Pschent facts for kids

Pschent, the double crown of Egypt

The Pschent was a special crown worn by the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. It was also called the sekhemti, which means 'The Two Powerful Ones'. This crown was a mix of two other crowns: the Red Crown of Lower Egypt and the White Crown of Upper Egypt.

The Pschent showed that the pharaoh ruled over both Upper and Lower Egypt. It had two important animal symbols on the front: a cobra and a vulture. The Egyptian cobra, called the uraeus, represented Wadjet, the goddess of Lower Egypt. The Egyptian vulture represented Nekhbet, the goddess of Upper Egypt. These two symbols together were known as the Two Ladies.

The Story of the Double Crown

Many people believe that Menes, a pharaoh from the First Dynasty, created the Pschent. He was important for uniting Upper and Lower Egypt.

One of the first pharaohs shown wearing the Double Crown was Djet. You can see him wearing it in an old rock carving.

Why Pharaohs Wore It

Ring of Ptolemy VI Philometor wearing the Pschent, from the 3rd to 2nd Century BC.

The Pschent was a strong symbol of the pharaoh's power. It showed that they were the ruler of all Egypt. The Palermo Stone, an ancient stone tablet, shows early pharaohs wearing the Red Crown before Egypt was united. After Egypt became one country, later pharaohs are shown wearing the Pschent.

Even later rulers, like the Ptolemaic kings who came from Greece, wore the Pschent when they were in Egypt. This showed they were the rightful rulers of the land.

Finding the Crowns Today

It's amazing, but none of the actual Egyptian crowns have ever been found! This includes the Pschent, the Red Crown, and the White Crown. We only know what they looked like from old statues, paintings, and writings.

Gods and the Double Crown

Some Egyptian gods are also shown wearing the Pschent. These include Horus and Atum. These gods were often linked to the pharaoh or represented the pharaoh's power.

Images for kids

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  Horus as a falcon wearing the Double Crown

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  Ramesses IV wearing a pschent

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  Statue of Amenhotep III wearing a pschent

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  Statue head of Senusret III wearing a pschent

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  Horus as a falcon with the Double Crown