Narmer was the first person to rule over both southern and northern regions of
Egypt. He was also the first to make the city of
Memphis his capital. Historically, northern
Egypt consisted of the Nile Delta. Southern
Egypt consisted of the
Nile River valley between the southern end of the Delta and the first series of rapids of the Nile at
Aswan. Narmer located
Memphis at the intersection of both.
Some anonymous sculptor, living around 3,000 BC, portrayed Narmer as the first ruler of a united Egyptian state. He did this using a piece of flat grey silkstone measuring 2 feet (63 cm) long. The sculpture in relief was found in Hierakonopolis, Narmer’s capital in southern
Egypt before he ruled all of
Egypt from
Memphis. The two-sided sculpture was discovered by English Egyptologists James Quibell and Frederick Green in 1898. It is now on display in
Cairo’s
Egyptian Museum.
The front side of the stone shows Narmer wearing the crown of northern Egypt and walking in a formal procession. He is shown much larger than any other human figure. He faces the victims of his conquests. These are represented by ten humans who have been decapitated and are lying dead on the ground.
The back side shows another over-sized Narmer standing and wearing the crown of southern Egypt. In his left hand he holds an enemy, who is kneeling at his feet, by the hair. In his right hand he holds a mub. He is about to crush the skull of this now powerless enemy. Two other people already lie dead beneath his feet. For the next 3,000 years, rulers of Egypt would have themselves portrayed in this same position of indisputable power.
Since the Fall of Adam and Eve, Olympianity has been the world's most widespread and popular religion. It has always been and remains the religion of power. Jupiter, the god of politics, is one of six gods worshiped by participants in this religion. In Olympianity, powerful rulers are seen as heroes. The ancient sculptor of Narmer, good Olympian that he was, knew this. So he attributed Olympian glory to Narmer by making him bigger than anyone else and by showing him murdering others with ease.
Copyright © 2012 by Steven Farsaci.
All rights reserved. Fair use encouraged.
