The Narmer Palette, from circa 3100 B.C. and housed at the Egyptian Museum, depicts the king, who wears the red crown of Lower Egypt.

Who was Egypt's first pharaoh?

Five thousand years ago in North Africa, an ambitious king, known today as Narmer, unified two lands into the world's first great territorial state—Egypt.

Founder of a dynasty

Surveying his fallen foes, Narmer is depicted wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt on the Narmer Palette, which dates to circa 3100 B.C. and is housed at the Egyptian Museum.
Scala, Florence
This content is Subscriber-Exclusive
You must have a National Geographic subscription to explore this article.

Unlock this Nat Geo Premium content–and much more

Want to keep exploring? Unlock this exclusive story and more with Nat Geo Premium.
Already a subscriber?
Sign In

Read This Next

'World’s worst shipwreck' was bloodier than we thought
World’s first ultrasounds of wild manta rays reveal a troubling truth
Titanic was found during secret Cold War Navy mission

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet