Scorpion I

Predynastic Egyptian king

Weha / Serk
Wḥˁ / Srq
Scorpion ?

BurialTomb U-j, Umm El Qa'ab, AbydosDynastyNaqada III

Scorpion I was a ruler of Upper Egypt during Naqada III. He was one of the first rulers of Ancient Egypt, and a graffito of him depicts a battle with an unidentified predynastic ruler. His tomb is known for the evidence of early examples of wine consumption in Ancient Egypt.

Tombs

Scorpion is believed to have lived in Thinis and was presumably the first true king of Upper Egypt. To him belongs the U-j tomb found in the royal cemetery of Abydos, where Thinite kings were buried. That tomb was plundered in antiquity, but in it were found many small ivory plaques, each with a hole for tying it to something, and each marked with one or more hieroglyph-type scratched images which are thought to be names of towns, perhaps to tie the offerings and tributes to keep track of which came from which town. Two of those plaques seem to name the towns Baset and Buto, showing that Scorpion's armies had penetrated the Nile Delta. It may be that the conquests of Scorpion started the Egyptian hieroglyphic system by starting a need to keep records in writing.^[1]

Battle depiction

In 1995, a 5,000-year-old graffito was discovered in the Theban Desert Road Survey that also bears the symbols of Scorpion and depicts his victory over another protodynastic ruler (possibly Naqada's king). The defeated king or place named in the graffito was "Bull's Head", a marking also found in U-j. It is believed that Scorpion I unified Upper Egypt following the defeat of Naqada's king. Meaning Nekhen's royal house had submitted itself into a union with King Scorpion 1 in Thinis.^[1]^[2]

Evidence of wine consumption

Scorpion's tomb is known in archaeological circles for its possible evidence of ancient wine consumption. In a search of the tomb, archaeologists discovered dozens of imported ceramic jars containing a yellow residue consistent with wine, dated to about 3150 BC. Chemical residues of herbs, tree resins, and other natural substances were found in the jars. Grape seeds, skins and dried pulp were also found in the tomb.^[3]^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b Secrets of Egypt, Channel 5 TV program 2/8, "Scorpion King," 20 November 2008.
^ "Before the Pharaohs: Ancient Egypt Was Ruled by a Scorpion King, Reveals Ancient Text". Curiosmos. April 3, 2019.
^ Kaufman, Marc (January 11, 2011). "Ancient winemaking operation unearthed". The Washington Post.
^ "Scorpion King's Wines--Egypt's Oldest--Spiked With Meds". nationalgeographic.com. Archived from the original on April 16, 2009.

Preceded by

Bull?

Pharaoh of Egypt

Succeeded by

Iry-Hor?

Pharaohs

Protodynastic to First Intermediate Period (<3150–2040 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs male female^♀ uncertain

Protodynastic
(pre-3150 BC)

Lower	Hedju Hor Ny-Hor Ni-Neith Hat-Hor Pu Hsekiu Khayu Tiu Thesh Neheb Wazner Mekh A Double Falcon Wash
Upper	A Finger Snail Fish Pen-Abu Stork Bull Scorpion I Shendjw Iry-Hor Ka Scorpion II Narmer / Menes

Early Dynastic
(3150–2686 BC)

I	Narmer / Menes Hor-Aha Djer Djet Den Anedjib Semerkhet Qa'a Sneferka Horus Bird
II	Hotepsekhemwy Nebra Nynetjer Ba Nubnefer Horus Sa Weneg-Nebty Wadjenes Senedj Seth-Peribsen Sekhemib-Perenmaat Neferkara I Neferkasokar Hudjefa I Khasekhemwy

Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

III	Djoser Sekhemkhet Sanakht Nebka Khaba Sedjes Qahedjet Huni
IV	Snefru Khufu Djedefre Khafre Bikheris Menkaure Shepseskaf Thamphthis
V	Userkaf Sahure Neferirkare Kakai Neferefre Shepseskare Nyuserre Ini Menkauhor Kaiu Djedkare Isesi Unas
VI	Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Pepi II Merenre Nemtyemsaf II Netjerkare Siptah Neferka Nefer

1^st Intermediate
(2181–2040 BC)

VII/VIII	Menkare Neferkare II Neferkare III Neby Djedkare Shemai Neferkare IV Khendu Merenhor Neferkamin Nikare Neferkare V Tereru Neferkahor Neferkare VI Pepiseneb Neferkamin Anu Qakare Iby Neferkaure Neferkauhor Neferirkare Wadjkare Khuiqer Khui Iytjenu
IX	Meryibre Khety Neferkare VII Nebkaure Khety Setut Imhotep
X	Meryhathor Neferkare VIII Wahkare Khety Merykare

Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period (2040–1550 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs male female^♀ uncertain

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1802 BC)

XI	Mentuhotep I Intef I Intef II Intef III Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep III Mentuhotep IV
Nubia	Segerseni Qakare Ini Iyibkhentre
XII	Amenemhat I Senusret I Amenemhat II Senusret II Senusret III Amenemhat III Amenemhat IV Sobekneferu^♀ Seankhibtawy Seankhibra

2^nd Intermediate
(1802–1550 BC)

XIII	Sekhemrekhutawy Sobekhotep Sonbef Nerikare Sekhemkare Amenemhat V Ameny Qemau Hotepibre Iufni Ameny Antef Amenemhet VI Semenkare Nebnuni Sehetepibre Sewadjkare Nedjemibre Khaankhre Sobekhotep Renseneb Hor Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw Djedkheperew Sebkay Sedjefakare Wegaf Khendjer Imyremeshaw Sehetepkare Intef Seth Meribre Sobekhotep III Neferhotep I Sihathor Sobekhotep IV Merhotepre Sobekhotep Khahotepre Sobekhotep Wahibre Ibiau Merneferre Ay Merhotepre Ini Sankhenre Sewadjtu Mersekhemre Ined Sewadjkare Hori Merkawre Sobekhotep Mershepsesre Ini II Sewahenre Senebmiu Merkheperre Merkare Sewadjare Mentuhotep Seheqenre Sankhptahi
XIV	Yakbim Sekhaenre Ya'ammu Nubwoserre Qareh Khawoserre 'Ammu Ahotepre Maaibre Sheshi Nehesy Khakherewre Nebefawre Sehebre Merdjefare Sewadjkare III Nebdjefare Nebsenre Sekheperenre Bebnum 'Apepi Nuya Wazad Sheneh Shenshek Khamure Yakareb Yaqub-Har
XV	Sharek Semqen 'Aper-'Anati Salitis Sakir-Har Khyan Yanassi Apepi Khamudi
XVI	Djehuti Sobekhotep VIII Neferhotep III Mentuhotepi Nebiryraw I Nebiriau II Semenre Bebiankh Sekhemre Shedwast Dedumose I Dedumose II Montuemsaf Merankhre Mentuhotep Senusret IV Pepi III
Abydos	Senebkay Wepwawetemsaf Pantjeny Snaaib
XVII	Rahotep Nebmaatre Sobekemsaf I Sobekemsaf II Sekhemre-Wepmaat Intef Nubkheperre Intef Sekhemre-Heruhirmaat Intef Senakhtenre Ahmose Seqenenre Tao Kamose

New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period (1550–664 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female^♀) uncertain

New Kingdom
(1550–1070 BC)

XVIII	Ahmose I Amenhotep I Thutmose I Thutmose II Hatshepsut^♀ Thutmose III Amenhotep II Thutmose IV Amenhotep III Akhenaten Smenkhkare Neferneferuaten^♀ Tutankhamun Ay Horemheb
XIX	Ramesses I Seti I Ramesses II Merneptah Amenmesses Seti II Siptah Twosret^♀
XX	Setnakhte Ramesses III Ramesses IV Ramesses V Ramesses VI Ramesses VII Ramesses VIII Ramesses IX Ramesses X Ramesses XI

3^rd Intermediate
(1069–664 BC)

XXI	Smendes Amenemnisu Psusennes I Amenemope Osorkon the Elder Siamun Psusennes II
High Priests of Amun	Herihor Piankh Pinedjem I Masaharta Djedkhonsuefankh Menkheperre Smendes II Pinedjem II Psusennes III
XXII	Shoshenq I Osorkon I Shoshenq II Tutkheperre Shoshenq Takelot I Osorkon II Shoshenq III Shoshenq IV Pami Shoshenq V Pedubast II Osorkon IV
XXIII	Harsiese A Takelot II Pedubast I Iuput I Shoshenq VI Osorkon III Takelot III Rudamun Shoshenq VII Menkheperre Ini
XXIV	Tefnakht Bakenranef
XXV	Piye Shebitku Shabaka Taharqa Tanutamun

Late Period and Hellenistic Period (664–30 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs male female^♀ uncertain

Late
(664–332 BC)

XXVI	Ammeris Tefnakht II Nekauba Necho I Psamtik I Necho II Psamtik II Wahibre Ahmose II Psamtik III
XXVII	Cambyses II Petubastis III Darius I Psammetichus IV Xerxes Artaxerxes I Darius II
XXVIII	Amyrtaeus
XXIX	Nepherites I Hakor Psammuthes Nepherites II Muthis
XXX	Nectanebo I Teos Nectanebo II
XXXI	Artaxerxes III Khabash Arses Darius III