Serekh

A rectangular frame decorated like a palace facade that encloses an early Egyptian king’s Horus name. It served as a royal name device and a symbol of kingship.

Horus name: The royal name written within a serekh and associated with the god Horus. This is the name the serekh was designed to frame.
Predynastic Egypt: The period of Egyptian history before the first dynasties, ending around 3100 BCE. Serekhs emerged as kingship took shape in late Predynastic Egypt.
Abydos: An ancient Egyptian city and cemetery that became a major royal burial ground. Royal tombs at Abydos preserve early serekh inscriptions.
Cartouche: An oval enclosure used in ancient Egypt to mark a king’s name. Unlike the serekh’s palace facade, the cartouche became the standard frame for royal names.
Horus: An ancient Egyptian god associated with the sky, kingship, and falcon imagery. A falcon representing Horus commonly stands above the serekh.
Narmer Palette: A ceremonial slate palette bearing images and inscriptions associated with King Narmer. Its inscriptions include one of the best-known early royal serekhs.
Naqada: An archaeological site in Upper Egypt associated with Predynastic and early dynastic culture. Objects from Naqada include evidence for early royal name devices.
Horus falcon: A falcon image representing Horus, often shown above a royal serekh. Its position atop the frame distinguishes the serekh’s characteristic royal composition.
Ancient Egyptian royal titulary: The formal set of names and titles used by an Egyptian ruler. The Horus name in a serekh belongs to the wider royal naming system.
Scorpion II: A ruler known from late Predynastic Egyptian objects, including depictions of a scorpion emblem. Objects attributed to Scorpion II show early use of the serekh form.

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