Middle Kingdom and Cultural Transformation Chronology
3100 – 2686 BC Early Dynastic (Dynasty 0 – 2) 2686 – 2181 BC Old Kingdom (Dynasty 3 – 6) 2181 – 2025 BC First Intermediate Period (Dyn. 7 – 10) 2025 – 1700 BC Middle Kingdom (Dyn. 11 – 13) 1700 – 1550 BC Second Intermediate Period (Dyn. 14 – 17) 1550 – 1069 BC New Kingdom (Dyn. 18 – 20) 1069 – 664 BC Third Intermediate Period (Dyn. 21 – 25) 664 – 332 BC Late Period (Dyn. 26 – 31) 332 – 30 BC Ptolemaic Period The Forgotten, Ignored, Misunderstood Kingdom (Selected) Old Kingdom Rulers
Fifth Dynasty • Userkaf (ca. 2465-2458 BC) • Sahure (ca. 2458-2446 BC) clevelandart.org • Unas (ca. 2356-2323 BC)
Sixth Dynasty metmuseum.org • Teti (ca. 2323-2150 BC) • Pepi I (ca. 2289-2255 BC) • Pepi II (ca. 2246-2152 BC) brooklynmuseum.org First Intermediate Period
• “Collapse” of Old Kingdom
• Rise of the nomarchs Stela of Intef, Thebes; British Museum
Stela of Maati and Dedwi; Brooklyn Museum Stela of Tetu and Nefertjentet, Thebes; Met, NYC Ancient Egypt’s Industrial Revolution
• King’s victims of their own success
• Distribution of wealth, luxury commodities now available to larger segments of the population
• “Democratization” Admonitions of Ipuwer
• Papyrus Leiden 344
“Indeed, the desert is throughout the land, the nomes are laid waste, and barbarians from abroad have come to Egypt. Indeed, men arrive [. . .] and indeed, there are no Egyptians anywhere. Indeed, gold and lapis lazuli, silver and turquoise, carnelian and amethyst, Ibhet-stone and [. . .] are strung on the necks of maidservants. Good things are throughout the land, (yet) housewives say: "Oh that we had something to eat!" Indeed, [. . .] noblewomen. Their bodies are in sad plight by reason of their rags, and their hearts sink when greeting [one another]. Indeed, chests of ebony are broken up, and precious ssnDm-wood is cleft asunder in beds [. . .]. Indeed, the builders [of pyramids have become] cultivators, and those who were in the sacred bark are now yoked [to it].” Middle Kingdom Mentuhotep II (ca. 2030 – 2000 BC)
Twelfth Dynasty (ca. 1980 – 1800 BC)
• Amenemhat I • Senwosret I • Amenhemhat II • Senwosret II • Senwosret III • Amenemhat III • Amenhemhat IV • Sobekneferu
Lisht, Lahun, Dahshur Monumental Changes
Tomb of Meketre (ca. 1981 – 1975 BC)
Tomb of Khety, Beni Hasan Beni Hasan
39 rock-cut tombs of nomarchs of the Oryx nome
Qubbet el-Hawa Coffin Texts
Golden Age of Art and Literature History of development of Egyptian Ivory labels from Tomb U-j at Abydos
Ivory label of King Den from Abydos
Cursive hieroglyphs Hieratic Demotic Coptic August 24, 394 AD
Last known hieroglyphic inscription carved at the temple of Philae in Aswan
Hieratic died out in the 3rd century AD
Last known demotic text dates to 452 AD