# First Dynasty of Egypt

Periods and dynasties of ancient Egypt :
All years are BC :
Predynastic Protodynastic 0 c. 3300–3150 :
Early Dynastic First Dynasty I c. 3150–2890 Second Dynasty II 2890–2686 :
Old Kingdom Third Dynasty III 2686–2613 Fourth Dynasty IV 2613–2498 Fifth Dynasty V 2498–2345 Sixth Dynasty VI 2345–2181 :
First Intermediate Seventh Dynasty VII spurious Eighth Dynasty VIII 2181–2160 Ninth Dynasty IX 2160–2130 Tenth Dynasty X 2130–2040 Early Eleventh Dynasty XI 2134–2061 :
Middle Kingdom Late Eleventh Dynasty XI 2061–1991 Twelfth Dynasty XII 1991–1803 Thirteenth Dynasty XIII 1803–1649 :
Second Intermediate Fourteenth Dynasty XIV 1705–1690 Fifteenth Dynasty (Hyksos) XV 1674–1535 Sixteenth Dynasty XVI 1660–1600 Abydos Dynasty 1650–1600 Seventeenth Dynasty XVII 1580–1549 :
New Kingdom Eighteenth Dynasty XVIII 1549–1292 Nineteenth Dynasty XIX 1292–1189 Twentieth Dynasty XX 1189–1077 :
Third Intermediate Twenty-first Dynasty XXI 1069–945 Twenty-second Dynasty XXII 945–720 Twenty-third Dynasty XXIII 837–728 Twenty-fourth Dynasty XXIV 732–720 Twenty-fifth Dynasty (Nubian) XXV 732–653 :
Late Period Twenty-sixth Dynasty XXVI 672–525 Twenty-seventh Dynasty (1st Persian Period) XXVII 525–404 Twenty-eighth Dynasty XXVIII 404–398 Twenty-ninth Dynasty XXIX 398–380 Thirtieth Dynasty XXX 380–343 Thirty-first Dynasty (2nd Persian Period) XXXI 343–332 :
Hellenistic Egypt Thirty-second Dynasty XXXII 332–305 Thirty-third Dynasty XXXIII 305–30 :
Roman Egypt Thirty-fourth Dynasty (Roman Pharaohs) XXXIV 30 BC – 313 AD :
Byzantine Egypt Thirty-fifth Dynasty (speculated) XXXV 379 AD – 641 AD :
See also: List of pharaohs by period and dynasty Periodization of ancient Egypt :
vte :
The First Dynasty of ancient Egypt (Dynasty I) covers the first series of Egyptian kings to rule over a unified Egypt. It immediately follows the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, by Menes, or Narmer, and marks the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period, when power was centered at Thinis.
The date of this period is subject to scholarly debate about the Egyptian chronology. It falls within the early Bronze Age and is variously estimated to have begun anywhere between the 34th and the 30th centuries BC. In a 2013 study based on radiocarbon dates, the accession of Hor-Aha, the second king of the First Dynasty, was placed between 3111 and 3045 BC with 68% confidence, and between 3218 and 3035 with 95% confidence. The same study placed the accession of Den, the sixth king of the dynasty, between 2928 and 2911 BC with 68% confidence, although a 2023 radiocarbon analysis placed Den's accession potentially earlier, between 3011 and 2921, within a broader window of 3104 to 2913.

## The dynasty

Information about this dynasty is derived from a few monuments and other objects bearing royal names, the most important being the Narmer Palette and Narmer 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 account in Manetho's Aegyptiaca contradicts both the archeological evidence and the other historical records: Manetho names nine rulers of the First Dynasty, only one of whose names matches the other sources, and offers information for only four of them. Egyptian hieroglyphs were fully developed by then, and their shapes would be used with little change for more than three thousand years.
Alena Buis noted:
   "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" or "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."
A study on First Dynasty crania from the royal tombs in Abydos generally demonstrated greater affinity with Kerma Kushites, and Upper Nile Valley groups. Moreover, the analysis too found clear change from earlier craniometric trends, as "lower Egyptian, Maghrebian, and European patterns are observed also, thus making for great diversity". The gene flow and movement of northern officials to the important southern city may explain the findings.
* The Narmer Palette
* Narmer Macehead
* Necklaces with different types of beads. Carnelian, coral, and garnet.
* Pottery jar with integral strainer.

## Human sacrifice

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.
According to historian and linguist Christopher Ehret, the ritual practice of retainer sacrifice originated from the southern region in the Middle Nile. Ehret also stated that this cultural practice was shared with the Kerma kingdom of the Upper Nubian Nile region.

## Rulers

Known rulers in the history of Egypt for the First Dynasty are as follows:
| Name | Comments | Start of Reign | Length of Reign | Family |
| Narmer | Believed to be the same person as Menes and to have unified Upper and Lower Egypt. Possibly married Neithhotep. | c. 3273–2987 BC | | Married with Neithotep, and father of Hor-Aha |
| Hor-Aha | Greek form: Athotís. Led an expedition against the Nubians. Married Benerib and Khenthap. | c. 3100 BC | | Son of Narmer and Neithotep, spouse of Khenthap, Benerib, and father of Djer. |
| Djer | Greek form: Uenéphes (after his Gold name In-nebw); His name and titulary appear on the Palermo Stone. His tomb was later thought to be the legendary tomb of Osiris. | c. 3000 BC | 54 years | Son of Hor-Aha, and father of Djet and Merneith. |
| Djet | Greek form: Usapháis. Possibly married Ahaneith. | c. 2980 BC | 10 years | Spouse of Merneith, and father of Den |
| Den | Greek form: Kénkenes (after the ramesside diction of his birthname: Qenqen). First pharaoh depicted wearing the double crown of Egypt, first pharaoh with a full niswt bity-name. | c. 2970 BC | 42 years | Son of Merneith and Djet. |
| Merneith | Possibly first female Pharaoh (or ruled as regent to her son Den or ruled as both king/queen and regent). Merneith was buried close to Djet and Den. Her tomb is of the same scale as the tombs of the (other) kings of that period. | c. 2950 BC | | Mother of Den. |
| Anedjib | Greek form: Miebidós. Known for his ominous nebwy-title. | c. 2930 BC | 8–10 years | Son of Den. |
| Semerkhet | Greek form: Semempsés. First Egyptian ruler with a fully developed Nebty name. His complete reign is preserved on the Cairo stone. | c. 2920 BC | 8+1⁄2 years | Son of Anedjib. |
| Qa'a | Greek form: Bienéches. Ruled a long time, his tomb is the last one with subsidiary tombs. | c. 2910 BC | 33 years | Son of Semerkhet, and father of Hotepsekhemwy. |
| Sneferka | Very short reign, correct chronological position unknown. | c. 2900 BC | |
| Horus Bird | Very short reign, correct chronological position unknown. | c. 2900 BC | |