This fully illustrated excavation report on the early Egyptian royal tombs at Abydos was first published in 1900.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Two of the most characteristic aspects of ancient Egyptian culture - kingship and a great attention to death - were present from a very early age. The first kings to rule all of Egypt came to power in approximately 3000 B.C., and the same kings were the first to have monumental tombs and funerary temples built. These early royal mortuary temples in particular are quite enigmatic, but the recent discovery of two previously unknown monuments at the site of Abydos is shedding new light on their development and use. Most surprisingly these temples are from the same reign, suggesting that members of the royal family in addition to the king might have received funerary cult in the early First Dynasty. This study documents the excavation of these two temples, their provision for the dedication of offerings, and the sacrificial burials that surrounded them. It sets these monuments within the framework of the rise of Egyptian kingship and cult, examining both continuities and innovations in royal mortuary practice during this formative period of Egyptian civilization.