Editing Pharaoh (section)

=== Scepters and staves ===
[[File:Khasekhemwy-BeadedScepter MuseumOfFineArtsBoston.png|thumb|Beaded scepter of [[Khasekhemwy]], {{Circa|2890}}–2680 BCE, [[Museum of Fine Arts, Boston|Museum of Fine Arts]], [[Boston]]]]
[[Sceptre]]s and staves were a general symbol of authority in [[ancient Egypt]].<ref name="TW158">Wilkinson, Toby A. H. ''Early Dynastic Egypt''. Routledge, 2001, p. 158.</ref> One of the earliest royal scepters was discovered in the tomb of [[Khasekhemwy]] in [[Abydos, Egypt|Abydos]].<ref name="TW158"/> Kings were also known to carry a staff, and [[Anedjib]] is shown on [[Stone vessels in Ancient Egypt|stone vessels]] carrying a so-called ''mks''-staff.<ref name="TW159">Wilkinson, Toby A. H. ''Early Dynastic Egypt''. Routledge, 2001, p. 159.</ref> The scepter with the longest history seems to be the ''heqa''-sceptre, sometimes described as the shepherd's crook.<ref name="TW160">Wilkinson, Toby A. H. ''Early Dynastic Egypt''. Routledge, 2001, p. 160.</ref> The earliest examples of this piece of regalia dates to [[prehistoric Egypt]]. A scepter was found in a tomb at Abydos that dates to [[Naqada III]].

Another scepter associated with the king is the [[was-sceptre|''was''-sceptre]].<ref name="TW160"/> This is a long staff mounted with an animal head. The earliest known depictions of the ''was''-scepter date to the [[First Dynasty of Egypt|First Dynasty]]. The ''was''-scepter is shown in the hands of both kings and deities.

The [[Flail (tool)|flail]] later was closely related to the ''heqa''-scepter (the [[crook and flail]]), but in early representations the king was also depicted solely with the flail, as shown in a late pre-dynastic knife handle that is now in the Metropolitan museum, and on the [[Narmer Macehead]].<ref name="TW161">Wilkinson, Toby A. H. ''Early Dynastic Egypt''. Routledge, 2001, p. 161.</ref>