UMM EL-QA'AB

'Umm el-Qa'ab' (sometimes 'Umm el Ga'ab', ) is the necropolis of the Early Dynastic^[1] kings at Abydos, in Egypt^[2]. Its modern name means ''Mother of Pots'', as the whole area is littered with the broken pot shards of offerings made in later times (see picture).

Contents

Pre-Dynastic Tombs

First Dynasty Tombs

Second Dynasty Tombs

References

Pre-Dynastic Tombs

★ 'U-j' – Unknown noble, but possibly Serket I from scorpion insignia found in tomb

★ 'B1/B2' – Iry-Hor^[3]

★ 'B7/B8/B9' – Ka

First Dynasty Tombs

Known as ''Cemetery B'', this area contains the tombs of the kings of the First dynasty of Egypt and the last 2 kings of the Second.

★ 'B17/B18' – Narmer^[4]

★ 'B10/B15/B19' – Aha^[5]

★ 'O' – Djer^[6]

★ 'Z' – Djet^[7]

★ 'Y' – Merneith^[8]

★ 'T' – Den^[9]

★ 'X' – Anedjib^[10]

★ 'U' – Semerkhet^[11]

★ 'Q' – Qa'a^[12]

Second Dynasty Tombs

The last 2 kings of the Second Dynasty returned to be buried near to their ancestors - they also revived the practice of building mud-brick funerary enclosures nearby.

★ 'P' – Peribsen^[13]
A seal found in this tomb contains the first full sentence written in hieroglyphs ^[14].

★ 'V' – Khasekhemwy^[15]

This tomb was on a massive scale, with several interconnecting mud-brick chambers, and the actual burial chamber being constructed of dressed limestone blocks.
When excavated by Petrie, in 1901 it contained a sceptre made from sard and banded with gold, limestone vases with golden covers, and a ewer and basin of bronze.

References

1. [1] Tombs of kings of the First and Second Dynasty
2. Toby Wilkinson, Early Dynastic Egypt, Routledge, 1999
3. [2] Abydos, Tomb of King Iry-Hor
4. [3] Narmer's Tomb
5. [4] Hor-Aha's Tomb
6. [5] Tomb O
7. [6] Tomb Z
8. [7] Tomb Y
9. [8] Tomb T
10. [9] Tomb X
11. [10] Tomb U
12. [11] Tomb Q
13. [12] Abydos Tomb P
14. [13] Peribsen' tomb
15. [14] Abydos Tomb V