The Fate of Avaris: Exploring Adaptations to Political Change from the Middle Bronze Age to the Late Bronze Age in Egypt’s Eastern Delta

Description

The rise of the ancient Egyptian New Kingdom has usually been analysed from the Theban perspective. It was forged with the Theban rulers’ ability to expand their territory, or ‘unite’ Egypt by conquering the Hyksos Kingdom to their north, and the Kushite Kingdom to their south. However, in doing so, they assumedly gained control over several settlements in Egypt’s northeastern Delta, one of which, Avaris, was the capital of the Hyksos. With an estimated population of around 30,000 inhabitants, little is known of what happened to the communities of the Delta. This paper presents an overview of developments in the social and political landscapes of the region during periods of transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age, addressing how different social groups (re-)negotiated their local, regional, and supra-regional ties. An underlying premise is the interplay between continuity, change and adaptation as strategies of survival. The paper begins with a discussion of how communities transformed and thrived with the fall of the Middle Kingdom, and with the growth of an independent city centred at Avaris, identified today with Tell el-Dab'a. It then focusses on how particular groups persisted into the New Kingdom, questioning whether they were (intentionally or unintentionally) interconnected with strategies of the founding kings of the New Kingdom.

Period	21 Nov 2020
Held at	Virtual Annual Meeting of ASOR 2020
Event type	Conference
Location
Degree of Recognition	International