The ancient Egyptians knew that their land was once divided into two kingdoms - one in the north and the other in the south. The kings of these lands each wore a different crown. About 3200 BCE, the southern king conquered the north and united the whole country. From that time on, the people called that king, and every new king, the "Lord of the Two Lands." The king began to wear a new kind of crown made up of both crowns. This showed that he was king of all of Egypt.
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| The tall, knobbed crown on the left was worn by the earliest kings of southern Egypt. It was known as the "White Crown." It meant that a king had authority to rule over the south. The crown in the middle was worn by the earliest kings of northern Egypt. It was known as the "Red Crown" and meant that a king had authority to rule over the north. When the kings of southern Egypt conquered the north and unified Egypt about 3000 BCE, they adopted a crown that combined both the White and Red Crowns. This crown was called the "Double Crown" and it meant that a king had the authority to rule the entire country. |
Some archaeologists think that Nubia, too, may have had kingdoms as early as Egypt's, though perhaps not as rich or developed. If so, one kingdom would have been in Lower Nubia, where archaeologists have found the culture that they call the "A-Group". Another might have been in Upper Nubia, where so many later kingdoms began.
Because farming in Egypt was so good, it was rich in food, leather, textiles and agricultural products. Nubia had much less farmland, but it had many precious materials that Egypt did not. These included good quality woods; wild animal products such as ivory, skins, ostrich eggs and feathers; precious stones; and many plants used for dyes and medicines. To obtain the things they did not have, the rulers of these countries began to trade with each other.
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| These drawings show the carved decoration on two stone vessels found in rich graves at Qustul, in northern Nubia, dating to about 3400-3200 BCE. These vessels, carved of Nubian stone, show kings sitting in boats and wearing the "White Crown". This crown was once associated only with Egyptian kings. Because these vessels came from Nubia, some archaeologists think these kings may not be Egyptian but very early Nubian rulers. Also shown in these carvings are: a palace front, bound prisoners (suggesting that these scenes commemorate a victory), and a lion in a boat (perhaps symbolizing the king). |
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Courtesy of the Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago. |