Ghost of a flea

Rising up near the edge of the cultivated plain, the Fort dominates the low desert of Hierakonpolis. It is, in fact, our only standing monument, and if you can only have one, what a one to have! Approximately 67x57m (220ft x 185ft), with walls 5m (16ft) thick, it is still preserved in places to its original height of 9m (30ft). Decorated on its exterior with a series of pilasters creating a niched facade, the chief symbol of royalty at this time, it was originally plastered white. It must have been a striking sight in its time, and almost 5,000 years later, this monument stands as a testament to the abilities of its builder, King Khasekhemwy, the last king of the Second Dynasty (ca. 2686 B.C.).