The Narmer Palette

Welcome back to Egyptology 101. Today we'll be taking a look into the Narmer Palate, which is one of the most famous early Egyptian artifacts. The Narmer Palate dates to the beginning of Egyptian history, around 3100 BCE, from the so-called Dynasty Zero. This was around the time when Upper and Lower Egypt were becoming politically unified into a single kingdom. King Narmer, whose name appears on this palette, represents one of the earliest known rulers of ancient Egypt. The Narmer Palate was discovered at the end of the 19th century at the site of Hierakonpolis in Upper Egypt. The palette, along with other objects, was found ceremonially buried near the temple at Hierakonpolis. It is likely, however, that the Narmer Palate would have once been on display within the temple. Today, this artifact sits in the Cairo Museum. In ancient Egypt, palettes were used for grinding down minerals, often for cosmetic purposes such as eye paint. Early examples of these palettes were often rhomboidal or oval in shape. There were also animal-shaped palettes, such as fish and birds. Eventually, some palettes, like the Narmer Palate, became intricately decorated and incorporated different designs and imagery. These are ceremonial palettes, and they functioned as ritual objects, most likely in temples or shrines. So now, let's take a look at the Narmer Palate in more detail. This palette is around 25 inches high and 16 inches wide, and it is made out of siltstone. Scholars have described this palette as having a shield shape, and it is carved on both sides in low, raised relief. We'll start by analyzing the primary images on the recto side, which can be divided into three sections or registers. On the top, we see two frontal-facing heads with bovine ears and horns, but with human features. Scholars have suggested that this figure is either Bat or Hathor, both of whom are celestial deities. Between these two figures is a serac, which represents the façade of the royal palace. The king's name, Narmer, appears within the serac and identifies the royal authority within the palace at this time. Directly below the king's name is a depiction of Narmer himself. This larger-than-life figure wears the white crown of Upper Egypt, and he holds a mace in one hand. His other hand grasps the hair of the enemy kneeling before him. This image of the king smiting an enemy is a scene that will continue to appear throughout Egyptian history. For example, we can identify a similar smiting scene from the Ptolemaic Temple of Edfu. Behind the king is a smaller figure who carries the royal sandals. The king's bare feet might suggest that the ground upon which he walks is sacred, or perhaps that his actions are sacred. In front of Narmer, a falcon stands upon a papyrus land, which is anthropomorphized with a human head. The falcon holds a rope, which is pulled through the nose of the head below. Scholars have suggested that these images present the falcon god Horus, or the king as Horus, dominating the land where the papyrus grows, which might represent the delta. In the lowest register, two naked enemies appear in a floating or running motion. They are positioned beneath the feet of the Egyptian king, and they gaze up towards him. Turning to the verso side, we can identify four registers. The topmost section mirrors the recto side, with two images of the cow goddess flanking the serac with Narmer's name. Below this, we see Narmer wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt and carrying a mace and a flail. Once again, he is barefoot and his sandal bearer follows behind. Narmer's name appears before him, along with five individuals. The one in front of the king wears a leopard skin costume and most likely is a royal official. There are also four standard bearers. Narmer and his attendants look towards two rows of enemies who have been decapitated. Nine of these foes have also had their genitalia removed. The counting of heads and genitalia was an Egyptian administrative practice during war in later times, but this mutilation might also have been a magical act to strip the enemies of their power. Below this scene are two mystical creatures known as serpopards. Their long necks are twisted around each other to form a circular depression in which pigment could be ground. Attendants stand on either side, controlling the animals with a rope. This imagery of subjugating wild animals and the symmetry produced from this scene might allude to the Egyptian king's role of maintaining order and balance. Similar fantastic creatures can also be found on Mesopotamian cylinder seals, which suggests a connection and interaction between Egypt and Mesopotamia at this time. Finally, the lowest register depicts a bull attacking a walled settlement. Another naked enemy appears, this time being trampled beneath the bull's feet. The bull, along with other animals like the lion and falcon, is often used as an image of royal power. Therefore, the bull in this scene can be identified as Narmer who attacks the settlement. When analyzing this palette as a whole, some scholars have argued that it depicts a specific battle or even showcases the moment when Egypt was unified as a single kingdom. For example, Narmer wears both the red crown of lower Egypt and the white crown of upper Egypt, which might suggest that he is the first dual king and ruler of all of Egypt. Also, some scenes might allude to the defeat of the delta region. In contrast, other scholars have suggested that this palette expresses a more generalized vision of Narmer's reign without depicting the moment when Egypt was unified. Overall, the Narmer palette is a product of royal ideology during the time when Egypt was becoming a unified nation. This palette emphasizes the larger-than-life status of the Egyptian king, presents royal victory and the subjugation of enemies, illustrates the king's ability to create order from chaos, and incorporates examples of royal iconography, many of which would continue to be used throughout Egyptian history. Thanks for watching today's video. Please check out the description below to find additional resources relating to the Narmer palette. Also, please feel free to leave any suggestions for topics you would like to see discussed in future videos.