I have read that the very first ruler to unite North and South Egypt was a female deity. Is this legend or imagination?
   Robert, Web Post

Dr. dig responds:
I think we have a strong element of fiction mixed with elements of known history here. First of all, we do not have any contemporary written history that dates back to the time when southern and northern Egypt were joined. This occurred when writing was just starting to develop in the Nile valley. Legend tells us that the unifier of Egypt was a king called Menes. Archaeology identifies the first king of the unified land as Narmer, a southerner who managed to conquer or subdue the North. There were earlier local kings, but Narmer is the first who can definitely be said to rule both North and South. Narmer’s queen was a woman named Neith Hotep. Neith is the name of a northern deity; it is therefore possible that Narmer consolidated his position by marrying a northern princess, making his son undisputed heir to the whole land.