Early Dynastic Egypt

The Early Dynastic Period in Egypt (c. - c. BCE) is the beginning of the historical era of the country during which the regions of Upper Egypt.
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• The Early Dynastic Period
• The Old Kingdom
• Early Dynastic Period (Egypt)
• Ancient Egypt - The Predynastic and Early Dynastic periods | leondumoulin.nl

Artisans must have also benefited as all ceramic pots and jewelry could now be sold in one place and thus this competition probably helped start the explosion of the arts.

These cities were the beacon of growth as not only Egyptians benefited from them, but also foreigners who passed through them. Conceivably, this might be the spark that started the grandeur of what was to come. Another major advancement was the art of basic hieroglyphics.

Some of the oldest writing in the world can be found within this time period of Egypt. At first hieroglyphics were used to mark and track simple items, but eventually led to more sophisticated written language and expression. The unification of Upper and Lower Egypt during the Early Dynastic Period is controversial and continues to be an ongoing debate.

At one time, it was believed Egypt was united through bloodshed and war by one king known as Narmer. This was made apparent through a stone tablet found in Hierakonpolis.

The tablet is known as the Narmer Palette and it depicts Narmer wearing the crown of Upper Egypt on one side of the tablet and the crown of Lower Egypt on the other side of the tablet. The depiction upon this palette of Narmer is believed to symbolize the unification of the two kingdoms.

He is shown smiting his enemies thus protecting Egypt. Though many argue Narmer united the two kingdoms, some believe it was actually Menes who united the two lands.

To add more confusion to the already mysterious period, many historians strongly believe that Narmer and Menes are the same persons. Those who contend this theory disagree strongly. They believe that Narmer began the unification of the two kingdoms and Menes inherited the throne and finished the job. Though there is great confusion about who united the two lands of Egypt during this early period in Egypt, it is often Narmer who is given credit for uniting the two lands and he is also given acclaim of being the first pharaoh to rule Egypt.

The Old Kingdom

The other theory surrounding the unification of Egypt is that the transition between the two lands was more gradual. It was believed the pharaohs form Upper Egypt established their capital in Memphis and were able to control all labor, artisans, and agriculture. Eventually they overtook the more docile Lower Egypt and were able to successfully unite the two regions thus making it one nation.

Because some Egyptians were able to enjoy prosperity during the Early Dynastic Period, many looked for a means to differentiate themselves from each other.

This was apparent in the early tombs constructed for wealthy citizens, administrators, and the kings. Before this, tombs were mealy holes underneath the ground with only a few items that were buried with the deceased. Inhabitants of small settlements throughout the country abandoned their homes and moved to larger communities and cities. Several key factors, that could vary from region to region, have influenced this process of urbanisation: As the Early Dynastic Period is the culmination of an on-going cultural, religious and political evolution, it is hard to determine its actual beginning.

According to the Ancient Egyptian tradition, the first human king to have ruled over the whole of Egypt was a man named Menes.

He is considered the first king of the 1st Dynasty and tradition credited him with the unification of Upper- and Lower-Egypt. As none of the sources from the Early Dynastic Period mention his name and as none of the deeds credited to him can be associated with any of the archaeologically attested kings, the identification of this Menes, however, is problematic.

Both in the Turin King-list and with Manetho , this Menes follows a long list of gods and demi-gods who ruled before him. The first row on the Palermo Stone contains names of kings who allegedly ruled Egypt before him. As our knowledge of this early stage of Egyptian history evolves, we are finding sources that hint at powerful rulers living in Middle and Upper Egypt who already had extended their influence, if not their realm, to parts of Lower Egypt.

This information may correspond to the mythical rulers in the Turin King-list and to the names listed in the first row of the Palermo Stone , if not literally, then perhaps simply as a confirmation that the Ancient Egyptian chroniclers were aware of the existence of kings before Menes. This has led some authors to propose that there may have been a Dynasty "0" before the 1st Dynasty. It is not certain that the kings placed in this hypothetical Dynasty "0" actually belonged to the same ruling family and to what extent they all ruled over the same area.

In most books dealing with the history of Ancient Egypt, the Early Dynastic Period usually consists of the first two dynasties.

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This is based on the fact that the first pyramids were built during the 3rd Dynasty and that the Old Kingdom is often viewed as the Age of the Pyramids. This has caused the 3rd Dynasty to be included in the Old Kingdom. It needs to be pointed out, however, that the pyramids built during the 3rd Dynasty were Step Pyramids and not the "true" pyramids that were built from the start of the 4th Dynasty on.