Protodynastic Egypt

Separated now from the Predynastic Period of Egypt, the Protodynastic Period is that end and beginning of two very individual sets of civilizations. The time frame for the Protodynastic Period is ~3300-3000 BC. (Photo to left is a piece of pottery showing the Scorpion King that we now have the legends and movies of.)

The Protodynastic Period is hard to label as it was the time when Egypt was undergoing the process of political unification, leading to a unified state during the Early Dynastic Period. It was also during the Protodynastic Period that the Egyptian language first was recorded using hieroglyphs. With unification came a beginning to state formation and numerous small city-states arose along the Nile. Conquests reduced Upper Egypt to three states:Thinis, Naqada, and Nekhen. Little is known of Lower Egypt's political unification but that they may have shared in Naqada's Set cult while Thinis and Nekhen were part of the Horus cult. As the conquering continued Naqada fell first as it sat sandwiched by Thinis and Nekhen. Thinis arose and then conquered Lower Egypt, uniting the numerous states and tribes. Experts still do not agree on how Thinis and Nekhen united, but it appears they merged peacefully to create the royal family ruling all of Egypt.

The Protodynastic Period is considered by most Egyptologists to have ended with King Narmer, although some still place him in the First Dynasty starting the Early Dynastic Period. The Scorpion King (although there were several by that name) is believed to have been towards the end of the Protodynastic Period as well. Seen here to the right is the palette of King Narmer c. 3000 BC.

See here & here for more Protodynastic Period intense information.

Protodynastic Period/Dynasty 0 Rulers

(c. 3300 BC)

-Scorpion I

-Anonymous Serekhs

-Double Falcon

-Ny-Hor

-Pe-Hor

-Hat-Hor

-Hedj-Hor; (Iry-Hor)

(c. 3150-3000)

-Scorpion (II)

-Iry Hor

-Ka

-Narmer