture in Egypt, around the turn of the third millennium BCE. This is the currently selected item. The palette also refers to the founding of a region indicated by the signs ship-harpoon-falcon, a group of signs that at least in later times would be used to denote the 7, Have you spent years researching The Narmer Palette and now found yourself completely out of ideas? Narmer Palette. The top of the palette is decorated in a similar manner on both sides: the name of the king is inscribed in a so-called serekh between two bovine heads. It is suggested to have been made to commemorate the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt by the king Narmer. On the front or obverse side, the king, wearing the red crown and costume of Lower Egypt, marches out to view the stacked and dismembered bodies of his slain enemies, preceded by the souls of the kings of Lower Egypt. Also found at this dig were the Narmer Macehead and the Scorpion Macehead. The left side of this marshland is decorated with a man's head that is quite similar to that of the fallen foe. It was found in a deposit in Hierakonpolis, a Predynastic capital located in the South of Egypt, during the excavation season of 1897/98. Both sides of the palette are decorated with ritual or historical scenes. 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. Their reading is unknown so even if they do denote names of places, we do not know which places they are. The piece of art that I found particularly interesting this week was The Narmer Palette from the Early Dynastic Period. Comparing the Narmer Palette to the Label of Den, which shows a similar scene, makes it more likely that the harpoon is to be read as the 'number one' and the lake as 'water', indicating that this was Narmer's first victory in a watery area such as a lake or a marshland. This is a unique image and no later parallels are known. The ‘Narmer Palette’ is important because it contains some of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions ever found. Pyramid of Menkaure. British archaeologists James E. Quibell and Frederick Green found the main deposit during their 1897-1898 field season at Hierakonpolis. This palette was found at the Main Deposit of Egyptian antiquities in Nekhen, which presents one of the earliest known examples of Egyptian hieroglyphics ever found at an excavation site. It was discovered in a deposit in Hierakonpolis, a Predynastic capital located in the South of Egypt. That depression is what makes this side the "obverse" or front of the palette; despite that fact, the most often reproduced image is that of the back. The entire group could thus be interpreted that on the occasion of the conquest of the Mareotis region, Narmer founded a new province, whose name was written by the ship, the harpoon and the falcon. This type of scene is also very common on entrances to temples, where they were intended to ward off any evil that might want to enter the temple. It was found in a deposit in Hierakonpolis, a Predynastic capital located in the South of Egypt, during the excavation season of 1897/98. The Palette of Narmer was one of the most significant finds in the field of Egyptology. 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. The palette also refers to the founding of a region indicated by the signs ship-harpoon-falcon, a group of signs that at least in later times would be used to denote the 7th Lower Egyptian province located in the eastern Nile Delta.In addition, a label found in 1998 during excavations in Abydos, does seem to confirm the historicity of the palette. As time passed Menes is now come to symbolize the three kings wishing to unite the upper and lower halves of Egypt and not just one king. Topic. Palettes are key-artifacts for data concerning the late predynastic period: Narmer Palette, found in the Temple of Horus of Nekhen by Quibell and Green in 1899, is a plain object, with relief decoration, on which various sets of scenes are shown , more or less directly related to the King. Nothing, however, indicates that the animals are to be seen as the symbols of Upper or Lower Egypt. Among a group of sacred implements ritually buried in a deposit within an early temple of the falcon god Horus at the site Hierakonpolis (the capital of Egypt during the pre-dynastic period) Describe the Palette of Narmer - More than 2 feet tall ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Whatever else the Narmer palette might be, the iconography is an early and definitive manifestation of a common image among rulers: the king smiting his enemies. The tablet was found in near perfect condition after have been lost for over five centuries. 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. Ancient Egyptian statue. Temple caches of this type are not uncommon. Hirst, K. Kris. The signs accompanying this figure could be read as Tshet yet their meaning is unknown. In most publications, these heads have been described as cows' heads, which is usually interpreted as an early reference to the cow-goddess, Bat or perhaps Hathor. 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. It is a key piece in the identification of Menes, the almost legendary first king to have ruled over the whole of Egypt. Narmer was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Early Dynastic Period. Palette of Narmer. Apart from a girdle, he is represented naked. The signs accompanying this figure could be read as, Four standard bearers are represented in front of the, The object of this procession is made clear on the right hand side of the scene: 10 decapitated corpses are shown lying on the ground, their heads thrown between their legs. On this label, a catfish strikes down a fallen enemy. Upper Egypt. Indeed, several instances of the scene where a king strikes down his foes do not seem to have been based on actual fact but were part of the royal propaganda that portrays the kings as the protector of the country. 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. Below this central scene, underneath the king's feet, lie two overthrown, naked enemies. Narmer's victim is shown kneeling in front of him, the upper part of his arms close to his body, as if to indicate that he was bound. Time frame that the Palette of Narmer was in 2950 BC. The main central relief of the reverse side of the palette shows King Menes wearing the white crown and dress of Upper Egypt kings and raising his mace to smite a kneeling prisoner. Behind the king an apparently bald person holds a pair of sandals in his left hand and a basket in his right. When the Narmer palette was eventually found, there was no express sign showing that it belonged to Menes as the King of the first Dynasty in Egypt. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our. Then you should definitely give this paper writing service a try because they do know what they're doing.Â, Provenance: Hierakonpolis (Quibell Excavations 1897/98), Location: Egyptian Museum, Cairo (JE 32169, CG 14716), The top of the palette is decorated in a similar manner on both sides: the name of the king is inscribed in a so-called. Palette of King Narmer, from Hierakonpolis, Egypt, Predynastic, c. 3000-2920 B.C.E., slate, 2' 1" high (Egyptian Museum, Cairo) The object itself is a monumental version of a type of daily use item commonly found in the predynastic period—palettes were generally flat, minimally decorated stone objects used for grinding and mixing minerals for cosmetics. In addition to these simple, purely functional, palettes however, there were also a number of larger, far more elaborate palettes created in this period. 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, containing some of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions ever found. It contains … These signs are often interpreted as the name of the conquered region. The Narmer Palette was found in Hierakonpolis. It is however equally likely that the marshland on the palette represents just that: a marshland, which could have been part of the Nile Delta, but it could also have been the Fayum oasis, for instance, or just an area that happened to be flooded at the time. Besides the Narmer Palette, several other pieces of evidence exist that show that Egypt was unified under Narmer. It is, however, equally possible that the animals are bulls and that they refer to the bull-like vigour of the king, a symbolism that occurs in the scene at the bottom of the  palette front as well. . Where was the Palette of King Narmer discovered? Source: Tiradriti, Egyptian Treasures, pp. It was discovered by 2 British archaeologists - James E. Qiubell and Frederick W. Green in 1897. The fact that Narmer is shown wearing the White Crown on one side and the Red Crown on the other, has often been forwarded as proof that it was he who united Upper and Lower Egypt. Many perceive it as a historical document—a bit of political braggadocio—specifically of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. Basic cosmetic palettes were among the typical grave goods found during this early era. Above the victims, a ship with a harpoon and a falcon in it, are drawn. Most of the palette's back side is decorated with a scene showing the king about to strike down a foe, whom he grabs by the hair. Behind the king an apparently bald person holds a pair of sandals in his left hand and a basket in his right. The contrast between the naked victim and the clad king perhaps denotes that the victim was considered as barbaric.The signs of a harpoon and a lake behind his head have sometimes been interpreted as the name of the victim: Washi. It is thought by some to depict the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the king Narmer. 2574-2134 BC). Carved into the top scrolls on both sides of Narmer's palette are cows with human faces, sometimes interpreted as the goddesses Bat and Hathor. Of the two hieroglyphic signs that are written behind the man's head, the lower one can be read as 'servant'. Nekhen was the early capital of … 40-41. Below that and twining around the depression are the long necks of two mythical creatures, serpent-leopards borrowed from Mesopotamian imagery. (2020, August 28). The Narmer Palette, also known as the Great Hierakonpolis Paletteor the Palette of Narmer, is a significant Egyptianarcheological find, dating from about the 31st century BC, belonging, at least nominally, to the category of cosmetic palettes. Artifacts similar to or like Narmer Palette. It contains some of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions ever found. 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. 4) The Narmer palette is about 64 cm high. Against this, it must be pointed out that the palette does mention three names of cities or fortresses that were overthrown. 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. The object of this procession is made clear on the right hand side of the scene: 10 decapitated corpses are shown lying on the ground, their heads thrown between their legs. It dates from the reign of the king c3100BC. To the left of each victim, a hieroglyphic sign is drawn, the left-most representing a wall and the other some sort of knot. It is not unlikely that both sources actually do refer to the same event: a battle in a marshland, probably located in the eastern Nile Delta, which resulted in a victory for Narmer and the probable founding of the 7th Lower Egyptian province.Â, Have you spent years researching The Narmer Palette and now found yourself completely out of ideas? Her work has appeared in scholarly publications such as Archaeology Online and Science. Apart from a girdle, he is represented naked. The tablet depicts the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under King Narmer and provides one of the earliest known depictions of an Egyptian king. K. Kris Hirst is an archaeologist with 30 years of field experience. Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis … In the top scene of the palette's front, the second figure from the left, identified by the two signs in front of him as Narmer, is represented wearing the Red Crown, that is usually associated with Lower Egypt. However no monument of Narmer has been found at Saqqara which at the time was the elite necropolis for Memphis. Indeed, in traditional times, Lower Egypt would be symbolised by a hieroglyph that represents a marshland. Between the two is a serekh, a rectangular box containing hieroglyphs of the main protagonist, Narmer. The left-most standard represents some kind of animal skin, the second a dog and the next two a falcon. Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut and Large Kneeling Statue, New Kingdom, Egypt . A falcon representing the Egyptian sky god Horus perches on a rebus listing countries defeated by Menes and a human arm coming from the falcon holds a rope securing a prisoner's head. It may thus perhaps have been a sign to write the word 'king' and if this is the case, then the bald man following Narmer on his palette, was a 'servant of the king'. The fact that the king is represented as barefooted and followed by a sandal-bearer perhaps suggests a ritual nature for the scene depicted on the palette. Pyramid of Khafre and the Great Sphinx. Some Egyptologists have doubted the historicity of the events portrayed on the palette, forwarding the hypothesis that it served a ritual purpose rather than recording a historical event. Above the victims, a ship with a harpoon and a falcon in it, are drawn. 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. Some, such as Wengrow, believe the palette illustrates a Mediterranean cattle cult dating back to the Neolithic. Temple of Amun-Re and the Hypostyle Hall, Karnak. 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, also known as the Great Hierakonpolis Palette or the Palette of Narmer, is a significant Egyptian archaeological find; dating from about the 31st century BC, it contains some of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions ever found. 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. Plainer, smaller domestic cosmetic palettes had been made by Egyptians for at least a thousand years before the date of the Narmer Palette. That motif remained an important symbol throughout the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms and into Roman times, and arguably is a worldwide symbol of rulers. It is thought to of been… Pyramid of Khufu. The mainstream Egyptological consensus identifying Narmer with Menes is by no means universal. It illustrates various representations of divine and royal iconographic themes. The Narmer palette is a finely decorated plate of schist of about 64 cm high. Narmer Palette The Narmer Palette is a significant Egyptian archaeological find, dating from about the 31st century BC. The Narmer palette is a finely decorated plate of schist of about 64 cm high. If this name has remained the same throughout the history of Ancient Egypt, then the region conquered by Narmer was the Mareotis region, the 7, Against this, it must be pointed out that the palette does mention three names of cities or fortresses that were overthrown. "The Narmer Palette." Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/narmer-palette-early-period-ancient-egypt-171919. Hierakonpolis. Both signs are usually interpreted as names of places that have been captured by Narmer. Narmer Palette. Pre- Dynastic. As is the case with the White Crow, it is not certain whether in Narmer's time, the Red Crown already had its traditional geographical significance, or whether it was associated more with a specific part of the king's overall responsibilities. Sa carrière professionnelle l'a notamment conduit à explorer le site de Hierakonpolis (l'ancienne Nekhen), où entre autres découvertes, son équipe a trouvé la Palette de Narmer en 1898. Narmer Palette is similar to these artifacts: Khufu Statuette, Gebel el-Arak Knife, Hunters Palette and more. He also wears the White Crown which is usually associated with Upper Egypt. The Great Pyramids of Giza. Share. To the right of his head is a catfish, the schematic representation of his name Narmer (N'mr). The deposit where it was found also contained other artefacts stemming from the early beginnings of Ancient Egypt's recorded history: fragments of a ceremonial mace head belonging to Narmer and other mace head fragments inscribed with the name of king Scorpion, one of Narmer's alleged predecessors. The name of the city or fortress attacked by the bull is written within the walls, but its reading is unknown. The left side of this marshland is decorated with a man's head that is quite similar to that of the fallen foe. Wikipedia. This is the oldest known example of a type of scene that would continue to be used until the end of the pharaonic culture, even by kings who do not seem to have waged any wars at all. The images above the victim's head may seem to support the latter interpretation: a falcon, without a doubt a symbol of the king, is perched on top of some papyrus plants that sprout from a marshland. 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. Hirst, K. Kris. British archaeologists James E. Quibell and Frederick Green found the main deposit during their 1897-1898 field season at Hierakonpolis. He is shown striking down a kneeling enemy, whilst stepping on the bodies of some other foes on the palette's back. Others feel it is a reflection of early Dynastic attitudes towards the cosmos. The tying together of the necks of the two animals has often been interpreted as a symbol for the tying together of Upper and Lower Egypt. Narmer's victim is shown kneeling in front of him, the upper part of his arms close to his body, as if to indicate that he was bound. It is thought by some to depict the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the king Narmer. https://www.thoughtco.com/narmer-palette-early-period-ancient-egypt-171919 (accessed January 25, 2021). Many of these objects are ceremonial replicas of long-used domesticate objects. This interpretation is, however, very doubtful, as it was unusual for official documents to actually provide the name of an enemy. Of the two hieroglyphic signs that are written behind the man's head, the lower one can be read as '. 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. In 1993, a “year label” of Narmer was found in Abydos, showing similar events as the palette and thereby proving, for many Egyptologists, that the depictions of the palette are historical events. The fact that the king is represented as barefooted and followed by a sandal-bearer perhaps suggests a ritual nature for the scene depicted on the palette. A person similarly designed and with the same hieroglyphs, can also be found on the ceremonial maceheads of both Narmer and 'Scorpion'. This was based on the assumption that both crowns have always had their traditional geographical significance, but even if this were correct, the palette doesn't prove that Narmer didn't already wear the Red Crown before. Khufu Statuette. The enemy's headgear consists of 3 papyrus plants, a reference to a marshland that is very similar to the personified marshland on the Narmer Palette. This interpretation is, however, very doubtful, as it was unusual for official documents to actually provide the name of an enemy. The Narmer Palette. The famous Narmer Palette, discovered in 1898 in Hierakonpolis, shows Narmer displaying the insignia of both Upper and Lower Egypt, giving rise to the theory that he unified the two kingdoms in c. 3100 BCE. The scene at the bottom of the palette's front face continues the imagery of conquest and victory. It was found in a deposit in Hierakonpolis, a Predynastic capital located in the South of Egypt, during the excavation season of 1897/98. Also know, who made the palette of Narmer? A ceremonial object, ritually buried The Palette of Narmer was discovered in 1898 by James Quibell and Frederick Green. His role is normally interpreted as that of a 'shaman' and is not paralleled in later sources. Between the animal's necks, a circular area is a bit deeper than the palette's surface. 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. Not only does it represent many of Egypt's early styles of art, it also plays with early hieroglyphics. Narmer is preceded by a long-haired person who holds an emblem in his hands. It is a key piece in the … The Narmer Palette was probably never used for that purpose, but there is a circular depression on it. The animals' heads are drawn from the front, which is rather uncharacteristic of later Egyptian art. It was found in the Temple of Horus at Hierakonpolis, which was originally known as Nekhen. As such, the historical value of this type of scene can be doubted. A bull, almost certainly a symbol of the king's vigour and strength, tramples a fallen foe and attacks the walls of a city or fortress with its horns. It is not impossible that they have just been used to create a circular area in the centre of the palette. Their legs are sprawling and their entire posture indicates that they are fallen enemies. The king wears a short skirt decorated with bovine heads and an animal's tail. At the bottom of obverse side, the figure of a bull (probably representing the king) threatens an enemy. Seated Scribe. It is 64cm tall, 42cm wide and is on display in a museum in Cairo. The Story of Menes, the First Pharaoh of Egypt, Step Pyramid of Djoser - Ancient Egypt's First Monumental Pyramid, Pictures of the Periods of History in Ancient Egypt, Dynastic Egypt Timeline - 2,700 Years of Change in Egyptian Society, Hierakonpolis - City at the Start of Egyptian Civilization, Predynastic Egypt - Beginner's Guide to Earliest Egypt, The Symbolism Behind the Double Crown of Egypt, Old Kingdom: Ancient Egypt's Old Kingdom Period, Biography of Imhotep, Ancient Egyptian Architect, Philosopher, God, Politics and the Political System of the Ancient Maya, Akhenaten: Heretic and Pharaoh of New Kingdom Egypt, History of Animal and Plant Domestication, The Earliest Representations of Royal Power in Egypt: the Rock Drawings of Nag El-Hamdulab (Aswan), Context, Function and Program: Understanding Ceremonial Slate Palettes, Rethinking ‘Cattle Cults’ in Early Egypt: Towards a Prehistoric Perspective on the Narmer Palette, What a King Is This: Narmer and the Concept of the Ruler, The Metropolitan Museum Knife Handle and Aspects of Pharaonic Imagery before Narmer. Hirst, K. Kris. carefully buried. ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/narmer-palette-early-period-ancient-egypt-171919. it is not certain whether in Narmer's time, the Red Crown already had its traditional geographical significance, or whether it was associated more with a specific part of the king's overall responsibilities. The Narmer Palette is the famous depiction of Narmer, forming part of the Main Deposit, who is believed be shown unifying the lands of Upper and Lower Egypt, found by James Edward Quibell and his team in 1899 at Abydos. temple precinct. This lower circular area indicates the place where a cosmetic would be put if this were not a ceremonial palette. These standards might be the emblems of the royal house of Narmer, or of the regions that already belonged to his kingdom. 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. One of their arms is raised up, the other is drawn behind their backs. In the top scene of the palette's front, the second figure from the left, identified by the two signs in front of him as Narmer, is represented wearing the Red Crown, that is usually associated with Lower Egypt. He was the successor to the Protodynastic King Ka. 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. One of the primary reasons I found this piece so fascinating had to be the fact that it was fabricated at the of Egypt's history. N'Mr ) Lower Egypt by the bull is written within the walls, but its reading is unknown so if! 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