First Dynasty of Egypt

Dynasties of Ancient Egypt Early Dynastic • 1st Dynasty (c. 3050 – 2890 BC) • 2nd Dynasty (2890–2686 BC) Old Kingdom • 3rd Dynasty (2686–2613 BC) • 4th Dynasty (2613–2498 BC) • 5th Dynasty (2498–2345 BC) • 6th Dynasty (2345–2181 BC) First Intermediate • 7th Dynasty (2181–2160 BC) • 8th Dynasty (2181–2160 BC) • 9th Dynasty (2160–2130 BC) • 10th Dynasty (2130–2040 BC) • 11th Dynasty (Thebes only) (2134–1991 BC) Middle Kingdom • 11th Dynasty (All Egypt) (2134–1991 BC) • 12th Dynasty (1991–1803 BC) • 13th Dynasty (1803–1649 BC) • 14th Dynasty (1705–1690 BC) Second Intermediate • 15th Dynasty (1674–1535 BC) • 16th Dynasty (1660–1600 BC) • 17th Dynasty (1650–1549 BC) New Kingdom • 18th (1549–1292 BC) • 19th (1292–1189 BC) • 20th (1189–1077 BC) Third Intermediate • 21st (1069–945 BC) • 22nd (945–720 BC) • 23rd (837–728 BC) • 24th (732–720 BC) • 25th (732–653 BC) Late Period • 26th (672–525 BC) • 27th (First Achaemenid Period) (525–404 BC) • 28th (404–398 BC) • 29th (398–380 BC) • 30th (380–343 BC) • 31st (Second Achaemenid Period) (343–332 BC) Hellenistic Period • Argead (332–305 BC) • Ptolemaic (305–30 BC)

The First Dynasty of ancient Egypt (notated Dynasty I) is often combined with the Second Dynasty under the group title, Early Dynastic Period of Egypt. At that time the capital was Thinis.

Rulers

Known rulers in the history of Egypt for the First Dynasty are as follows:

First Dynasty

Name	Comments	Dates
Narmer	- probably Menes on earlier lists	c. 3100–3050 B.C.
Hor-Aha		c. 3050–3049 B.C.
Djer	-	c. 3049–3008 B.C. 41 years (Palermo Stone)
Djet	-	3008–2975?
Merneith	the mother of Den	3008?
Den	-	2975–2935 30 to 50 years (40 years B.C.)
Anedjib	-	2935 B.C.–2925 B.C. 10 years (Palermo Stone)
Semerkhet	-	2925?–2916? 9 years (Palermo Stone)
Qa'a	-	2916?–2890 B.C.

Information about this dynasty is derived from a few monuments and other objects bearing royal names, the most important being the Narmer palette and macehead as well as Den and Qa'a king lists. No detailed records of the first two dynasties have survived, except for the terse lists on the Palermo stone. The hieroglyphs were fully developed by then, and their shapes would be used with little change for more than three thousand years.

Large tombs of pharaohs at Abydos and Naqada, in addition to cemeteries at Saqqara and Helwan near Memphis, reveal structures built largely of wood and mud bricks, with some small use of stone for walls and floors. Stone was used in quantity for the manufacture of ornaments, vessels, and occasionally, for statues. Tamarix - tamarisk, salt cedar was used to build boats such as the Abydos Boats. One of the most important indigenous woodworking techniques was the fixed Mortise and tenon joint. A fixed tenon was made by shaping the end of one timber to fit into a mortise (hole) that is cut into a second timber. A variation of this joint using a free tenon eventually became one of the most important features in Mediterranean and Egyptian shipbuilding. It creates a union between two planks or other components by inserting a separate tenon into a cavity (mortise) of the corresponding size cut into each component."

Human sacrifice as part of royal funerary practice

Human sacrifice was practiced as part of the funerary rituals associated with all of the pharaohs of the first dynasty. It is clearly demonstrated as existing during this dynasty by retainers being buried near each pharaoh's tomb as well as animals sacrificed for the burial. The tomb of Djer is associated with the burials of 338 individuals. The people and animals sacrificed, such as donkeys, were expected to assist the pharaoh in the afterlife. For unknown reasons, this practice ended with the conclusion of the dynasty, with shabtis taking the place of actual people to aid the pharaohs with the work expected of them in the afterlife.

Bibliography

• Kuhrt, Amélie (1995). The Ancient Near East: c. 3000-330 BC. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-01353-6. 
• Shaw, Ian (2000). The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-280458-8. 

See also

• Early dynastic period of Egypt

Preceded by New creation

Dynasty of Egypt c. 3100 – 2890 BC

Succeeded by Second dynasty