Naqada III
| Geographical range | Egypt |
|---|---|
| Period | Early Bronze I |
| Dates | c. 3,300 BC – 2,900 BC |
| Major sites | Naqada, Tarkhan, Nekhen |
| Preceded by | Naqada II, Maadi culture |
| Followed by | First Dynasty of Egypt |
Naqada III is the last phase of the Naqada culture of ancient Egyptian prehistory, dating from approximately 3200 to 3000 BC. It is the period during which the process of state formation, which began in Naqada II, became highly visible, with named kings heading powerful polities. Naqada III is often referred to as Dynasty 0 or the Protodynastic Period to reflect the presence of kings at the head of influential states, although, in fact, the kings involved would not have been a part of a dynasty. In this period, those kings' names were inscribed in the form of serekhs on a variety of surfaces including pottery and tombs.