Egyptology-Ancient History Department

A copy of the poster presented at the Origins 6 conference in Vienna.

The aim of this research is to present a new perspective on
the idea of administrative centralization in the Pre and
Early Dynastic periods. This study suggests that the process
of administrative centralization occurs across three distinct
phases of development from the Naqada IIB period,
through to the Naqada IIID period.

The Egyptological theory that the so-called “collapse” of the Old Kingdom was triggered by a short-term aridification event, although popular, is problematic at best. This work addresses the inexcusable reticence of this dialogue to the overwhelming evidence that the climatological events experienced during the First Intermediate Period, namely severe drought and agricultural hardship, were long-term effects of an extended period of landscape evolution to which the Egyptian people adapted over time. It argues, based on Commodity Theory and other psychological research, that the fundamental cognitive effect any resource’s heightened unavailability is an increase in its value, and that, therefore, worsening agricultural yield-losses effectuated profound and measurable changes to Egyptian economic life at least by Dynasty Four. During this time, several economizing architectural trends first emerge from the archaeological record, followed by a shift towards the frequent integration of at-risk foodstuffs into the offering cult via metaphor. Later, as agricultural hardships intensified, psychology also relates resource unavailability to higher rates of property crime during the First Intermediate Period.  Thus, as part of a growing body of climatological research into the late-Old Kingdom and First Intermediate Period, the present work advocates for greater integration of psychological theory into this discourse.

In the chapels of Mereruka and his son Meryteti in the Teti cemetery at Saqqara, the rare stance of the tomb owner standing 'hand in hand' with his wife and son occurs in the reliefs. This type of positioning of the hands is more common among minor figures where it appears to be drawn more accurately but there are a few examples of tomb owners 'hand in hand' with another person. The people they hold hands with varies as does the positioning of the hands and fingers but invariably when the tomb owner is shown 'hand in hand' with his fingers in the open position, his hand is reversed. This is not always the case with minor figures.

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The decoration in Old Kingdom chapels gives a tanalising glimpse into family life. In most instances only one wife is shown but there are sometimes more than one. This may be the result of the death of a wife or divorce and remarriage but in a few instances, it is as a result of the practice of polygamy.

More than one wife shown 8.2 Data summary 8.3 Polygamy 8.3.1 Dating 8.3.2 Titles 8.3.3 Children 8.3.4 More than one wife but one with no apparent children 8.3.5 Parallel scenes 8.3.6 Possible hierarchy of wives 8.3.7 Hierarchy of wives 8.3.8 Wives as equals 8.4 Possible cases of polygamy: one wife and possibly a second 8.5 Data Summary CHAPTER 9 CHILDREN: DESCRIPTION OF THE DATA AND DATA SUMMARY 9.1 Eldest children 9.2 More than one eldest child 9.2.1 Data summary 9.3 Children designated as 'her son/her daughter' 9.3.1 Data summary CHAPTER 10 CONSANGUINEOUS MARRIAGES: DESCRIPTION OF THE DATA AND DATA SUMMARY 10.1 Possible brother-sister marriages 10.1.1 Data summary 10.2 Possible father-daughter marriages 10.2.1 Data summary CHAPTER 11 DISCUSSION / ANALYSIS OF THE NATURE OF OLD KINGDOM MARRIAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE TEXT FIGURES STANCES OF WOMEN AND TOMB OWNERS

Between 1905 to 1906, John Garstang, an archaeologist from the University of Liverpool, excavated the site of Esna in Egypt. During which he found around 385 tombs containing large amounts of artefacts such as pottery, beads, amulets, scarabs and seals. The Esna artefacts were then sent overseas to various museums, and due to a lack of proper record-keeping, many of the objects are difficult to locate and study. Within Australia, museums such as the Queensland Museum and the Australian Museum in Sydney received some of this Esna pottery. The research conducted on the 76 total Esna pottery assesses the overall volume of the collections, it outlines the pottery types, the tomb numbers, the inventory, other finds locations and the missing details or limitations regarding the research. Which is shown through the data from both museums, tomb 86, 150 and 250.

Supervised by Former Museum Director Prof. Martin Bommas
Video on the Project - https://youtu.be/52guzqEXzCk
Received 96 High Distinction

Creative Video essay presentation - The 7 min video about the project was received very highly by the Faculty of Arts, the Dean, with a number of Associate Deans equally amazed by the presentation. It was sent to the University of Cairo where it was used within Postgrad modules and classes to educate students on the Esna topic.

2022-23 - Report and data stored in Queensland Museum archives documentation.
2024 - Research provided to the Western Australia Museum for their own work project
2025 - Research collaboration sent to the University of Liverpool for their Garstang Project

Was Presented on the 2nd of September 2021 at the UMAC-UNIVERSEUM 2021
'New Opportunities & New Challenges in Times of COVID-19' Conference.