The Oldest Evidence: Cosmetics Palette from Egypt @museum.de

M: In this showcase, we'd like to present a very special object. It is a replica of what's known as the Narmer Palette. The original comes from Egypt, is over 5,000 years old and is famous throughout the world. It is kept in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

F: Narmer is regarded as the last pharaoh of the pre-dynastic period. He's mentioned several times in contemporary sources, and a number of important finds linked to him have survived. And yet, little is known about the origins and identity of this important ruler.

M:

The magnificent palette is made of polished slate, is about 64 centimetres or 25 inches high and decorated on both sides – and it's almost completely undamaged. Another reason why this panel is so fascinating is because it features some of the oldest hieroglyphs discovered to date.

F: But we're interested in something else. The front shows Narmer taking part in a victory celebration. Look at the four standard bearers in the upper section. The last one in the row is carrying something round with a kind of cord attached. It's thought to be the mummified placenta of the pharaoh. The Egyptians probably believed that the placenta was something like the pharaoh's twin, so it was carefully preserved and venerated.