Umm el Qa'ab contains evidence that the site is the cemetery for Egypt's predynastic proto-kings along with rulers of the 1st and 2nd dynasties.

The cemetery was likely founded during the Naqada I period (4,000 BCE) as evident from the tomb structures, pottery, and seal impressions excavated from the site.

[4] Since then the area has been excavated repeatedly by the German Archaeological Institute since the 1970s, which has allowed for a thorough reconstruction of the original layout and appearance of these tombs.

[4] Cemetery U is located at the northern edge of Umm el-Qa'ab and inscriptions found in the tombs has been interpreted by Günter Dreyer as evidence of it being the burial site of 17 Egyptian proto-kings of the Naqada III period.

[5] In addition to ceramic vessels, tomb U-j also contained bowls carved out of obsidian and chests made from imported cedar.

The British archaeologist, Alice Stevenson believes the ivory tags found in the tomb provide evidence for the existence of advanced administrative and bureaucratic organization.

This has been interpreted as evidence of ritual specialization, an organized effort to restrict materials, and artisanship centered around the burials at Umm el-Qa'ab.

Furthermore, inscriptional evidence found at isolated tombs also suggests the Dynasty 0 rulers, Qa'a, Iry-Hor, and Narmer, were buried at this site.

[3] It was during Senwosret I's rule that a temple was built and dedicated to Osiris to the north of Umm el-Qa'ab with a processional valley linking the two sites.

Chapter 169 of the Book of the Dead, a text found among New Kingdom and later period burials, directly references the annual festival.

18th Dynasty votive offerings were found near these early royal tombs in pits located 8 meters away from the burials.

[24][25] For unknown reasons, this practice ended with the conclusion of the dynasty, with shabtis taking the place of actual people to aid the pharaohs with the work expected of them in the afterlife.