Narmer, also known as Menes, is often regarded as the first pharaoh of unified Egypt. He is credited with the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt around 3100 BCE, symbolizing the start of the Early Dynastic Period. Narmer is depicted in the Narmer Palette, a ceremonial engraving that illustrates his military victories and the merging of two crowns, signifying the consolidation of the two regions. His rule established the foundation for the pharaonic system that dominated ancient Egyptian civilization for millennia, influencing its cultural, social, and political structures.