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How Egypt was unified

How did the dynastic period of Egypt begin? What happened in the pre-dynastic period? What caused the crisis in the early dynasty period? Let’s take a look together below.

Predynastic period

1. Amrat city-state period : From about 4000 BC to 3500 BC, obvious private ownership and class relations appeared in various cities in Egypt. On a black-topped pottery pot in Tomb No. 1610 in Negada, an image of a red crown (with a cobra as its symbol) was found as one of the symbols of royal power. On a pottery tablet found in a tomb belonging to the Gersei period (Negada Tomb No. 1540), there is an image of the eagle god Horus (which is also one of the symbols of kingship) symbolizing the title symbol.

2. The period of the city-state of Gersai : about 3500-3100 BC. In Egypt, private ownership was gradually established, and classes were gradually formed. In the later period of Gersai, with the establishment of private ownership and the formation of classes, the state appeared in Egypt.

The Egyptians called this kind of state Spart, and there were several such states in Egypt at that time. In these countries, there is a city centered on government offices, palaces, and temples. There are many sculptures and paintings reflecting the existence of wars in this period. In addition to the pictures of land and water warfare in the painted tomb mentioned above, there are also pictures of land and water warfare on ivory knife handles and battlefield palettes unearthed in Arak. At this time, the royal power has been formed.

3. The Zero Dynasty of Egypt : 3300-3100 BC. The inscription found in Abydos describing the victory of the Scorpion King over his enemies may be the earliest historical document ever found. According to the latest discovery of his tomb, the earliest period of writing may have been produced during his reign. It is speculated that Scorpion King may have unified Egypt earlier than Narmer.

early dynastic period
In the Early Kingdom period around 3150 BC, the first king consolidated his rule in Lower Egypt, making Memphis (the White City) his capital. There they could control the agriculture and labor of the rich delta region, as well as the lucrative trade routes to the Levant.

First Dynasty of Egypt : 3200-2850 BC. Among the famous emperors in the world, Narmer in ancient Egypt is probably the earliest one. He was the founder of the first dynasty of ancient Egypt and the founder of the national unity of ancient Egypt. Egypt is an ancient country among the ancient countries in the world, and Narmer is a special person standing at the beginning of all this. From Narmer to Ka, there were eight kings in the First Dynasty.

Second Dynasty of Egypt : 2850-2686 BC. There were six kings from Hotepseknemoui to Cascomau. The development of agricultural productivity in the Old Kingdom was the basis for the astonishing advances in architecture, art, and technology during the Old Kingdom, made possible by a well-developed central government.

Under the direction of the “Visil” (Prime Minister), state officials collected taxes, coordinated water projects to increase crop yields, conscripted farmers for construction projects, and established a judicial system to maintain peace and order. A wealthy and stable economy ensured a fiscal surplus, enabling the state to preside over the construction of monumental projects and the royal workshops to commission outstanding works of art.

The rising importance of the central government was accompanied by a class of officials and scribes who were recognized and supported by pharaohs as land owners. The king will also use the land for the construction of mausoleums or donate local temples to ensure the worship of himself after death. Such five centuries of feudal rule gradually weakened the king’s economic strength, and by the end of the Old Kingdom, the king was no longer able to maintain a large central organization.

The king’s power declined, and local rulers immediately began to challenge the king’s majesty. This, combined with a severe drought from 2200 BC to 2150 BC, culminated in a period of starvation and turmoil for more than 140 years known as the First Intermediate Period.