Running Head: EGYPTS ORIGIN TO THE MIDDLE KINGDOM

Egypts Origin to the Middle Kingdom

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Egypts Origin to the Middle Kingdom

Thesis Statement: Despite emerging four Kingdoms later, the Middle Kingdom is an
epic of prosperity and stability that is credited to modern days Egypt; signaling an Egyptian
oculus that can be viewed via the wedjat eye.
The Wedjat Eye
A Mapping of the Middle Kingdom
The ends of times for the Old Dynasty or Kingdom (c. 2575-2150 BCE) signaled the true
era of centralized rule for which the Kings authority had all but vanished, and the
thrones of power now split amongst the various individual local heads. A period of
splintered political control emerged under the charge of monarchs, who were the regional
governors. Fast forward, the emergence of the middle kingdom in Egypt was to be what
is commonly referred to as the cultural renaissance of Egypt in a wake of self-awareness
mediation. This era sees the Egyptians seeking to redefine themselves after a first
intermediate chaotic era (Wegner 2010:119-20).
Egyptian Mummies
According to Andrews (1998), the early dynasty era had vast vain attempts when it came
to preserving the dead. The element of anointing the dead was particularly important,
including processes of weighing the deceaseds heart in determining whether or not they
would attain an afterlife. The elements used in this entire process is seen to emanate even
in modern days times where modern medicine heavily borrows from processes such as
body preservation using certain elements like resins and oils.
Egyptian Middle Kingdom Archaeology
Archaeology in Egypt is historically advanced right from the era of the middle kingdom
as witnessed from ancient Abydos wherein the dynasties built their tombs. Seen as the
classical age, this period seems to have been a little less prominent to most than Egypts
Old and New Kingdoms, with many monuments erected in this era getting destroyed or
obscured by the coming of the New Kingdom and subsequent construction. Today, only

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vestiges of what were previously tremendous monuments that had been built exist
(Wegner 2006).
The Role of Accounting
While the role of accounting has received some attention, it has by no means be
sufficient enough especially in light of aristocratic as well as manorial accounting.
However, it serves to note that the differing socio-economic contexts of the middle
kingdom were different, such as the aspect that there was no monies of account being in
concern, as coinage money was being used. Nonetheless, the economic extent to which
accounting calculations were underpinned for calculations of such aspects as grain
rations was sensitive enough to warrant investigation of the middle kingdoms economic
climate at the time (Ezzamel 2002).
The 12th Dynasty
The middle kingdom is also known as the 12th dynasty, and was claimed to have had a
total of seven kings. The founding king was Amenemhet I, Mentuhotep IV's vizier in
1991 BC. He has worked hard to bring back to the kingdom its lost royal prestige that
had been destroyed by civil war as well as periodic famine. The kings of the middle
kingdom had moved its capital to Itjtawy, and had in essence reduced the provincial
rulers powers while fostering growth of its central elite by use of propagandistic
literature ("Dynasties XII to XVII 2010).
The Economic River Nile
Throughout ancient times, Egypt always relied primarily on its agricultural wealth,
which was directly associated and fed by the Nile. While agriculture had not been the
primary subsistence activity for growth, it however evolved in tandem with land itself,
greatly expanding especially from about 4500 BC from the last Ice age around 10,000
BC. The various crops grown were cereals, emmer wheat, and barley. The Nile made
Egypts compactness rely on it, favoring political unity, and the opportunity to exploit the

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lands richness and compulsion for rulers. As such, Kings up to the middle kingdom
controlled agricultural processes and resources via the prime ownership of land and
taxation of agricultural output (Baines 2011).
Ancient Egypt and Religion
The Old Kingdoms end was parallel with Egypts invasion by the Hyksos. For historical
comparative purposes, the Hyksos have been identified as being synonymous with the
Hebrews, in spite of the fact that Jewish tradition is mute on this as there is not evident
indication of facts, and thus not confirming it. The Hyksos were however an alien
culture, disappearing from history no sooner had their ascension occurred, marking the
start of the New Empire. The great Nile, frequently mentioned in the Bible, provides a
clear guidance on how even the middle kingdom and other kingdoms could be used to
gain a better concept of the Bible and its teachings (Wein 2012).
Law in Ancient Egypts Middle Kingdom
The main sources for law in the middle kingdom of ancient Egypt were existing
inscriptions and manuscripts. An aspect of administration, ancient Egypts law made
officials potential arbitrating jurisdictions. They judged cases, and there is no record
where there was an official whose sole role was the hearing of cases. As such, legal
documents as well as their related letters were to be found from the tombs of the Kings,
illustrating various cases, by which rulings were made in reference to past cases (Law in
ancient Egypt 2003).

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Bibliography
Andrews, Carol. Egyptian Mummies. (1998). USA: Harvard University Press.
This book spends time looking at the element of Egyptian mummies. It takes special note
of the process in which mummies were embalmed or what is referred as
mummification, and how they were made. It further looks at into special artifacts such
as jewellery, and their overall place when it came to mummification. The book brings to
light modern techniques, which had been invented centuries ago, however, with more
economic importance.
Baines, John. "The Story of the Nile." BBC-History. BBC, 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.
This primary source provides an upfront historical account from a journalism point of
view of the Niles history from ancient ages. In so doing, it recognizes and lays emphasis
on the economic significance of the Nile, presenting readers with the chance to
comprehend the kind of power that the Nile held for ancient rulers, and how they utilized
that power to consolidate their rule.
"Dynasties XII to XVII The Growth of the Middle Class and the Conquest of the Hyksos."
Reshafim, June 2010. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.
This primary site attempts to shed light on the order of the dynasties and by so doing,
introducing the founding rulers as well as the main events within the rulers reign.
Herein, there is special emphasis on how the middle class grew, and the subsequent
conquest of the Hyksos, who were a renowned mixture of Asiatic people who had taken
over the area east of the Nile delta and subsequently putting to an end the thirteenth
Egyptian dynasty.
Ezzamel, Mahmoud. "Accounting For Private Estates and the Household in the TwentiethCentury BC Middle Kingdom, Ancient Egypt." Abacus 38.2 (2002): 235. Business
Source Premier. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.
This article examines the role of accounting in running the household economy and
private estates in ancient Egypt. Drawing on translations of original accounts and

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business letters dating back to the Middle Kingdom, a number of diverse accounting
roles are isolated. Firstly, the accounts and business letters shed interesting light on the
determination of rations for individual members of the owner's household during a
period of hardship caused by high Nile inundation. Accounting calculations were an
instrument of both planning the economy of the household and underpinning a specific
pecking order of the relative standing of individual members of the household. Secondly,
the accounts and business letters were used as a means of facilitating the management at
a distance of the affairs of the private estate, while the owner was absent having
entrusted its day-to-day running to his agents.
"Law in Ancient Egypt." University College London, 2003. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.
This primary source provides a legal aspect of ancient Egypts dynasties. This is
important due to the fact that law and order are crucial for the harmonious existence and
fabric within a society. It notes clearly that the sources of law that existed in ancient
Egypt were manuscripts and inscriptions that are to be found to this date, and from
whose ancient ruling guided the legal and judicial system of the time.
Wein, Berel. "Ancient Egypt." Jewish History. Jewishhistory.org, 2012. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.
This primary source attempts to provide a comprehension of ancient Egypt for purposes
of aiding the reader grasp the general backbone upon which the Bible is written. To do
this, the article looks at Egypt as an exception to the norm in ancient times, showing its
dependence on war, territorial expansion or trade. As such, it highlights the Hyksos,
which it tries to establish a relationship with ancient Biblical Hebrews.
Wegner, Joseph. Tradition and Innovation: The Middle Kingdom. Egyptian Archaeology.
(2010). Wendrich, Willeke, ed. Wiley-Blackwell. West Sussex, UK.
Wegner (2010) looks into ancient complex societies, with a special focus on Egypt. His
investigation goes on to describe the shaky past that was historic in forming an era of
state regeneration, which was to eventually go down in history as one of Egypts greatest

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eras of civilization. Herein, cultural and social aspects are looked into, especially material
forms that bring in change and innovation to the socio-economic growth that is modern
days Egypts precedent.
Wegner, Josef. "Egypt's Late Middle Kingdom in Microcosm." Expedition 48.2 (2006): 6-10.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.
The article provides information on the archaeological discovery on the civilization of
the late middle kingdom of Microcosm in Egypt which is identified as the classical age of
ancient Egypt covering Dynasties 11, 12 and 13. The civilization of the Middle Kingdom
includes the sacred site of Abydos named Umm el - Gaab which is the burial place of
Egypt's first pharaohs and the origin of the ancient canine god named Osiris
-Khentiamenti.