Neithotep

Neithhotep or Neith-hotep () was an ancient Egyptian queen consort who lived and ruled during the early First Dynasty. Archeological evidence may indicate that she may have ruled as pharaoh in her own right, and as such would have been the earliest known female monarch in history. She was subsequently considered to be the wife of unified Egypt's first pharaoh, Narmer, and the mother of Hor-Aha. She was once wrongfully thought to be a male ruler: her outstandingly large mastaba and the royal serekh surrounding her name on several seal impressions previously led Egyptologists and historians to the erroneous belief that she might have been an unknown king. As the understanding of early Egyptian writings developed, scholars learned that Neithhotep was in fact a woman of extraordinary rank.

== Identity == === Name === Neith, the goddess of war and hunting which originated among the libyans where her cult center in Sais and main temple was, Sais was also the capital where Neithhotep ruled. This followed a tradition notably practiced during the first dynasty: many queens (such as Merneith/Meritneith, another possible female pharaoh and descendant of Neithhotep) and princesses (such as Aha-Neith, Her-Neith, Nakht-Neith and ''Qa'-Neith) also had names referencing the deity.