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| Cartouche of Den |
Den was created a chancelor place for Lower Egypt filled by hemaka, who has a tomb at
saqqara first 'double crown' representation. Den was the fourth king during
the first Dynasty. Because the king came to power in Egypt as an infant, Queen Merenith was established as his political advisor, which essentially meant that she ruled Egypt until he was capable of doing so himself. Den governed Egypt for about fifty years after
Djet (Wadj) (2970—2963). He was an energetic and athletic person, and was artistic as well. He figures in the
Ebers papyrus as well as the Berlin
medical Papyrus. Den was militarily actibe in the Sinai, which was straight by his concern in protective the mineral resources of the peninsula. His mortuary complex was built in the ancient city of Abydos, but his body was buried at Saqqara. When king Den was old sufficient to take care of office from his mother, he became a great leader. He had a essential length of reign, credibly much longer then the twenty years he is given by
Manetho. Many things remaining of him is found from all over Egypt, and he is by far the greatest documented of all kings from the
first dynasty. His name was hardly pronounced "Den" the way he is usually called, and other names were
Semti and
Udimu.
Zemti was spelled by a the
hieroglyphic sign for "high desert" or "foreign land", probably to commemorate his deeds making campaigns against people at the north border as well as the desert mountains in the eastern
Nile Valley. One of these efforts is depicted on a known
ivory label, now in
British Museum.
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| Ebony label (from Den's tomb) |
Den had a comfortable time on the throne, and art , and economy seem to have expanded. Many innovations saw the daylight during his reign and he adopted the double crown to underline his dual kingship over the two countries. His tomb at the royal burial ground at
Abydos was an ordinary square memorial, but had a new feature in form of a very long broad staircase leading directly to the grave chamber. This new architectural design was rapidly adopted in the secret tomb sector as well as the following pharaohs. He is said to have improved the administration, and on the Palermo Stone is recorded that he had a nose-count "of all people of the northern, west and east" taking place in the country, obviously to see how many subjects he was ruling, and could make pay taxes. About 30 great mastabas from his reign were developed by officials from Saqqara and up north to
Abu Roash. This was far more than during the dominates of his predecessors who only had a few established during their time on the throne.
