Den

King c.2985-2930 BC.

    The fifth king of the First Dynasty, Den succeeded Djet on the throne, and it is possible that his mother may have been the mysterious but powerful queen Mer(it)neith who acted for him as a regent while he was still a minor. He was a dynamic and enterprising ruler and pursued an active foreign policy which is illustrated by a small ivory tablet, now in the British Museum; this shows the king slaying an *Asiatic in a desert region (probably Sinai) and is accompanied by an inscription which reads: 'First time of slaying the Easterners.'

    Den had large burial monuments at both Abydos and Saqqara, although it remains uncertain which of these was his actual tomb. The Abydos monument had architectural innovations including an entrance stairway, and its granite pavement is evidence of the advances which had been made in artistic and stone-working skills.

    Later generations accredited Den with prescriptions in the Ebers and Berlin medical papyri, and in his reign, it appears that two major features connected with the kingship were introduced—the Double Crown and the royal nsw-bit name. Both these concepts emphasised the king's role as the ruler of both the northern and southern regions of Egypt.

BIBL. Emery, W.B. Archaic Egypt. Harmondsworth: 1961; Emery, W.B. Great Tombs of the First Dynasty. (three vols) Cairo and London 1949-58; Petrie, W.M.F. The Royal Tombs of the First Dynasty. London: 1900.

Biographical Dictionary of Ancient Egypt by Rosalie and Antony E. David

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(reigned c. 2985 BC)

   Fifth king of Dynasty 1. Successor and probably son of Djet and Queen Merneith, who may have acted as regent for her son. His tomb has been excavated at Abydos, and among the finds were ivory labels that showed the king in various poses, including smiting Asiatics.

   See also Anedjib.

Historical Dictionary Of Ancient Egypt by Morris L. Bierbrier