Titulary
| Horus Name | Aha, "Horus the Fighter" |
| Nomen | Mn, Menes, "Established" |
| Manetho | Athothis |
| King Lists | Teti, iti |
| Alternate Names | Hor-Aha, Hor Aha, Horus Aha, Athothis I |
| manetho africanus | ruled 62 years |
| manetho eusebius | ruled 30 years |
| clayton | 3050 - 2890 BCE |
| piccione | 3050-2890 BCE |
| grimal | 3125-3020 |
| von Beckerath | 2007-2975 |
| Krauss | 3000/2980 |
| Malek | 2972-2939 |
| Predecessor | father Narmer (presumed) |
| Successor | son Djer |
| Father | Narmer (Dynasty 0) |
| Mother | Niethotep, wife of Narmer |
| Chief Wife | Berenb, Bernerib, "Sweet of Heart" |
| Wife | Hent |
| Son | Djer (Dyn 1) out of Hent |
Buried in Abydos in 3 brick-lined chambers roofed with wood. It was originally thought to be three separate tombs, but recent excavations have shown it to be a single tomb. Nearby, 33 subsidiary burials contain young men and seven young lions. The tomb is about 11 x 9 meters, with walls that are 1.5 - 2m thick. |
| Aha also has a tomb at Saqqara, (No 3357) that is the first known tomb with a boat buried beside it. |
| Nearby mastabas are assumed to be from nobles or other family members. |
| A temple to Nieth (Nit) at Sais |
The earlier the dates, the less we really know about the dynasties of Egypt. Not surprising, considering that we're talking five millennia, I suppose. What we do know is painstakingly pieces together using the bits of archaeological evidence that are found (literally bits -- in some cases pottery shards and fragments of clay seals and stone tablets). Very few remains of Aha are found outside of Egypt and only a single piece of foreign pottery is dated to his reign.
.The written name of the first king is Horus Aha, although many
sources credit him with being the semi-mythical "Menes" who
united Egypt. (Others believe that the earlier Narmer was "Menes").
This assertion is based on the hints of his birth name, Mn,
that have been found associated with the Horus Aha title. it
is pretty much tradition to assign the persona of Menes to this
king.
As "Menes", Horus Aha is reputed to have founded Memphis and Crocodopolis and was the first king to unify Upper and Lower Egypt -- the beginning to the Ancient Egyptian civilization that did not end until the Roman era with the crowning of Augustus Caesar. The newly founded town of Memphis -- dedicated to his patron god of Ptah, was called Hiku-ptah, which was later mangled by foreigners into Egypt.
The death of Aha (purportedly at age 63) is part of the "Menes" legend -- he was attacked by wild dogs and Nile crocodiles in the oasis city of Fayoum, but this is not really supported by much evidence, as far as I can tell.
pharaohs
Menes
Djer
Merneith
Djet
Den
Anedjib
Semerkhet
Qa'a
Sneferka
monuments
Tomb, Abydos
Tomb 3357, Saqqara
Temple of Neith, Sais
related links