Djet (Wadj) (2970—2963)

Djet or Wadj, the third king of the 1st Egyptian Dynasty. His stela is exposed at the Louvre in Paris. It is made of limestone sliced by the sculptor Serekh. The stele was discovered almost the ancient city of Abydos where Wadj's mortuary complex is located. The only other place that Egyptologists found a quotation to him was in an inscription near the city of Edfu, to the south of Egypt. His wife was Queen Mereneith, who acted as mentor and advisor for his successor, King Den. King Djet have variants of his name alike Uadji and Zet, but Wadjet is probably the correct form. His Horus-name was written by a snake. Manetho gives a king called Kenkenes 31 years and one called Uenepes 23, and likely one of them is Djet, the latter one being the most future.

King Djet's Burial position:

His tomb in Abydos had a new feature - little rooms close the grave chamber within the building itself, a feature similar to mastabas. From the same site he has left a masterpiece of Egyptian art from all times - a magnificent over two metre high stone stele found outside the tomb, now in the Louvre in Paris. It was from the beginning erected at the spot marking the position where visitors cold give protection to the remembering of the dead pharaoh. The tomb itself had probably no visible part above ground in contrast to his rite area by the Nile, with its high walls. A year-label came to light, establishing the king's name and symbols doing Upper and Lower Egypt - the vulture and the red royal crown. Other memorials from Djet's reign are a couple of large mastabas at Tarkhan but most of all a fantastic large mastaba (nr 3504) from the capital's necropolis at Sakkara. It measures 20 by 50 metres and was located by English archaeologist Emery in 1953-56. It had over four hundred bulls' heads sculptured with good horns all placed in straight rows around the walls, and beside it stood of over 60 side burials for retainers. The grave chamber was plundered briefly after the burial by robbers tunneling in from the side and setting fire to the wooden roof and lining. A carefully restoration took position probably in the rule of king Qaa at the end of the dynasty, when new offer and goods were put in.

Labels