Famous Pharaohs

Den (Udimu) (2963—2949)

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.

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.

Djet (Wadj) (2970—2963)

Djet or Wadj, the third king of the 1st Egyptian Dynasty. His stela is exposed at the Louvre in Paris. It is made of limestone sliced by the sculptor Serekh. The stele was discovered almost the ancient city of Abydos where Wadj's mortuary complex is located. The only other place that Egyptologists found a quotation to him was in an inscription near the city of Edfu, to the south of Egypt. His wife was Queen Mereneith, who acted as mentor and advisor for his successor, King Den. King Djet have variants of his name alike Uadji and Zet, but Wadjet is probably the correct form. His Horus-name was written by a snake. Manetho gives a king called Kenkenes 31 years and one called Uenepes 23, and likely one of them is Djet, the latter one being the most future.

King Djet's Burial position:

His tomb in Abydos had a new feature - little rooms close the grave chamber within the building itself, a feature similar to mastabas. From the same site he has left a masterpiece of Egyptian art from all times - a magnificent over two metre high stone stele found outside the tomb, now in the Louvre in Paris. It was from the beginning erected at the spot marking the position where visitors cold give protection to the remembering of the dead pharaoh. The tomb itself had probably no visible part above ground in contrast to his rite area by the Nile, with its high walls. A year-label came to light, establishing the king's name and symbols doing Upper and Lower Egypt - the vulture and the red royal crown. Other memorials from Djet's reign are a couple of large mastabas at Tarkhan but most of all a fantastic large mastaba (nr 3504) from the capital's necropolis at Sakkara. It measures 20 by 50 metres and was located by English archaeologist Emery in 1953-56. It had over four hundred bulls' heads sculptured with good horns all placed in straight rows around the walls, and beside it stood of over 60 side burials for retainers. The grave chamber was plundered briefly after the burial by robbers tunneling in from the side and setting fire to the wooden roof and lining. A carefully restoration took position probably in the rule of king Qaa at the end of the dynasty, when new offer and goods were put in.

Mernieth

Tomb stela of Merneith,
in the Umm el-Qa'ab.

When Flinders Petrie, English archaeologist, re-excavated the tombs at the old burial ground of Abydos during 1901 he accidentally found an unfamiliar tomb whose owner bore the name Mer-Neith. The monument itself was a traditional building under ground with side chambers within like the mastaba tombs accompanied with side burials of retainers outside.

At first he thought that he had found an unknown king, but soon new fact came to light telling the unexpected truth that Mer-Neith was a woman.

It became clear that she was the widow and queen of king Djet and held office during the puerility and youth of their son, the next ruler to be - king Den whose name appeared in the grave. A proof of her position in the sequence of leaders was later found on a seal impression from the tomb of her son, where her name was put along with the ruling kings but without the king's insignia - the Horus falcon. In other lists from later times however, the Egyptians did not mention her, only her son. Above all, her name was found on a fine stele made of stone that credibly have had the same function as the one found from her husband - to mark the place of offering for the veneration of her immortal individual. For later commemoration she also had a ritual area in Abydos, beside the ones from five other regents. Her name contains the old patroness and war goddess from Lower Egypt - Neith and means: "beloved by Neith", whose regalia, (shield and arrows), are present on small labels from this time as well as her big stela. That the queen thus was a native of the Delta is a plausible guess, thereby making a sort of matrimonial alliance between the northern and the South, but this is so far not confirmed. Few remains attested to her of found outside Abydos probably due to the fact that all official sign, marks of property etc were made in the name of her little son. An exception is a great mastaba (Nr 3503, 16x42 m) in Sakkara where her name has been found as inscriptions on stone vessels, jars and seal impressions.

King Mernieth's Burial place:

His tomb in saqqara (3507) and abydos (tomb y) support her rule. Primitively missed, but found by Petrie. The central chamber is included with 8 storerooms whwere certain jars were found. The burial chamber contains the stela of Merytneith. 41 alternative graves. Tomb Y, Umm el Ga’ab.

Den (Udimu) (2963—2949)

Djet (Wadj) (2970—2963)

Mernieth

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