(c. 3500–3100 BC)
The designation given by Egyptologists to those kings of Upper Egypt before the official union of Egypt. They are attested mostly by their tombs at Abydos. It is not clear how much of Lower Egypt they controlled. The system of hieroglyphic writing had not developed sufficiently for their names to be clearly read, so they are known by their royal symbols, for example, King Scorpion.
Historical Dictionary Of Ancient Egypt by Morris L. Bierbrier
Ancient Egypt. A Reference Guide. EdwART. 2011.