Umm el-Qa'ab (or sometimes Umm el Ga'ab) is the necropolis of the Early Dynastic kings at Abydos, in Egypt. Its modern name means 'Mother of Pots', as the whole area is littered with the broken pot shards of offerings made in later times (see picture).

Pre-Dynastic Tombs

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• U-j – Unknown noble, but possibly Serket I from scorpion insignia found in tomb
• B1/B2 – Iry-Hor
• B7/B8/B9 – Ka

First Dynasty Tombs

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Known as Cemetery B, this area contains the tombs of the kings of the First dynasty of Egypt and the last 2 kings of the Second.

• B17/B18 – Narmer
• B10/B15/B19 – Aha
• 0 – Djer
• Z – Djet
• Y – Merneith
• T – Den
• X – Anedjib
• U – Semerkhet
• Q – Qa'a

Second Dynasty Tombs

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The last 2 kings of the Second Dynasty returned to be buried near to their ancestors - they also revived the practice of building mud-brick funerary enclosures nearby.

• P – Peribsen

A seal found in this tomb contains the first full sentence written in hieroglyphs ^*.

• V – Khasekhemwy

This tomb was on a massive scale, with several interconnecting mud-brick chambers, and the actual burial chamber being constructed of dressed limestone blocks.

When excavated by Petrie, in 1901 it contained a sceptre made from sard and banded with gold, limestone vases with golden covers, and a ewer and basin of bronze.

References

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• Wilkinson, Toby, Early Dynastic Egypt, Routledge, 1999

Tombs of Ancient Egypt

Umm el-Qaab