Ancient Rock Inscriptions Reveal the Birth of Egyptian Kingship!
Recent studies of rock inscriptions in the desert east of Aswan are providing fresh insights into how Egypt’s earliest rulers asserted their authority some 5,000 years ago. Found in the Wadi el Malik region and its side valleys, these carvings feature hieroglyphs, animal motifs, and scenes of violence, collectively revealing how pre-dynastic kings used imagery to legitimise their rule during the formation of the world’s first territorial state.
Photo Credit: Johann Thiele
At the centre of the research is a mysterious figure known as King Scorpion. His name appears on a rock at Wadi Abu Subeira, accompanied by the inscription, “Domain of the Horus King Scorpion.” According to Egyptologist Professor Dr Ludwig Morenz from the University of Bonn, this is “the world’s oldest known place name sign.” Together with Egyptian scholar Mohamed Abdelhay Abu Bakr, Morenz has now offered a more comprehensive interpretation of the carvings in their book Culture and Power in Pre-Pharaonic Egypt.
“This period marks the emergence of the Egyptian state,” Morenz explains, noting that by the late fourth millennium BCE, Egypt already spanned nearly 800 kilometres from north to south.
While the Aswan Eastern Desert remained on the state’s periphery, Wadi el Malik served as a key transit route, rich in minerals and a hunting ground during wetter periods. Here, rulers left their mark, transforming the landscape into what Morenz describes as a “royal rock art tableau.” Figures such as King Horus-Falcon, King Bull, and an early ruler named Scolopendra appear in sequence, each paired with powerful animal imagery.
Photo Credit: Johann Thiele
“Most early royal names reference dangerous animals, symbolising authority,” Morenz notes. This imagery emphasised the rulers’ role as earthly representatives of divine power, rather than as gods themselves. King Scorpion, for example, was linked to Bat, a celestial cow goddess associated with fertility, and Min, a desert god connected to hunting. “They formed a divine couple, with Bat representing the fertile Nile Valley and Min the peripheral desert regions,” Morenz adds.
The inscriptions also portray violence. One striking carving shows a ruler trampling an enemy, with two severed heads in the background. Morenz describes these images as “pharaoh-fashioning,” illustrating the creation of kingship through depictions of conquest and domination.
Photo Credit: Ludwig Morenz
The carvings further shed light on religious life. A large figure of a boat, pulled by 25 men, likely represents sacred processions, highlighting links between the Nile Valley and the desert frontier.
Modern digital imaging has revealed details invisible to the naked eye, bringing faint, weathered engravings back into view. Morenz believes there is still much to learn from the site. “This region is crucial for understanding how the state emerged at the socio-cultural periphery in the late fourth millennium,” he says.
He has called for more archaeological missions and hopes the area will eventually be open to the public. “This hotspot should be accessible to visitors, with tours and a dedicated visitor centre,” he insists.
For now, the carvings stand as silent witnesses to the origins of Egyptian kingship, offering a fascinating glimpse into how rulers like King Scorpion transformed the desert frontier into a stage for divine authority and political ambition.