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A serekh was a specific important type of heraldic crest used in ancient Egypt. Like the later cartouche, it contained a royal name.
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Appearance
A serekh was an ornamental vignette combining a view of a palace facade and a plan (top view) of the royal courtyard. The word "serekh" derives from the Egyptian word for "facade". Different serekhs on different types of object display countless variations of the facade decor in its complexity and detail. It seems that no strict artistic rules for the design of the serekh itself existed.
Use
A serekh was normally used as a royal crest, accentuating and honouring the name of the pharaoh. Its use can be dated back as early as the Gerzeh culture (ca. 3400 BC.). The hieroglyphs forming the king's name were placed inside a rectangular extension atop the serekh, which represented the royal courtyard. Additionally, the falcon of the god Horus, or in a few cases the Set animal, topped the serekh, showing the celestial patron of the named king.
If the word "serekh" was written in full letters (as shown in the infobox above), sometimes accompanied by a miniature of the serekh, it could also be used in text.
History
As already mentioned, the serekh first appears as an ornamental miniature during the late Gerzeh culture, when it was used as a royal crest only. From the Old Kingdom period onward, the first uses of the full written word appear in old papyri.