The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt: History, Archaeology and Society

by Wolfram Grajetzki

Overview

For the ancient Egyptians, the Middle Kingdom (c. 2000-1700 BC) was a classical period of art, history and literature. The Twelfth Dynasty was one of the strongest ever to rule on the banks of the Nile: some of its kings were later worshipped as local gods, and were made famous by classical Greek authors. Yet Egyptologists tend not to look beyond the extraordinary royal sculpture and literary masterpieces of the time.

Although the picture is fragmentary, as with any archaeological record, the last two hundred years of exploration and excavation have revealed much of the splendour of the period. This book examines the evidence for the culture, history and society of both central and provincial Egypt at the time, revealing the wealth of the entire country. Too often overshadowed by the better-preserved architecture of other periods, Middle Kingdom Egypt emerges for the reader as a fascinating age in its own right.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780715634356
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/24/2006
Series:	BCP Egyptology
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Wolfram Grajetzki has participated in excavations in Egypt and Pakistan and has taught Egyptology at Humboldt University, Berlin. He is the author of several books including Burial Customs in Ancient Egypt (2003) and studies of Tarkhan and Harageh.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Preface
Chronology

Introduction

1. History
1.1. The End of the Old Kingdom
1.2. The Heracleopolitan Kings (c. 2161/2131-1990/1970 BC)
1.3. The Early Eleventh Dynasty at Thebes (pre-2065-2008 BC)
1.4. The Second Part of the Eleventh Dynasty (c. 2008-1938 BC)
1.5. The Early Twelfth Dynasty (c. 1938-1837 BC)
1.6. The Late Twelfth Dynasty (c. 1837-1759 BC)
1.7. The Thirteenth Dynasty (c. 1759-1685 BC)

2. Archaeology and Geography
2.1. Upper Egypt
2.2. Lower Egypt
2.3. The Neighbouring Lands

3. Society
3.1. Outside the Ruling Classes
3.2. The Ruling Classes: People with Administrative Titles
3.3. The King and his Family

Appendices
A. Kings of the Middle Kingdom
B. Viziers of the Middle Kingdom
C. Treasurers of the Middle Kingdom

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

This book provides an important update on the earlier, popular version. It is unique and impressive in its scope covering many aspects of Middle Kingdom administration and society drawing on a detailed survey of the evidence from all parts of Egypt. Critically, it does not favor one source type over others and draws on textual, artistic and archaeological sources equally. In doing so it addresses the Middle Kingdom society in a holistic and comprehensive manner.” —Christian Knoblauch, Lecturer in Archaeology, Swansea University, UK

“An approachable, and well-rounded, introduction to the rich historical and archaeological record of Egypt's Middle Kingdom, one of the great, but often overlooked, eras of pharaonic civilization.” —Josef Wegner, Professor of Egyptian Archaeology, University of Pennsylvania, USA

“The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt provides a clear and succinct summary of the complexities of political, social and religious aspects of one of the most intriguing periods in ancient Egyptian history, outlining the flexibility of power and socio-economic organization between 'king' and the many individuals in the provinces and frontiers.” —Penny Wilson, Associate Professor of Archaeology, Durham University, UK

From the Publisher