article
Egypt: origins of complex societies
Annual review of anthropology • 18 • Published In 1989 • Pages: 129-155
By: Wenke, Robert J..
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This document covers the period from 11,000 B.P.-4000 B.P. (9000 B.C.-2000 B.C.) or the Neolithic through the Old Kingdom. Only the data that pertain to the Predynastic period of Upper Egypt were indexed for OCM (Outline of Cultural Materials) subjects. Wenke summarizes the research of the past decade on complex societies to discuss 'how traditional views of the Egyptian past have been modified by recent work.' (page 130). He discusses the chronology of Egypt, Nubia, Palestine, and Mesopotamia and how it relates to Nile river levels and what some of the problems are with the current chronology. Wenke summarizes agricultural origins in Egypt and where sheep, goats, wheat, and barley were first found. He goes on to summarize the first Predynastic societies and continues with a discussion of Early Dynastic Egypt up through the Old Kingdom. Wenke is interested in how a complex society originated and developed in Egypt. He considers the state to have been firmly established during the Old Kingdom.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Identification
- Reviews and critiques
- Theoretical orientation in research and its results
- Topography and geology
- Acculturation and culture contact
- Cereal agriculture
- Settlement patterns
- Chronologies and culture sequences
- traditionCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Upper Egypt Predynastic
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2005
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- Africa
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Northern Africa
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Archaeologist
- Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- Sarah Berry ; 2004
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- not specified
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 7000 BP-5000 BP (5000 B.C.-3000 B.C.)
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Egypt
- NotesAdditional notes
- Robert J. Wenke
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 150-155)
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 72082136
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Neolithic period--Egypt/Egypt--Antiquities