Recent excavations by the German Archaeological Institute at Abydos have thrown considerable light on the early kingship and the sequence of the kings of the First Dynasty. A clay sealing found in a tomb attributed to King Den27 has been restored and gives the sequence of kings from Narmer, followed by Aha, Djer, Djet, Den. Another sequence completes the sequence adding Anedjib, Semerkhet and Qa’a, from whose tomb the sealing was recovered.28 The names of the kings are preceded by the figure of the canine god, Wepwawet in his role as leader of the royal procession and Opener of the Ways. In addition, there was a queen, Merneith, who was probably the mother of King Den, who may have acted as regent before he was of an age to assume the responsibilities of government.
The German expedition’s work at Abydos has already added greatly to the knowledge of the characters involved and the internal politics of the late predynastic period and the First Dynasty. From the clearing of the important large tomb, designated U. j, which is ascribed to Naqada II, t,3250BC, the sealings found in it suggest that it was the grave of a King Scorpion, not the Scorpion of the celebrated macehead from Hierakonpolis, but another of the same name from at least a century earlier.29
The graves of the First Dynasty kings have been re-excavated, with important results. The tomb of King Den, the fourth king of the dynasty, has been handsomely restored. Objects from the tomb of King Djet had apparently been excavated during the Middle Kingdom and laid out in the forecourt, where they were found. For whatever reason, it appears that they were covered over and, presumably, forgotten. They included seal impressions, arrow heads, gaming pieces, ceramics and a copper spiral from a model Red Crown.30
World History
