Hegemony for Beginners: Egyptian Activity in the Southern L

[karem]

How do people feel about this paper ? 

www.anthroserbia.org/Content/PDF/Articles/a32a400364264eb0878684b39586906a.pdf

Am in the process of reading it myself so would appreciate to hear other peoples feedback.

[zarahan]

Abstract :
After a modest start in the mid-20th century, thousands of Protodynastic Egyptian objects have been unearthed and identified as such in the Southern Levant, including serekh -signs of several Dynasty 0 (Narmer, "Double Falcon ", Ny-Hor, Iry- Hor, Ka), and 1st Dynasty (Hor Aha) pharaohs. The explanatory models presented so far fail to integrate the totality of the archaeologically manifested parameters, especially considering the impact of the last fifteen years of finds and th eir contextual and other analysis, into the proper semiotic matrix . The conundrum of Egyptian activity in the Southern Levant displays, at the same time, features of a small-scale trading partner, a colonizer, and a suzerain. Egyptian pottery of local origin provides an indication of a south-north flow of the Egyptian daily-life repertoire of pottery types, or rather their contents, between the Egyptian-related sites, that clearly demonstrates an Egyptian distribution system operating on an intra-regional level in the Early Bronze IB Southern Levant. The ‘Egyptian phenomenon’ is far from being unique since reestablishment of a similar geopolitical pattern, only on a considerably greater scale, can be recognized during the New Kingdom – the Egyptian province in Asia.
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^^Egyptian hegemony in the LEvant is well known
from the New Kingdom, but the paper points to a lesser
known hegemony in PRE-DYNASTIC times. This adds a broadened
perspective to the history of the region. Too often the PRE-DYNASTIC
era is assumed in some quarters to be of simplistic tribes shuffling
north from the south and the Sudan to overcome or absorb even more
simplistic tribes north. The author is to be commended for bringing
forward a broader, more comprehensive perspective. The map tendered
by the author is also useful.

The 6 models postulated: military conquest, commercial link, colonial,
dynamic tension, or Egyptian migrant add a new dimension of analysis to
the field. The data shows that the PRE-DYNASICS Egyptians were
active across a vast area as they moved up from the south, on
into not only the North but the Levant as well.

I would however question the conclusion:- quote:

"The Egyptian, or rather Naqadian-style, experiment in
assimilation of thelocal population, assisted by acculturation
(the hybrid pottery as far as the Southern Levant is concerned?),
that turned out to be successful in Lower Egypt and Lower Nubia,
eventually failed in the Southern Levant, because,while Lower
Egyptians and Lower Nubians were both Nilotic populations as were
the Naqadians themselves, the Southern Levantines belonged to another,
northeastern Mediterranean cultural sphere.27 Unlike Nubia, the
Southern Levant always remained alien to the Egyptians – they were
"strangers in a strange land" (Sparks 2002-2003"

This is not a totally unreasonable argument but was the lack of
Egyptian permanence a function of the LEvantines belonging to a
"northeastern Mediterranean cultural sphere"? In what sense?
How would such a sphere dampen permanent Egyptian hegemony?
Language? Resistance? The author does not explain, creating
a question mark on the conclusion.

COuld it not be that an expansion into the LEvant was
"a bridge too far" away from the core centers of Egyptian power-
the southern marches and the core Nile River irrigation complex?
If the southern hegemons had their hands full organizing the
irrigation system as well as absorbing the North, the Levant
expansion may have been checked because of expensive over-reach or
over-stretch, not clashes with a Mediterranean culture.

Indeed the 6 models in the paper point to other alternatives
than the cultural explanation. The "dynamic tension" model may have
made more sense to the Egyptians: limited incursions or penetration as
needed to extract tribute or boost trade and then a pullback to the core Nile
Valley area, rather than expensive permanent garrisons, and settlement.

FOr this reason I say the conclusion calls for additional examination.

[anansi]

Dec 4, 2013 14:52:58 GMT -5 karem said:

How do people feel about this paper ? 

www.anthroserbia.org/Content/PDF/Articles/a32a400364264eb0878684b39586906a.pdf

Am in the process of reading it myself so would appreciate to hear other peoples feedback.
Even before Dyn 0 we have known contacts at least in trade between Ta-Seti and the Levant the below is intresting from this PDF.

The Egyptian, or rather Naqadian-style, experiment in assimilation of the
local population, assisted by acculturation (the hybrid pottery as far as the
Southern Levant is concerned?), that turned out to be successful in Lower
Egypt and Lower Nubia, eventually failed in the Southern Levant, because,
while Lower Egyptians and Lower Nubians were both Nilotic populations as
were the Naqadians themselves, the Southern Levantines belonged to another,
northeastern Mediterranean cultural sphere.27 Unlike Nubia, the Southern
Levant always remained alien to the Egyptians – they were "strangers in a
strange land" (Sparks 2002-2003)

oi.uchicago.edu/pdf/oimp33.pdf

[karem]

Thanks for your reply Zarahan. What exactly defines Levantine peoples of antiquity and sets them, and the land mass they inhabit, apart from Africa, and as part of the Mediterranean ? What is Mediterranean culture ? What is the Mediterranean race (if such a thing exists) ? When I think of the southern part of the Levant (Israel/Palestine), geographically speaking I think of it as part of North East Africa. How far fetched is that, if at all ? Nice link Anansi, Ill give it a read when I have more time.

[Tukuler al~Takruri]

Dec 5, 2013 2:10:44 GMT -5 karem said:

Thanks for your reply Zarahan. What exactly defines Levantine peoples of antiquity and sets them, and the land mass they inhabit, apart from Africa, and as part of the Mediterranean ? What is Mediterranean culture ? What is the Mediterranean race (if such a thing exists) ? When I think of the southern part of the Levant (Israel/Palestine), geographically speaking I think of it as part of North East Africa. How far fetched is that, if at all ? Nice link Anansi, Ill give it a read when I have more time.

I guess Levantine peoples of antiquity
are those between what today is Egypt
and Turkey all along the east coast of
the Mediterranean Sea dating from c.
400 CE backward through time to the
chalcolithic.

The Greco-Latin writers of antiquity
set them and their land mass apart
from Africa. I think their division
was arbitrary. They didn't know
about tectonic plates. The area
west of the Jordan river and east
of the Mediterranean Sea sits on
the African tectonic plate.

There is no one Mediterranean culture.
There is no one Mediterranean race.

I see nothing far fetched about "the
southern part of the Levant (Israel/Palestine)
[and Sinai], geographically speaking ... as
part of North East Africa.

I consider it the (far northeast) African extension.
The ancient Greeks at one point in time thought of
Palestine's Gaza Strip at the least as one of the many
regions included in Aithiopia -- a nebulous term that
just about meant anywhere extremely dark skinned
people lived, i.e., India, southern Arabia, Ethiopia,
Sudan, Palestine, Lebanon, and the central and south
Sahara clear to the Atlantic Ocean..

[karem]

Thanks for the info al-Takruri. How fair is it to say that those Greco-Latin writers were similar to colonial Europeans in some of their ideas, i.e how they viewed Africa and the Near East, and divide and conquer.
Interestingly enough, I was watching a documentary about the Hebrew Israelite community in Demona. In it, they're clear about their view of Israel being part of the African continent. Generally I don't agree with their views, or how they get points across, but I actually felt that was something that made some sense.

Geographically then, your saying its part of the continent.
Archaeologically, there are material remains that prove an African (Egyptian) presence at various points in history, but what is there
culturally, and genetically, if any ? I'm sure I've seen people put up bio-anthropology studies on here that seem to indicate some of the early inhabitants of the southern Levant as being from Africa.
How did circumcision become a practise in the region; did it develop independently, or was it originally borrowed from Africans ?
Also, has anyone read Sigmund Freud's book about Moses ? If so, how did you feel about it ?
Apologies for all the questions, am new to the topic.

Thanks in advance.

[asante]

Dec 5, 2013 0:35:18 GMT -5 anansi said:

Dec 4, 2013 14:52:58 GMT -5 karem said:

How do people feel about this paper ? 

www.anthroserbia.org/Content/PDF/Articles/a32a400364264eb0878684b39586906a.pdf

Am in the process of reading it myself so would appreciate to hear other peoples feedback.
Even before Dyn 0 we have known contacts at least in trade between Ta-Seti and the Levant the below is intresting from this PDF.

oi.uchicago.edu/pdf/oimp33.pdf

There's a gem in that quote:

"eventually failed in the Southern Levant, because, while Lower Egyptians and Lower Nubians were both Nilotic populations as were the Naqadians themselves"

Here is another shoot down to the "Asiatic" origins for Lower Egyptians silliness.

[zarahan]

karem Avatar
Dec 5, 2013 at 2:10am karem said:
Thanks for your reply Zarahan. What exactly defines Levantine peoples of antiquity and sets them, and the land mass they inhabit, apart from Africa, and as part of the Mediterranean ? What is Mediterranean culture ? What is the Mediterranean race (if such a thing exists) ? When I think of the southern part of the Levant (Israel/Palestine), geographically speaking I think of it as part of North East Africa. How far fetched is that, if at all ?



The whole Mediterranean Race thing is an obsolete concept circa the early
1900s by G. Sergi, and can't really be sustained, or even defined properly
as to what makes them a "race."

As far as Palestine/Israel zone being part of Africa- probably not- though Sinai is,
based on the geographic plates. But a "cultural" link might be made depending on the time era
you use. The stone age Sudanic "Nubian Complex" extends from NE Africa across the Red Sea
into Arabia and part of Palestine- and no doubt OOA migrants used Palestine
as part of the mix in the outward flow if the Egyptian area exit approach is used.
The famous Natufians, while not in Africa, were a diverse lot showing many patterns, with
some links to sub-Saharan Africa- so that is another link.

[karem]

Thats what I thought. Who came up with the idea of it anyway ?

I hear you. Has there been much archaeological and anthropological work carried out in the Sinai ? If so, what do the findings indicate.
I've only briefly read some of The Histories. Is there any fact in what Herodotus says about the origins of the Phoencians, or is it to be taken with a massive grain of salt as pure myth and legend ? I understand he's writing long before there was such a thing as bio-anthropology and archaeology.
Also, what are the origins of circumcision amongst Semitic/Asiatic people ? Was it borrowed from Africans, or did it evolve independently ? If it was borrowed, how did this occur ?
Thanks in advance.