Narmer Macehead

Narmer Macehead

The macehead shows Narmer wearing the Red Crown of the conquered north, seated on a throne and protected by the vulture goddess Nekhbet of Hierakonpolis.

In front of him are the standard bearers of his army, a seated figure on a canopied palanquin; figures of captives and numerals and signs representing the number of men, oxen and goats captured in war.

The seated figure is probably a woman, and it has been suggested that the figure is that of a captured northern princess whom the victorious king would take in marriage to consolidate the rule of the Two Lands.

The macehead shows scenes of celebration of the hed-sed (jubilee) festival of renewal. A cow (possibly Hathor) and calf also have a prominent place in the iconography.

Top: Narmer Macehead
Middle and Bottom: Line drawing of Narmer Macehead. Now in the Ashmolean Museum.

Rekhyt - Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus appears in Egyptian art from the earliest times apparently representing the captured peoples of Lower Egypt. The wings were often shown crossed and therefore useless in flight to indicate submission. Later, however, the lapwing was used as a symbol of praise and represented all the people of Egypt.