Pharaoh's Land and Beyond: Ancient Egypt and Its Neighbors - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0190229071 ISBN 13: 9780190229078

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2017

Synopsis

The concept of pharaonic Egypt as a unified, homogeneous, and isolated cultural entity is misleading. Ancient Egypt was a rich tapestry of social, religious, technological, and economic interconnections among numerous cultures from disparate lands. In fifteen chapters divided into five thematic groups, Pharaoh's Land and Beyond uniquely examines Egypt's relationship with its wider world. The first section details the geographical contexts of interconnections by examining ancient Egyptian exploration, maritime routes, and overland passages. In the next section, chapters address the human principals of association: peoples, with the attendant difficulties of differentiating ethnic identities from the record; diplomatic actors, with their complex balances and presentations of power; and the military, with its evolving role in pharaonic expansion. Natural events, from droughts and floods to illness and epidemics, also played significant roles in this ancient world, as examined in the third section. The final two sections explore the physical manifestations of interconnections between pharaonic Egypt and its neighbors, first in the form of material objects and second, in the powerful exchange of ideas. Whether through diffusion and borrowing of knowledge and technology, through the flow of words by script and literature, or through exchanges in the religious sphere, the pharaonic Egypt that we know today was constantly changing--and changing the cultures around it. This illustrious work represents the first synthesis of these cultural relationships, unbounded by time, geography, or mode.

About this title

About the Author:

C: Pearce Paul Creasman is Associate Professor & Curator at the University of Arizona, author or co-author of fifty articles, and editor of Archaeological Research in the Valley of the Kings and Ancient Thebes.
W: Richard H. Wilkinson is Regents' Professor Emeritus at the University of Arizona, author or editor of eleven books, including The Oxford Handbook of the Valley of the Kings.

Review:

"At all times, and often against its 'Egyptocentric' self-representation, ancient Egypt was dependent on manifold interconnections with the world around. While such interconnections- especially diplomatic or trade relations- have been explored previously, many ways in which the ancient Egyptians were entangled with their neighbours still need investigating. This book does exaclty that... The intended audience are lay enthusiasts interested in interconnections in the Bronze and Iron Age Mediterranean, yet the theoretical approach of some chapters; the choice of topics , written by specialists in their field; and the comprehensive bibliographies for each entry open this volume up and make it a very useful tool for students and academic researchers as well." -- Katharina Zinn, World Archaeology

"Accompanied by a comprehensive bibliography and illustrated with colour and back-and-white images and line drawings, this accessible volume will be equally useful for academic researchers, students and readers enthusiastic to learn more about the complexities of ancient Egypt's foreign relations."

"Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students and faculty." --G. Emeagwali, CHOICE

"A fascinating look at ancient Egypt through the lens of its interactions with the surrounding lands, written and edited by a stellar cast of scholars whose contributions will be of interest to professionals and the general public alike. Compelling insights abound, covering the exchange of concepts and innovations in art, science, architecture, writing, literature, and religion, in addition to material objects. Additional discussions of natural forces such as floods, droughts, and epidemics that impacted such interactions over time remind us that such interactions could not, and should not, be taken for granted!" --Eric Cline, The George Washington University

"At last! An authoritative, well-rounded volume that examines the wider world of Ancient Egypt-and it was wide. These wide-ranging essays debunk the long-held myth that Egypt was an isolated civilization. Crammed with fascinating argument and myriad nuggets of valuable information, this invaluable book will long be a fundamental source. An exceptional achievement." --Brian Fagan, University of California, Santa Barbara

"This book significantly changes how we understand ancient Egypt's relationships with other cultures. Rather than the standard geographic survey of Egypt's neighbors, enemies, and trading partners, Pharaoh's Land and Beyond takes a fresh approach, focusing on the structures, paths, and ideas that brought the ancient Egyptians into contact with other peoples. The editors have brought together a wide range of scholars with diverse expertise to this innovative volume." --T. G. Wilfong, University of Michigan

"Pharaoh's Land and Beyond succeeds in presenting a com-pelling picture of how deeply entangled ancient Egypt and its neighbours were. It ought to be embraced by students and scholars alike who are looking for a concise and current non-Egyptocentric analysis of intercu1- tural contact both within and beyond the Nile Valley." -- Matthew J .S. Jarlett, Ancient Near Eastern Studies

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0190229071
• ISBN 13: 9780190229078
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 376
• Editor: Creasman Pearce Paul, Wilkinson Richard H.