Egypt's story : Women could become pharaohs

Kwack Min-soo

The author is the director of the Korea Institute of Egyptology. 

Merneith was the daughter of Pharaoh Djer and the wife of Djet, who succeeded Djer to the throne. Djet is believed to have died before his son Den reached adulthood, making it highly likely that Merneith assumed the role of pharaoh in his place. Similar cases later appeared throughout Egyptian history, with mothers acting as regents or attempting direct rule on behalf of young kings. During the New Kingdom period, the female pharaoh Hatshepsut also began as regent for Thutmose III before eventually declaring herself pharaoh. Thutmose III was the son of Hatshepsut’s husband, Thutmose II, and another queen.

Because Merneith lived during Egypt’s Early Dynastic Period, detailed written records confirming her regency have not survived. Even so, archaeological evidence strongly suggests that she either ruled as pharaoh or exercised authority equivalent to that of a pharaoh. Her tomb complex at Abydos was built on a scale comparable to those of male rulers, and official seals discovered there included her name among the kings of the First Dynasty. Such findings have led many historians to conclude that she occupied a position beyond that of an ordinary queen consort.

The relatively long reign of Den, recorded in later king lists as lasting 42 years, also suggests that he ascended the throne at a very young age. This strengthens the possibility that his mother exercised royal authority until he was capable of ruling independently. Scholars have therefore interpreted Merneith not simply as a royal wife, but as a central political figure during a period of dynastic transition.

The legitimacy of mothers temporarily exercising royal power on behalf of young pharaohs was also reinforced through mythology. In the widely known Osiris myth, the goddess Isis raises her young son Horus into a worthy heir after the sudden death of Osiris. The story helped establish a cultural framework in which maternal authority could support political succession and stabilize royal legitimacy.

From a modern perspective, emphasizing women primarily as mothers or wives may appear discriminatory. Ancient Egypt also assigned women traditional gender roles. Yet even within that framework, women could, under certain circumstances, become pharaohs themselves. In practice, women in ancient Egypt did not appear to hold markedly lower social status than men. In domestic life and marriage, women often played active and visible roles. This can be seen in Egyptian couple statues and reliefs, where wives are frequently depicted embracing their husbands by placing an arm around their shoulders.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.