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REVIEW BY ANNA GARNETT
This volume is the first to be published from BAR International’s exciting new specialist sub-series focused solely on the archaeology of Egypt and Sudan. Sue Kelly explores the roles of women at the very beginning of the pharaonic period, amending the traditional male-focused narratives of past studies. Focusing on the study of women’s titles through a cross-section of society during this pivotal period in ancient Egyptian history, the author skilfully examines a wide range of textual and iconographic evidence to shed light on these women’s achievements and their impact on political, socio-economic, and ideological domains.
Following a comprehensive ‘Introduction’ providing further context for the reader, the study is presented in three main chapters which focus on the ‘Economic Domain’ (women’s service in the state), the ‘Ideological Domain’ (women’s service in cultic and ritual practices) and the ‘Political Domain’ (women’s service in rulership and governance). The statistical data-driven study is focused on a large corpus of 1,442 women, whose lives and relationships can be at least partially traced through surviving evidence.
This unique analytical approach is supported by two comprehensive appendices, which present a chronological glossary of known names and titles of women from this period, providing valuable research tools. The author explores how these titles can tell us more about how opportunities for women to take part in various workforces, including the priesthood and diverse types of resource management, continued to develop during the early growth of the ancient Egyptian state. The author succeeds in encouraging the reader to look differently at the evidence presented, and to view this vital early period of ancient Egyptian history with a more balanced perspective.
Well-illustrated with colour images and detailed tables and charts, and supported with a comprehensive bibliography and index, this important volume will be invaluable for students, specialists, and general readers alike.
UNVEILING FEMALE SOCIAL POWER IN EARLY EGYPT (c.3080-2180 BCE)
by Sue Kelly
BAR International Series: Archaeology of Egypt and Sudan Vol.1, 2024
ISBN 978-1-4073-6173-4
Paperback, £55
