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

(Paperback, 2nd edition)

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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. In this second edition, Wolfram Grajetzki incorporates recent discoveries, discussions and publications which have emerged over the intervening fifteen years, including new excavation reports for the mastabas at Lisht and excavations at Abydos. 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.

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 Egypts 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

Author Bio

Wolfram Grajetzki is Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Egyptology at University College London, UK. He is the author of The Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt: History, Archaeology and Society (2006), Court Officials of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (2009), Tomb Treasures of the Late Middle Kingdom (2013) and The People of the Cobra Province in Egypt: A Local History, 4500 to 1500 BC (2020).