How old is the palette of King Narmer?
Ancient Mediterranean > 13. Palette of King Narmer - Palette of King Narmer. Predynastic Egypt. c. 3000–2920 B.C.E. Greywacke
What is the palette of Narmer used for?
This object is a ceremonial palette used in the ritual of mixing and applying the King's eye makeup. The palette is arranged in three easily read registers on the back and four on the front. Narmer wears the white crown of Lower Egypt and is sacrificing an enemy. Two other enemies lie dead in the lowest register.
What is the Narmer Palette in the third gate?
The Narmer Palette is a main plot point in Lincoln Child ’s The Third Gate novel, in which they attempt to find the tomb of king Narmer in the Sudd . ^ Wilkinson, Toby A. H.
Which country does the palette of Narmer live in?
Palette of Narmer STUDY Flashcards Learn Write Spell Test PLAY Match Gravity Created by faith_m_b Terms in this set (10) In which country does the Palette of Narmer currently reside? Egypt, because it is so valuable that it has never been permitted to leave the country.
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What is the form of palette of King Narmer?
The Narmer Palette is a 63-centimetre-tall (2.07 ft), shield-shaped, ceremonial palette, carved from a single piece of flat, soft dark gray-green siltstone. The stone has often been wrongly identified, in the past, as being slate or schist.
What was the palette of King Narmer made of?
greyish-green siltstoneThe beautifully carved palette, 63.5 cm (more than 2 feet) in height and made of smooth greyish-green siltstone, is decorated on both faces with detailed low relief.
Why is the palette of king Narmer unique?
The palette of King Narmer is unique among surviving Egyptian artwork because it is important not only as a document marking the transition from the prehistorical to the historical period in ancient Egypt but also as a kind of early blueprint of the formula for figure representation that characterized most Egyptian art ...
What does the palette of Narmer sculpture represent the king's body?
What does the Palette of Narmer's sculptor use to represent the king's body? Ka statue and chapel. How is Djoser's Stepped Pyramid similar to a Mesopotamian ziggurat? It is accompanied by a temple.
Where was the Narmer Palette found?
The Narmer palette is a finely decorated plate of schist of about 64 cm high. It was found in a deposit in Hierakonpolis, a Predynastic capital located in the South of Egypt, during the excavation season of 1897/98. Its size, weight and the fact that it was decorated on both sides show that it was a ceremonial, commemorative rather than an actual cosmetic palette intended for daily use. It is a key piece in the identification of Menes, the almost legendary first king to have ruled over the whole of Egypt.
What are the four standard bearers in Narmer?
The left-most standard represents some kind of animal skin, the second a dog and the next two a falcon. These standards might be the emblems of the royal house of Na rmer, or of the regions that already belonged to his kingdom.
What was the name of the region that Narmer conquered?
If this name has remained the same throughout the history of Ancient Egypt, then the region conquered by Narmer was the Mareotis region, the 7th Lower-Egyptian province. The two signs in front of the probable name of the region, the wing of a door and a sparrow are thought to mean 'create' or 'found'.
What crown did Narmer wear?
He also wears the White Crown which is usually associated with Upper Egypt. It is, however, not certain whether in Narmer's time, this crown already had its traditional geographical significance, or whether it was associated more with a specific part of the king's overall responsibilities.
What does the hieroglyphic sign on the left of each victim mean?
To the left of each victim, a hieroglyphic sign is drawn, the left-most representing a wall and the other some sort of knot.
What does the king hold in his left hand?
The king holds a mace in his left hand, while his right arm is bent over his chest, holding some kind of flail. He is followed by the same bald figure that holds sandals in his left hand and some kind of basket in his right. A rectangle above this sandal-bearer's head contains a sign of uncertain meaning.
What is the significance of the Menes necklace?
It is a key piece in the identification of Menes, the almost legendary first king to have ruled over the whole of Egypt.
What does Narmer control?
The implication is that Narmer controls the servants who, in turn, control the cats —another declaration of authority. Narmer appears in the bottom scene in the guise of a bull (Egyptian gods could also change their shape) and crushes a rebellious town.
Who is the cow goddess in Narmer?
Two other enemies lie dead in the lowest register. Narmer's divine authority is shown by: two images of Hathor, the cow goddess, benevolently looking down on the scene, showing the status of Narmer as an equal (Narmer's name, in early hieroglyphics is between the two images of Hathor.
Where is the Palette of King Narmer from?
Detail, Palette of King Narmer, from Hierakonpolis, Egypt, Predynastic, c. 3000-2920 B.C.E., slate, 2′ 1″ high (Egyptian Museum, Cairo) The scene showing Narmer wearing the Lower Egyptian Red Crown* (with its ...
When was the Narmer Palette discovered?
The Narmer Palette was discovered in 1898 by James Quibell and Frederick Green. It was found with a collection of other objects that had been used for ceremonial purposes and then ritually buried within the temple at Hierakonpolis.
Why did Narmer wear both crowns?
By wearing both crowns, Narmer may not only be ceremonially expressing his dominance over the unified Egypt, but also the early importance of the solar cycle and the king’s role in this daily process. This fascinating object is an incredible example of early Egyptian art.
Where was the Narmer cache found?
Often, these caches include objects from a range of dates and a mix of types, from royal statuary to furniture. Two Dogs Palette, Hierakonpolis, Egypt c.3100 B.C.E. (Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford) The “Main Deposit” at Hierakonpolis, where the Narmer Palette was discovered, contained many hundreds of objects, ...
What are the colors of the Egyptian crowns?
There are a number of Egyptian words used for these crowns (nine for the White and 11 for the Red), but the most common—deshret and hedjet—refer to the colors red and white, respectively. It is from these identifying terms that we take their modern name.
Is the Narmer palette authentic?
First, it is one of very few such palettes discovered in a controlled excavation, which means that we know it is authentic. Second, there are a number of formal and iconographic characteristics appearing on the Narmer Palette that remain conventional in Egyptian two-dimensional art for the following three millennia.
What are the symbols on the Narmer Palette?
Early hieroglyphic symbols on the Narmer Palette. Both sides of the Palette are decorated, carved in raised relief. At the top of both sides are the central serekhs bearing the rebus symbols n'r (catfish) and mr (chisel) inside, being the phonetic representation of Narmer's name.
What does Narmer wear in the Palette?
A large picture in the center of the Palette depicts Narmer wielding a mace wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt (whose symbol was the flowering lotus).
How tall is the Narmer Palette?
The Narmer Palette is a 63-centimetre-tall (2.07 ft), shield-shaped, ceremonial palette, carved from a single piece of flat, soft dark gray-green siltstone. The stone has often been wrongly identified, in the past, as being slate or schist.
What is a palette used for?
Palettes were typically used for grinding cosmetics, but this palette is too large and heavy (and elaborate) to have been created for personal use and was probably a ritual or votive object, specifically made for donation to, or use in, a temple.
What is the meaning of the tablet of the king?
The tablet is thought by some to depict the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the king Narmer. On one side, the king is depicted with the bulbed White Crown of Upper (southern) Egypt, and the other side depicts the king wearing the level Red Crown of Lower (northern) Egypt. Along with the Scorpion Macehead and the Narmer Maceheads, ...
What is the recto side of the narmer?
Recto side. Narmer Palette (recto) As on the other side, two human-faced bovine heads, thought to represent the patron cow goddess Bat, flank the serekhs. The goddess Bat is, as she often was, shown in portrait, rather than in profile as is traditional in Egyptian relief carving.
What is the palette in Assassin's Creed Origins?
In Ubisoft's 2017 game Assassin's Creed Origins, the Palette is a quest item and minor plot point toward the end of the main quest's storyline.
What is the Narmer Palette?
The Narmer Palette is a ceremonial engraving depicting the first dynasty king Narmer ( Menes) defeating his enemies and uniting Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom. It also acts as a perfect example of the primitive artistic design of the 31st century BC. The Narmer palette acts as a reminder of the past time when ancient civilizations ...
What is the significance of the Narmer palette?
Most of the images indicate Narmer’s military intelligence and absolute power. The palette was able to confirm that Narmer was the true founder of united Egypt as he is shown wearing the white and red crown on different sides as the crowns indicate geographical significance. It also shows the level of unrest and chaos that spread all over the divided regions of Egypt before Narmer’s unification. The legacy is continued by his son Djoser who constructed the Saqqara step pyramid.
How tall is the Palette?
The palette is 63.5 CM (2.2 ft) in height and holds ambiguous scenes of king Menes which was very difficult to explain and interpret their correct meaning for a long time.
Where is Narmer's tomb?
King Narmer had his tomb at Abydos. To Narmer is attributed a slate palette of green schist, displayed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo . On both sides of the Palette, the scenes are different in detail but they agree to commemorate the victory of the king over his enemies.
Where was the Narmer Palette found?
The Narmer Palette was discovered in 1897 CE by British archaeologists at the temple of Horus in Nekhen. It held many scenes that were regarded as highly symbolic and the evidence to some of the oldest historical events ever.
What is the largest engraving on the palette?
The largest engravings on the palette are two men interweaving the serpentine necks of unknown beasts called serpopards, this section of the palette is highly mysterious. At the bottom of the palette is king is shown as a bull breaking through the walls of the city using his horns and trampling his enemies beneath his hooves.
What is the head of Hathor?
On either side of the name, the head of Goddess Hathor exists in the form of a face of a woman with the ears and hones of a Cow. On the recto side, we see the king standing, wearing the white Crown and holding an enemy from his forehead. This enemy is kneeling in from of the king, he is called wcsw.
Discovery
Significance
- The high quality of the workmanship, its original function as a ritual object dedicated to a god, and the complexity of the imagery clearly indicate that this was a significant object, but a satisfactory interpretation of the scenes has been elusive. This fascinating object is an incredible example of early Egyptian art. The imagery preserved on this palette provides a peek ahead to the richness …
Roles
- In addition to these simple, purely functional, palettes however, there were also a number of larger, far more elaborate palettes created in this period. These objects still served the function of being a ground for grinding and mixing cosmetics, but they were also carefully carved with relief sculpture. Many of the earlier palettes display animals some real, some fantasticwhile later exa…
Purpose
- Temple caches of this type are not uncommon. There was a great deal of focus on ritual and votive objects (offerings to the God) in temples. Every ruler, elite individual, and anyone else who could afford it, donated items to the temple to show their piety and increase their connection to the deity. After a period of time, the temple would be full of these objects and space would need …
Archaeology
- The Main Deposit at Hierakonpolis, where the Narmer Palette was discovered, contained many hundreds of objects, including a number of large relief-covered ceremonial mace-heads, ivory statuettes, carved knife handles, figurines of scorpions and other animals, stone vessels, and a second elaborately decorated palette (now in the Ashmolean Museum at ...
Description
- In addition to the primary scenes, the palette includes a pair of fantastic creatures, known as serpopardsleopards with long, snaky neckswho are collared and controlled by a pair of attendants. Their necks entwine and define the recess where the makeup preparation took place. The lowest register on both sides include images of dead foes, while both uppermost registers d…
Themes
- As mentioned above, there have been a number of theories related to the scenes carved on this palette. Some have interpreted the battle scenes as a historical narrative record of the initial unification of Egypt under one ruler, supported by the general timing (as this is the period of the unification) and the fact that Narmer sports the crown connected to Upper Egypt on one face of …
Influence
- More recent research on the decorative program has connected the imagery to the careful balance of order and chaos (known as maat and isfet) that was a fundamental element of the Egyptian idea of the cosmos. It may also be related to the daily journey of the sun god that becomes a central aspect in the Egyptian religion in the subsequent centuries.
Appearance
- On the other face, Narmer wears the Upper Egyptian White Crown* (which looks rather like a bowling pin) as he grasps an inert foe by the hair and prepares to crush his skull. The White Crown is related to the dazzling brilliance of the full midday sun at its zenith as well as the luminous nocturnal light of the stars and moon. By wearing both crowns, Narmer may not only be ceremo…
Overview
The Narmer Palette, also known as the Great Hierakonpolis Palette or the Palette of Narmer, is a significant Egyptian archeological find, dating from about the 31st century BC, belonging, at least nominally, to the category of cosmetic palettes. It contains some of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions ever found. The tablet is thought by some to depict the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under …
Description
The Narmer Palette is a 63-centimetre-tall (2.07 ft), shield-shaped, ceremonial palette, carved from a single piece of flat, soft dark gray-green siltstone. The stone has often been wrongly identified, in the past, as being slate or schist. Slate is layered and prone to flaking, and schist is a metamorphic rock containing large, randomly distributed mineral grains. Both are unlike the finely grained, h…
Scholarly debate
The Palette has raised considerable scholarly debate over the years. In general, the arguments fall into one of two camps: scholars who believe that the Palette is a record of an important event, and other academics who argue that it is an object designed to establish the mythology of united rule over Upper and Lower Egypt by the king. It had been thought that the Palette either depicted the unification of Lower Egypt by the king of Upper Egypt, or recorded a recent military success o…
In popular culture
The Narmer Palette is featured in the 2009 film Watchmen as one of the Egyptian objects that are present in Ozymandias's office. The Australian author Jackie French used the Palette, and recent research into Sumerian trade routes, to create her historical novel Pharaoh (2007). The Palette is featured in manga artist Yukinobu Hoshino's short story "The temple of El Alamein". The Palette is also featured in The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan where the palette is fetched by a magical sha…
See also
• List of ancient Egyptian palettes
• Libyan Palette (another well-known Predynastic Egyptian palette)
• Warka Vase (a comparable contemporaneous work of narrative relief sculpture from the Sumerian civilisation)
Bibliography
• Brier, Bob. The First Nation in History. History of Ancient Egypt (Audio). The Teaching Company. 2001.
• Friedman, Renée (2001), "Hierakonpolis", in Redford, Donald B. (ed.), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 98–100, volume 2.
• Hendrickx, Stan (2017), Narmer Palette Bibliography (PDF).
Further reading
• Bard, Kathryn A., ed. Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. London: Routledge, 1999.
• Brewer, Douglas J. Ancient Egypt: Foundations of a Civilization. Harlow, UK: Pearson, 2005.
• Davis, Whitney. Masking the Blow: The Scene of Representation In Late Prehistoric Egyptian Art. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992.