Conference paper "Levantine Exchange Patterns in the Early Dynastic Period: A View from Abu Rawash"

Description

Our understanding of Egyptian-Levantine relations during the Early Bronze Age has transformed over the last decade. The key drivers of this debate are twofold. Firstly, the South Levantine radiocarbon ‘High Chronology’ has changed the periodisations of the era. New radiocarbon dates for Egypt has produced greater clarity for the Early Dynastic absolute chronology. Alongside the archaeological data, synchronisms between the regions are now on a more secure evidental footing.

Second, ceramic petrography has exposed the Central Levant (between Tyre and the Akkar Plain) as a key centre for the acquisition of certain liquid commodities from an early date. Traditionally, scholars believed that Early Dynastic Egypt focused its main attention on the Southern Levant, with attention northward emerging during the Old Kingdom.

This paper presents the results of petrography on a small sample of imported ceramics from Early Dynastic Abu Rawash. It demonstrates the long-standing nature of commodity acquisition from Lebanon, a pattern seen in material from
Abydos, Helwan and continued during the Old Kingdom. This focus on the north, as revealed by the ceramics, requires re-assessment of Egypt’s relationship with the Southern Levant during the Early Dynastic Period.

Period	9 Sept 2018
Event title	Fifth Australasian Egyptology Conference
Event type	Conference
Conference number	Fifth
Location	Auckland, New ZealandShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International