Category:  Economy & Politics

From a review in Cambridge Archaeological Journal 7:1 (1997), 123-37: The ideology of imperialism is a broad theme, replete with the deeds of powerful historical figures glorying in their heroic achievements. There are also the conquered peoples to consider, often less centralized or less powerful than their oppressors. [...] To what extent, then, was Egyptian involvement in Nubia driven by hard-headed profit motives ? Was royal propaganda merely the ideological icing on the economic cake ? [...]

Reviewed by Francesca : This is a general history of the developing and changing relationships between Egypt, Canaan, Israel and Palestine. A solid academic work, it is divided into three sections and is backed by extensive references. The first part deals with the comparative prehistory and history of Egypt and the Levant down to the time of the Hyksos. The second part deals with the New Kingdom and its Asian Empire. In the third part, the discussion moves to four of the origin stories from the Bible : Creation, Table of Nations, Sojourn and Exodus, and Story of Joseph. Anyone interested in the early history of Egypt and the Ancient Near East should enjoy this book.

From AEB: This book examines the interrelations between the cultures of the eastern Mediterranean, with particular emphasis on the second millennium BC. The excavations at Tell el-Daba have brought much material from this period to light, and have provided stimulating evidence (in particular artistic and artefactual) of connections between Egypt and the Minoan, Mycenaean, Cypriot and Near Eastern cultures.

Reviewed by Francesca : The author attempts to demonstrate the existence of two trade routes between predynastic and early dynastic Egypt and Mesopotamia, through archaeological evidence. This includes shipwreck sites, artifacts and raw materials. The author claims that two different cultures evolved in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia because of their distance between one another. This is a fascinating survey for interested scholars and students of Egyptology and archaeology.