Narmer, Scorpion, and the representation of the early Egyptian court

Numerous academic and popular articles have been published on the Narmer Palette, the Narmer Mace-head and the Scorpion Mace-head, arguably three of the most iconic early Egyptian monuments. It is generally recognized that these three objects are the climax of a centuries-old tradition of stone-working in the Nile valley and that most of the iconographic elements on these three objects can be traced back to earlier works of art such as the wall-painting in Tomb 100 at Hierakonpolis, Naqadan rock art, and older decorated palettes and mace-heads. As such, the Narmer Palette, the Narmer Mace-head and the Scorpion Mace-head combine various older iconographic elements that are for the first time organised in a single, more or less coherent narrative. The meaning of this narrative, however, eludes us: some scholars have argued that the reliefs on the palette and the mace-heads represent historical events, whereas others argue for a more symbolic interpretation. This article aims to further our understanding of these narratives by proposing new identifications of two figures shown prominently on both the Narmer mace-head and the Narmer palette; the so-called sandal-bearer and the wearer of the leopard skin.The full text of this article is not currently available in ORA

Narmer, Scorpion, and the representation of the early Egyptian court

Numerous academic and popular articles have been published on the Narmer Palette, the Narmer Mace-head and the Scorpion Mace-head, arguably three of the most iconic early Egyptian monuments. It is generally recognized that these three objects are the climax of a centuries-old tradition of stone-working in the Nile valley and that most of the iconographic elements on these three objects can be traced back to earlier works of art such as the wall-painting in Tomb 100 at Hierakonpolis, Naqadan rock art, and older decorated palettes and mace-heads. As such, the Narmer Palette, the Narmer Mace-head and the Scorpion Mace-head combine various older iconographic elements that are for the first time organised in a single, more or less coherent narrative. The meaning of this narrative, however, eludes us: some scholars have argued that the reliefs on the palette and the mace-heads represent historical events, whereas others argue for a more symbolic interpretation. This article aims to further our understanding of these narratives by proposing new identifications of two figures shown prominently on both the Narmer mace-head and the Narmer palette; the so-called sandal-bearer and the wearer of the leopard skin