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Ismail Heiza
Miss Elizabeth Vallarino
Grade 8 yellow
29th May, 2014
Before the pharaohs
King Menes was the first official pharaoh to combine lower and Upper Egypt; he was the first
official pharaoh in Egypt. When time passed and most pharaohs started to disappear, Egyptian culture
and traditions started to disappear but the only thing that was left was the language they spoke.
However until now we still read ancient books and study their history, but there are two questions that
are always through our mind, what was before the pharaohs? Why did they start to disappear? Where
did they go?
King Menes was the first official pharaoh to rule Egypt; he combined lower and upper Egypt. In
the early Stone Age people in Egypt lived in high upon the land above the Nile from the delta to Aswan.
As time passed people started to grow and they started to expand their villages. Later on king Menes
ruled Upper Egypt, the he conquered Lower Egypt, and these two regions were combined and were
named “The two lands”. According to Edward F. Malkawski, the first dynasty was between (2920-2770
B.C.). Due to Menes conquering lower Egypt and became Egypt’s first official pharaoh, Egypt was
combined and settlers from both lands were forced to live with each other as Egypt was named “The
two lands”. This means king Menes was the first official pharaoh for the people. He created the two
lands (Egypt).
Before that settlers came from everywhere in the world and settled in upper and Lower Egypt.
From about 5000 B.C.E, settlers arrived from Palestine and Syria and from the Libyan tribes, they settled
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in north in the Delta and in the south near Aswan. After 3000 B.C. traders from southern Iraq also sailed
to Egypt. They started to grow crops and their villages started to extend, however when the two were
combined the people started to fight each other. Before Menes ruled Egypt, settlers and traders came
from Arab countries came to settle near the Nile valley, their two main places were the Delta and
Aswan. Each group began to expand their land and starting to create a new community. When Menes
had the authority the two lands were combined and became a real country, although the people kept
fighting each other and didn’t like the fact that they were one country. These settlers were the first to
step on the Egyptian land; they were the main reason for Egypt becoming a independent country.
However this caused them to fight each other.
Pharaohs began to disappear when other countries began to invade Egypt repeatedly. According
to Dr. Aidan Dodson from BBC, he said by the fourth century 533 AD Egypt became a Christian country.
By 640, those Arab invasions began, a result of that Arabs began to displace Egypt. The Egyptian
language that the pharaohs spoke was the only thing that survived, by the 16th century the pharaohs
was essentially disappeared. Due to Edward F. Malkawski, the last Dynasty (31st) was between (342-332
B.C.). The Arab invasions began to displace the Egyptian culture, the pharaohs disappeared after 31
dynasties, and the Egyptian language was the only thing that survived until now.
Narmer might be the first Egyptian pharaoh. Some people think the pharaoh Narmer was the first king,
however until today we don't know weather Narmer is another person or they both representd the same person.
According to this story Narmer built a city called Memphis, its original name was Hikuptah. Narmer ruled for over
60 years. It is suggested that Narmer united lower and upper Egypt by marrying into the family of the southern
royal family. Until today no one can prove that Narmer was the first king or that Menes was the first king, at the
end they both might be the same person.
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To conclude, king Menes was the first official pharaoh to combine lower and upper Egypt, however
others think Narmer was the first official King but until today we don't know. As time passed Egypt became a
Christian country and its culture began to disappear through 31 dynasties because of the Arab invasions that came
repeatedly.
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work citation:
"tracing the past." Menes)). N.p , n.d web. is may 2014.
"the two lands and king Menes - ancient Egypt for kids." the two lands and king menes - ancient Egypt for kid. N.p
, n.d web is may 2014.
BBC News. BBC. 19 May 2014
"before the pharaohs" google books, N.p, n.d 25 may 2014.
"pharaohs|menes|narmer." pharaohs|menes|narmer. N.p , n.d web. 01.