Old Kingdom Egypt: the Pyramid Age
The Pyramids of Giza are the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to survive into modern times. Awe-inspiring and instantly recognizable, they symbolize the power and grandeur of the ancient Egyptian state and provoke our curiosity. How and why were they constructed? Who were the workers who labored on the gigantic monuments, and how did they live? In this course of illustrated lectures, such questions will be considered as we survey the art, archaeological remains, and documents of the Old Kingdom, Egypt's Pyramid Age. We will give special attention to the famous necropoleis of Saqqara and Giza, investigate the provincial sites of Elephantine, Abydos, Buto, and Coptos, study the development of royal and private sculpture, and read selections from the Pyramid Texts (Egypt's oldest funerary literature) as well as autobiographies of famous courtiers and expedition commanders. After a discussion of the decline of the Old Kingdom and the disorders that followed it, the course will conclude with an examination of its cultural legacy.
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CATALOGUE OF DIGITAL LIBRARY - EGYPTOLOGY - CATALOGO DE BIBLIOTECA DIGITAL - EGIPTOLOGIA - ( UPDATED DECEMBER 2016 )
(Books and papers have been entered in alphabetical order as they were incorporated into the Library, therefore it is a primarily chronological and then alphabetical list)
Dating of archaeological contexts from the Memphite necropolis with copper tools and model tools based on assemblages of model stone vessels (case study in "Old Kingdom Copper Tools and Model Tools")
The case study deals with dating of the Old Kingdom tombs where stone vessels were found together with copper (model) tools. The production of stone vessels of the period is considered the main criterion for the chronological setting of particular tombs from the Memphite necropolis.
Some notes on the title of ‘Vizier’ during the Old Kingdom, especially on the hieroglyphic phallus-sign in the vizier’s title
Abusir and Saqqara in the year 2010, 2011
The Old Kingdom viziers bore the composite title tAyty TAty (n) zAb. Further hieroglyphic signs, such as the phallus-sign and the addition mAa, were appended in some cases to this title. The form of the vizier’s title with the phallus-sign occurred frequently in a limited period of time. For the understanding of the usage of the phallus-sign in the vizier’s title, contextualization is crucial. Analysis and comparison of the title sequences of both, the viziers with the phallus-sign and those without, brought proof of clear distinction in the structure of titles between these two groups and indicated that the occurrence of the phallus-sign within the highest administrative title coincides with the social change regarding the state administration and royal family.
The Tomb of Isisnofret at Northwest Saqqara
"Waseda University Egyptian Expedition has excavated the previously unknown New Kingdom tomb chapel and burial chamber containing the sarcophagus of a certain ‘noble woman, Isisnofret’ on the summit of the rocky outcrop at Northwest Saqqara. Architectural features of the tomb chapel suggest that it dates to the Nineteenth Dynasty. The location of the tomb chapel, at right angles to the central axis line of the monument of Prince Khaemwaset (probably his ka-chapel) and the archaizing style of Isisnofret’s sarcophagus which reflects the same archaizing style of Khaemwaset’s own monuments, suggest that this Isisnofret is a daughter of Khaemwaset."
RESOURCE GUIDE to selected publications and online materials on Ancient Egypt, including some neighbours, from Prehistory through the Roman-Byzantine periods (aimed mainly at students & public, but useful to other researchers) (716 pages; UPDATED 15 January, 2021)
Resource guide to selected publications and online materials on Ancient Egypt, including some neighbours, from Prehistory through the Roman-Byzantine periods (aimed mainly at students & public, but useful to other researchers), 2021
ABSTRACT: Preface to the Guide: Focus and limitations: The compilation of this guide began in Spring 2007 as a series of check lists and book requests for the somewhat small collection of Egyptological and related works in M. H. Sterne library at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. During the development of several courses on Ancient Egypt, the Ancient Near East, and other areas spanning Prehistory through to the Roman period (and later), the collection grew, and continues to expand, and began to require a research paper guide for students enrolled in courses dealing with these geographic areas and time periods. The nature of the prime cliental, namely undergraduate to MA students in a North American setting, in conjunction with limited funding, has steered –of necessity– the building of both Sterne library’s collections and this guide towards mostly English-language sources, less expensive works, and more easily available and more recent publications. Overall aims: In order to maximize student and public research usage of the existing, albeit still limited, collections, I have since compiled and incorporated selected journal articles, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, and other book titles from Sterne Library’s physical holdings (i.e., non-electronic sources) into diverse categories of research topics/subjects. In addition, every effort has been made to add a full listing of electronic sources (including links) available to researchers of the geographic and temporal areas covered by this guide (i.e., mainly Prehistoric to Roman period Egypt). The guide also provides general assistance for more serious/professional scholars (i.e., a quick reference to key articles, chapters, and volumes), but remains a tool aimed at English-speaking undergraduate-MA students and the public, focusing on Sterne’s holdings (note: other emerging Egyptological libraries will also approximate Sterne’s holdings). Design and usage: An attempt has been made to obtain sources spanning all aspects of Ancient Egypt and related areas, which have in-turn influenced the subdivision of the guide into general works, time periods, and diverse subject areas. Some of these categories have grown sufficiently large to merit further subdivision, such as the New Kingdom section, which has a general list of sources, materials regarding individual rulers, and a few affiliated topics of interest (Exodus; Sea Peoples). I have attempted to place each source (i.e., books; book chapters; encyclopedia entries; journal articles) under each pertinent topic category that it covers, but naturally I may have missed some categories, while there may be other complementary and broader works that cover such topics elsewhere. A list of the pertinent call number ranges has been placed at the end of the guide (see table of contents) to assist in the merits of additional shelf-browsing. Beyond the guide: Naturally there are numerous significant Egyptological sources outside Sterne Library’s holdings (including electronic links: e.g., JSTOR) that might be retrieved via interlibrary loan. Sterne Library’s current Egyptological resources, however, are sufficient to introduce most areas of Egyptological research, and enable the researcher to consult the endnotes/footnotes and bibliographic data listed in recent books, articles, and encyclopedia entries to compile a list of further resources that may either be accessed via interlibrary loan, or possibly by visiting directly a neighbouring professional Egyptological library: e.g., the instructor (UAB); Atlanta (Emory University); Memphis (Memphis State University). The collections in other Birmingham and Alabama libraries have online links via Sterne Library’s website, and offer many duplicate and different Egyptological works that are often accessible to the public/students: e.g., Birmingham Public Library, Gorgas Library (UA). Naturally, I encourage students, faculty, and public researchers to see me for further assistance with this guide and their research topics. Gregory Mumford (UAB) Update: 15 Jan., 2021 PLEASE NOTE: This resource has received substantial updates in pertinent sections within the guide. Some additional sorting of various articles/entries is still required, but these articles can be found, unsorted, at the end of the guide (e.g., articles from KMT, JSSEA, EA, etc., listed chronologically and by issue). I anticipate another update in the following year ...
Course description
The Pyramids of Giza are the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to survive into modern times. Awe-inspiring and instantly recognizable, they symbolize the power and grandeur of the ancient Egyptian state and provoke our curiosity. How and why were they constructed? Who were the workers who labored on the gigantic monuments, and how did they live? In this course of illustrated lectures, such questions will be considered as we survey the art, archaeological remains, and documents of the Old Kingdom, Egypt's Pyramid Age. We will give special attention to the famous necropoleis of Saqqara and Giza, investigate the provincial sites of Elephantine, Abydos, Buto, and Coptos, study the development of royal and private sculpture, and read selections from the Pyramid Texts (Egypt's oldest funerary literature) as well as autobiographies of famous courtiers and expedition commanders. After a discussion of the decline of the Old Kingdom and the disorders that followed it, the course will conclude with an examination of its cultural legacy.
Objectives of the course
1. Knowledge of Old Kingdom chronology and the political history of the period.
2. Familiarity with the major Old Kingdom necropoleis--Giza and Saqqara--and their monuments, and with sites such as Elephantine and Abydos.
3. Ability to recognize examples of Old Kingdom art and to place them in their historical, social, and religious context.
4. Acquaintance with Old Kingdom texts: Pyramid Texts, tomb biographies, and wisdom literature.
Format and instructional methods
"Old Kingdom Egypt" will consist of a series of illustrated lectures; questions and discussion will be encouraged. Readings will cover archaeology, art and architecture, history, and literature in translation.
Requirements for credit
Satisfactory completion of two examinations (short identifications and essay questions).
Required textbooks
Edwards, I.E.S. The Pyramids of Egypt. Paperback ed. New York: Penguin, 1986. (ISBN 0-14-022549-8)
Lehner, Mark. The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries. London: Thames & Hudson, 1997. (ISBN 0-500-05084-8)
Lichtheim, Miriam, ed. and trans. Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol. 1: the Old and Middle Kingdoms. Paperback ed. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1975. (ISBN 0-520-02899-6)
Malek, Jaromir, and Werner Forman. In the Shadow of the Pyramids: Egypt during the Old Kingdom. Paperback ed. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1992. (ISBN 0-8061-2027-4)
Schedule of lectures and readings.
Week 1. Introduction. Geography and resources of Egypt; early predynastic cultures in Upper Egypt, the Faiyum, and the Delta; physical characteristics and health of predynastic Egyptians. Outline of Egyptian history and preview of the course.
Readings. Malek, ch. 1; Edwards, Introduction; Lichtheim, Introduction; Lehner, p. 6-35.
Week 2. Growth of predynastic kingdoms; the formation of the Egyptian state; the oldest cities (Hierakonpolis, Buto) and their role in the Egyptian view of the unification; the earliest historical documents. The A-group in Nubia.
Readings. Malek, ch. 2.
Week 3. The Early Dynastic Period (First and Second Dynasties); invention of the writing system and development of the bureaucracy; the royal cemetery at Abydos and the mastabas of Saqqara; subsidiary burials; necropoleis at Helwan and Tarkhan; possible religious conflict; foreign relations.
Readings. Malek, ch. 2-3; Edwards, ch. 1; Lehner, p. 72-81.
Week 4 Transition to the Old Kingdom: King Djoser, his architect Imhotep, and the first monumental construction in stone. The Step Pyramid complex: construction of the pyramid and its subterranean galleries; the "South Tomb" and its purpose; other step pyramid complexes; small step pyramids.
Readings. Edwards, ch. 2; Lehner, p. 82-96.
Week 5. Transition to the Fourth Dynasty; the Pyramid of Meidum and neighboring elite cemetery; Sneferu's pyramids at Dahshur; trade with the Levant; quarrying in Nubia; the Egyptian settlement at Buhen. The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), the queens' pyramids, and the solar barques.
Readings. Edwards, ch. 3-4; Lehner, 97-119.
Week 6. The Khufu cemetery, a "city of living kas"; reserve heads, stelae, and statues from the Khufu cemetery. How to build a pyramid: obtaining raw materials; transporting heavy loads; organizing the work and the support services; diagnosing workmen's injuries.
Readings. Lehner, p. 200-239.
Week 7. The successors of Khufu and their tombs--Djedefre at Abu Roash, Khafre and Menkaure at Giza, Shepseskaf at Saqqara. The Great Sphinx and its temple; astronomical alignments of the Giza group; Menkaure's pyramid town. Preservation of the body.
Readings. Edwards, ch. 4; Lehner, 120-139; Malek, ch. 4.
Week 8. Queen Khentkawes, founder of a new dynasty? Legends of the pyramid builders as related in Papyrus Westcar. The Fifth Dynasty: pyramids of Abu Sir, sun temples, the Abu Sir papyri; the complex of Unas at Saqqara. Administration of the realm; officials' autobiographies. Development of elite private mastabas; the tombs of Ti, Nefer, and the "Two Brothers."
Readings: Edwards, ch. 5; Lehner, 138-155; Lichtheim, private inscriptions, p. 15-16, and "Three Tales of Wonder," p. 215-22.
Week 9.. The Sixth Dynasty. Pyramid complexes at Saqqara; caravan trade; military campaigns in the Levant. Mastabas of Mereruka, Qar and Idu, and Princess Idut.
Readings: Lichtheim, "Autobiography of Weni," "Autobiography of Harkhuf," and "A Royal Decree," p. 18-28; Edwards, ch. 5; Lehner, 156-163.
Week 10. The social world of Old Kingdom Egypt. Textual, representational, and archaeological sources. The royal family; the official classes; priests and their duties; men and women; farmers, herdsmen, and soldiers.
Readings: Lichtheim, "Didactic Literature;" Malek, ch. 5-6.
Week 11. Life in the provinces. Elephantine and the First Cataract: gateway to Nubia. The Qena bend region: Naga ed-Der, Dendera, and Coptos. Kom el-Hisn and Mendes in the Delta.
Week 12. Gods, mortals, and the afterlife. Royal funerary beliefs; the Pyramid Texts; boat burials; temples and offerings. Development of the private mastaba. Early developments in mummification.
Readings: Lichtheim, "Monumental Inscriptions from Private Tombs," p. 15-18; "A Royal Decree," p. 28; "From the Pyramid Texts," p. 29-50; and "A Theological Treatise," p. 51-57; Malek, ch. 7-8; Lehner, p. 20-35.
Week 13. Old Kingdom art. The canon of Egyptian art and its development; royal sculpture; private tomb relief; private statuary; servant figures.
Readings. Malek, ch. 8.
Week 14. Decline and fragmentation of the Old Kingdom state. Climatic change, economic distress, famine; rise of provincial nobility. The First Intermediate Period: political rivalries, provincial art, and classical literature.
Readings: Lichtheim, "The Transition to the Middle Kingdom," p. 81-109; Malek, ch. 9-10.
Week 15. Second examination. Concluding remarks. The Egyptians look back on their past: the Old Kingdom in Egyptian literary, artistic, and historical tradition. Papyrus Westcar ("Khufu and the Magicians"); the tale of Neferkare and General Sisene; review of the early dynasties as recorded by Manetho; current work in Old Kingdom studies.
Readings: Edwards, ch. 6-7; Lichtheim, "Three Tales of Wonder," p. 215-22; Lehner, 240-245.
Old Kingdom Egypt
Old Kingdom Egypt: the Pyramid Age
University of California Extension
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