Egypt

Egypt

Museum of Egyptian Antiquities

Egypt

The Palette of NarmerA temple offering cosmetic palette:

•Used to crush cosmetic powder between necks of serpopards

•Powder used on faces of god/goddess statues in temple

Egypt

•dates from about 3200 BC, •contains some of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions ever found, •"the first historical document in the world"

Egypt

•large (ca. 64 cm./25 in.), shield-shaped, ceremonial palette,

•carved from a single piece of flat, soft green siltstone

Egypt

Egypt

Egypt

Upper rims on both side are caved with the same design

Two human faces with curved bull-like horns flank Narmer’s serekh

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Serekh is a rectangular frame representing a palace courtyard around the symbols of a catfish and a chisel

Catfish and chisel represent Narmer’s name

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Egypt

Egypt

King, wearing the chair-shaped red crown of Lower Egypt, marches in procession toward ten dead enemy soldiers

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King is followed by an attendant who carries his sandals

Catfish and chisel of Narmer’s name hovers in front of the king’s face

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Egypt

Egypt

Egypt

Necks of two serpopards encircle the grinding area of the palette

Each serpopard is controlled by an attendant holding a leash attached to the beast’s neck

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Egypt

Egypt

Bull tramples an enemy soldier and knocks down towered walls

Bull symbolizes the king, who is in the act of conqueroring an enemy town

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Egypt

Egypt

Egypt

Egypt

Egypt

King Narmer, wearing the conical white crown of Upper Egypt

holds an enemy by the hair, prepares to kill him with a club

Attendant behind king carries his sandals

Egypt

Egypt

Egypt

A bed of papyrus reeds is personified by a human head

A falcon holds a rope attached to the head

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Egypt

Egypt

Two dead enemy soldiers in poses of defeat

Egypt

Egypt