After reading “Theories of State Formation” by E. Christiana Kohler, I found the political views most interesting.  It has already been mentioned in both the readings and the lectures that there was no single moment in which both Upper and Lower Egypt were joined.  However, there were different factors (crafts, politics, social norms) that changed thus resulting in the unification.  The interest that I have in this week’s discussion is that of the political power that was maintained throughout the change.

I found that given the ever expanding trade routes and agricultural improvements, certain groups came into an area of power.  These individuals were referred to as elites by Kohler, but I like to visualize them as powerful businessmen.  I say this because they had control over there own personal wealth and were concerned with their own advancement as well as their kin.  However, as the political unification became apparent as well, the idea of a single entity governing both regions was formed, the Pharaoh.

The interesting part of the Pharaoh’s position was the initial split that was between Upper and Lower Egypt.  However, the split seems to merge as there is Narmer wearing both the red crown and the white crown as depicted by the Narmer palette.  As time went on, the country became whole and with it there existed a single governing Pharaoh.

Researching the different names of the Pharaohs that existed in ancient Egypt, many if not all adopted the name of a deity.  The reading suggested this as a way of showing superiority to the followers.  I would agree with this statement as it seems to me, in a time where magic was not easily disproved, the Pharaoh could declare himself to be a supreme being and none would question it.  This in turn, would cause the people of Egypt to respect the Pharaoh just by the fear that the position of Pharaoh puts on the people.

With all of the evidence suggesting the timeline of which the unification occurred, it is still obvious in many artifacts that they position of supreme authority was evident in both upper and lower Egypt and carried through even after Egypt was whole.