history of western arts

History of Western Arts

Egyptian ArtThe Palette of King

Narmer Egypt

Egyptian ArtThe Palette of King Narmer

The Palette of King Narner: Let us first “read” the scenes from

both sides. The fact that we are able to do so

is another indication that we have left prehistoric art behind


For meaning of these reliefs is made clear and explicit not only by means of hieroghyphic labels, but also through the use of a broad range of visual symbols conveying precise message to the beholder, and – most important of all - through the disciplined, rational orderliness of the design.


In the first picture, Narmer has sized a fallen enemy by the hair and is about to slay him with his mace; two more defeated enemies are placed in the bottom compartment (the smaller rectangular shape next to the man on the left stands for a fortified town.


Facing the king in the Upper right we see a complex bit of picture writing: a falcon standing above a clump of papyrus plants (tall reed – like water – plant with thick fibrous stems used by Ancient Egyptians to make paper) holds a tether attached to a human head which grows from the same soil as the plants.


This composite image actually repeats the main scene on a symbolic level; the head and papyrus plants stand for Lower Egypt, while the victorious Falcon is Horus, the local god of Upper Egypt.

The parallel is plain: Horus and Narmer are the same; a god triumphs over human foes (enemy).


Hence, Narmer’s gesture must not be taken as representing a real fight; the enemy is helpless from the very start, and the slaying is a ritual rather than a physical effort.


We gather this from the fact that Narmer has taken off his sandals (the court official behind him carries them in his right hand), an indication that he is standing on holy ground


On the other side of the palette, he again appears barefoot, followed by the sandal carrier, as he marches in solemn procession behind a group of standard bearers to inspect the decapitated bodies of prisoners. (The same notion recurs in the Old Testament, apparently as the result of Egyptian influence, when the Lord commands Moses to remove his shoes before he appears to him in the burning bush).


The bottom compartment re – enacts the victory once again on a symbolic level with the Pharaoh represented as a strong bull trampling an enemy and knocking down a citadel.

(A bull’s tail hanging down from his belt is shown in both images of Narmer; it was to remain the part of Pharaonic ceremonial garb for the next 3000 years).


Only the centre section fails to convey an explicit meaning; the two long necked beasts and their attendants have no identifying attributes and may well be a carry – over from earlier, purely ornamental palettes. In any event, they do not reappear in Egyptian art.

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