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The role of war and violence in the formation of the ancient Egyptian state

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posted on 2022-03-29, 01:41 authored by Adam Fazzolari
The formation of the Egyptian state is one of the most widely debated topics within the study of Early Egypt. Scholars have argued a variety of factors for state origins including agriculture, kinship and trade, but none has been more prolific than war. This study aims to investigate a wide variety of evidence for warfare in order to clarify the role and impact it had on the origin of the state. Discussions are sourced from three different areas which include anthropological theories and concepts, archaeological evidence and iconographic data. An understanding is therefore generated on the basis of both the theory and the evidence which indicates that warfare was not a major factor of state formation in Egypt. Although evidence for violence is present in the Predynastic Period, archaeological remains are consistent with conflict, not war. This suggests that while violence played a role, it was not to the extent of full-scale warfare. An analysis of violent motifs within the iconographic remains supports this hypothesis as depictions appear to be symbolic representations of the power of the king rather than depictions of warfare itself. A brief investigation into the presence of warfare during cultural and political unification which were important precursor to the state shows that war was not a factor in these evolutionary processes either.

History

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Anthropology of warfare and the state -- Chapter 2. Archaeological evidence -- Chapter 3. Iconographic evidence -- Conclusion.

Notes

Theoretical thesis. Bibliography: pages 79-90

Awarding Institution

Macquarie University

Degree Type

Thesis MRes

Degree

MRes, Macquarie University, Faculty of Arts, Department of Ancient History

Department, Centre or School

Department of Ancient History

Year of Award

2014

Principal Supervisor

Yann Trsitant

Rights

Copyright Adam Fazzolari 2014. Copyright disclaimer: http://mq.edu.au/library/copyright

Language

English

Extent

1 online resource (v, 90 pages illustrations)

Former Identifiers

mq:69722 http://hdl.handle.net/1959.14/1257103

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