For most people the Early Dynastic Period begins with the 1st Dynasty and the 0 Dynasty gets lost in the mists of the Predynastic Period. There is also a tug of war that seems to go on with the 3rd Dynasty - whether it actually belongs in the Early Dynastic Period or is the beginning of the Old Kingdom. For our purposes here at thinis.com, the Early Dynastic Period begins with the 0 Dynasty (also known as Naqada III or Late Gerzean) and ends with the 2nd Dynasty.

For both the First and Second Dynasties there is evidence enough to supply the names, and in some cases the placement, of those rulers - although the 2nd Dynasty can get a little fuzzy around the edges. The 0 Dynasty is much harder to ascertain and to say only a handful of rulers were known would be generous. As the archaeological evidence of a united Egypt definitively begins with Narmer and the Narmer palette, we should then logically have ruling nobles both in Upper Egypt and in Lower Egypt pre-dating Narmer's reign. That is easier imagined than proved as you will see with the chronological order I have below.

Continuing archaeological excavations in Early Dynastic necropolises both in Upper and Lower Egypt will assist in providing a clearer picture of the hierarchy of society during this period and finds to date have already brought to light several rich tombs that can be ascribed to either highly placed nobles or ruling families. Unfortunately, there are not always identifiers within the grave goods and speculation and theory seem to go hand in hand with trowels during these excavations. Suffice to say though, there has been enough evidence uncovered that supports a social hierarchy pre-dating Narmer and reaching as far back as the Naqada I period (app. 4,000-3,500). Interestingly, several of the richest tombs that have been found were the tombs of children which gives rise to discussion that social position was inherited instead of merely earned by merit.

Below you will find my meager attempt at a chronological order pertaining to the Pre and Early Dynastic Periods. I include the Predynastic Period in this as it is very difficult to discuss the Early Dynastic Period as an autonomous period when the previous period plays such an important part in its development. The dates you will see below have been pilfered from The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt for the most part and are approximate.

Predynastic Period (5,450-3,000)

• Lower Egypt:
  - 5,450-4,400 Fayum A
  - 5,000-4,100 Merimda I & II
  - 4,600-4,350 Merimda III-V
  - 4,600-4,350 El Omari
  - 3,500-3,050 Maadi



• Upper Egypt:
  - 4,400-4,000 Badarian
  - 4,000-3,500 Naqada I (Amratian)
  - 3,500-3,200 Naqada II (Gerzean)
  - 3,200-3,000 Naqada III (Late Gerzean)



• Possible kings of Lower Egypt from the Palermo Stone¹:
  - ___-pu
  - Seka
  - Khayu
  - Teyew
  - Thesh
  - Neheb
  - Wazenez
  - Mekh



• Possible king of Upper Egypt:
  - Scorpion (I)

 

0 Dynasty (3,200-3,050)

• Lower Egypt (possibly):
  - King A (name unknown)



• Upper Egypt:
  - King B (name unknown)
  - Scorpion (II) or could possibly be Crocodile
  - Iry-Hor
  - Crocodile or could possibly be Scorpion (II)
  - Ka (wife: Ha?)



• Unified Egypt:
  - Narmer² (wife: Nithotep)

 

1st Dynasty (3,050-2,890)

• Unified Egypt:
  - Hor-Aha (wife: Berner-Ib)
  - Djer (wife: Hernit)
  - Djet (wife: Meryt-nit)
  - Meryt-nit (possibly regent for son, Den)
  - Den
  - Enezib (aka Anedjib)
  - Semerkhet
  - Qa'a

 

2nd Dynasty (2,890-2,686)

• Unified Egypt:
  - Hotepsekhemwy
  - Nebra (aka Raneb)
  - Nynetjer
  - Nubnefer³ (possibly only king of Upper Egypt)
  - Weneg⁴ (possibly only king of Lower Egypt)
  - Sened⁵
  - Sekhemib (possibly one in the same as Peribsen)
  - Peribsen (possibly one in the same as Sekhemib)
  - Khasekhemwy (aka Khasekhem)(wife: Nimaathap)



• Unaccounted for⁶:
  - Sendji (reflected on Turin Canon & Abydos List)
  - Neterka (Aaka?) (reflected on Turin Canon)
  - Neferkara (reflected on Abydos List, possibly 3rd Dynasty)

 

Notes:
1. James Henry Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt Vol. I, translation of upper registers of the Palermo Stone

2. Narmer is usually either shown as the last king of the 0 Dynasty or the first king of the 1st Dynasty. Excavataed funerary items reflect Narmer as the ancestral founder of the 1st Dynasty

3. Nubnefer could have possibly been a contemporary of Nynetjer and may have briefly ruled Upper Egypt during the period of unrest following the death of Nynetjer.

4. Weneg was undoubtedly a successor of Nynetjer, however, he is so far only attested to in Lower Egypt

5. Sened is only attested to in Lower Egypt, could have been a contemporary of Peribsen

6. These particular names have been reflected on either the Turin Canon or the Abydos List (or both), but no archaeological evidence has been located to support their existence. They could be additional, unknown, names of substantiated kings.