Tracing Social Interaction and Exchange Patterns in Ancient Egyptian Ceramics: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Regional Variation in First Intermediate Period and early Middle Kingdom Egypt

The First Intermediate Period is characterised by profound political and cultural change and a process of regional fragmentation, which only came to an end—at least politically—when the state was reunited in the Middle Kingdom. This doctoral research aims to study these social changes by examining the technology and regional distribution of ceramics.

The geographical focus of this research is on Middle Egypt, which covers a transitional region with a curious ‘gap’, devoid of archaeological sites. The ceramic assemblages north and south of it are very different, although some northern types seem to have moved south, showing there was contact. So far, scant attention has been paid to what this can tell us about the ancient Egyptian society. This will be clarified by studying the distribution of the northern and southern assemblages and some of the most revealing pottery types in greater detail.

This study will first provide a theoretical framework to substantiate with several concepts and theoretical ideas that objects are produced and function in socio-political contexts and that we can expect them to reveal social interactions based on their characteristics, distribution and archaeological contexts. To document regional variation in First Intermediate Period and early Middle Kingdom pottery from Middle Egypt different ceramic aspects need to be studied. Selected types will be (re-)recorded in museums with regard to their macroscopic characteristics (shape, fabric, technology, firing, etc.). Samples will also be gathered for petrographic and chemical analysis (ICP-OES). As such, the raw materials and technological processes can be compared. Next, statistical research will be conducted to determine which ceramic aspects show regional variation and how this variation can be correlated to contextual elements. The overarching goal of this research will be to develop a useful methodology to analyse regional variation in the archaeological record and to interpret this variation with regard to how production, distribution and consumption of ceramics can be directed by interactions and underlying social practices and motives.