Polity Territory List

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            "id": 581,
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            "description": " in squared kilometres. Adams discerned two settlement areas: northern and southern. In the Early Uruk period, the southern area had 2010 km2, and the northern area had 2087 km2. In the Late Uruk Period: southern enclave: 2231 km2 and the northern area: 1619 km2.§REF§Adams 1981, 90§REF§",
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                "id": 474,
                "name": "IqUruk*",
                "start_year": -4000,
                "end_year": -2900,
                "long_name": "Uruk",
                "new_name": "iq_uruk",
                "polity_tag": "LEGACY",
                "general_description": "The name of this polity derives from the site of Uruk (modern Warka) located c. 35 km east from the Euphrates River, in south Iraq. This period is perceived as a time of deep transformations and significant inventions (such as wheel, fast wheel, plough, using alloys - bronze, writing system, etc.). There is very little known about the people living in Mesopotamia during that time (so-called Sumerian problem). There are some voices suggesting that Uruk population might have been identified as Sumerians, however there is no direct evidence to support this hypothesis. On the contrary, there is a lack of traces of invasion or appearance of completely new group of people. There is rather highlighted undisturbed continuation between previous polities, such as Ubaid and Uruk, and endurance of some cultural patterns, which are especially visible in architecture (construction of temples at Eridu or Uruk).  §REF§ Roux 1998, 75-78 §REF§ ,  §REF§ Crawford 2004, 16-18 §REF§ ,  §REF§ Kuhr 1997, 22-23 §REF§  The nature of relations between Mesopotamia and Susiana land in this period deserves the special attention. There are few main ideas regarding the relationships between these two geographical areas. According to Algaze, the Susiana was colonized by group of people from southern Mesopotamia in the Uruk period and he indicates cultural homogeneity these two lands in Uruk period.  §REF§ Algaze 1993, 15-17 §REF§  The opposite opinion is presented by Amiet, who suggested that Susiana was inhabited by two different 'ethnic' group (so called - 'Elamite' and 'Mesopotamian' type). The culture of this land, hence, was seen as some kind of hybrid and the alternately appearance of 'Elamite' or 'Mesopotamian' cultural elements is related to some sort of 'fashion' or 'trends'. §REF§ Amiet 1979 §REF§  ,  §REF§ Amiet 1992: 80 §REF§ The Uruk polity is perceived by Algaze as some kind of proto-state organism and he describes it as “an early instance of an \"informal empire\" or \"world system\" based on asymmetrical exchange and a hierarchically organized international division of labour that differs from modern examples only in degree.” §REF§ Algaze 1989, 571 §REF§  He emphasizes very rapid and intense cultural growth of Uruk polity and he considers few types of Uruk expansions: “(1)new form of spatial distribution: the growth of cities and their dependencies; (2)new form of socio-political organization: the explosive growth of social differentiation, the emergence of encumbered labour, and the crystallization of the state; (3) new forms of economic arrangements and of record keeping: state control of a substantial portion of the means of production and of its surplus, craft and occupational  specialization on an industrial scale; and, finally, (4)the new forms of symbolic representation needed to validate the changes taking place in the realm of social and political relationship-leading to the creation of an artistic tradition and iconographical repertoire that were to set the framework for pictorial representation in Mesopotamia for millennium to come.” §REF§ Algaze 1989, 590-91 §REF§ There are many hypotheses regarding the political system of Uruk polity. Most of the researchers (e. g. Frangipane, Rothman, Pollock, Wright) perceived the Uruk polity as some kind of united (in cultural sense) community which shares number of features (particularly in material culture) and they represent some early stage of city-state organization with dominant position of some cities and the group of elite. §REF§ Nissen 2001, 161 §REF§ , §REF§ Pollock 2001, 181-233 §REF§  However, other archaeologists believed (e. g. Algaze) that some cities have been already ruled by one person - ruler which collected all political, religious and military power. There are many images of this person on seals, sealing, vase, furniture inlays where he is showed as a warrior, bearded man in cap, hunter and master of animals. Algaze even writes: “comparison with inscribed statues of later Sumerian rulers in strikingly similar poses leaves no doubt that the analogous Uruk-period images are stylized and standardized representations of kings.” §REF§ Algaze 2001, 34 §REF§ ",
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                    "name": "Southern Mesopotamia",
                    "subregion": "Levant-Mesopotamia",
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                    "latitude": "32.470000000000",
                    "capital_city": "Babylon (Hillah)",
                    "nga_code": "IQ",
                    "fao_country": "Iraq",
                    "world_region": "Southwest Asia"
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                    "id": 62,
                    "name": "Mesopotamia",
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            "description": " KM2. AD: estimate for 3800 BCE has been changed to 5-20 square kilometers to reflect the territory that could have been controlled by a village for agricultural/foraging purposes. Considering that Hierakonpolis covered at least 7.5km2 the range should allow for variations.<br>Upper Egypt is the core territory of Naqada culture.<br>This describes a 7.5km2, 750ha site if taken as a square<br>In the Naqada I period Hierakonpolis occupation \"stretched for over 2.5 kilometers along the edge of the desert and back almost 3 kilometers into the great wadi that bisects the site\"§REF§Friedman, R. 2011. \"Hierakonpolis\". [in:] Before the Pyramids. The Orygin of Egyptian Cyvilization. Teeter, E.[ed.]. Chicago: The Oriental Instytute of the University of Chicago. pg: 34.§REF§<br>Naqada I: A few thousand meters-3 ha §REF§Ciałowicz, K. M. 1999. Początki cywilizacji egipskiej. Warszawa-Kraków: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN. pg: 110§REF§; Naqada II-III: uncoded quasi-polities<br>At the end of Naqada I the villages started to united, first creating chiefdoms/nome pre-states and in the Naqada III or even in the end of Naqada II - proto-states. The size of those polities varied and changed during the process of state formation. That remains uncoded.<br>",
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                "id": 511,
                "name": "EgNaqa1",
                "start_year": -3800,
                "end_year": -3550,
                "long_name": "Naqada I",
                "new_name": "eg_naqada_1",
                "polity_tag": "LEGACY",
                "general_description": "The Naqada is a Predynastic archaeological culture located in Upper Egypt, the strip of land flanking the Nile river south of the Faiyum region and north of the First Cataract. Named after the site where British archaeologist Flinders Petrie uncovered a necropolis of over 3000 graves in the late 19th century, §REF§ (Midant-Reynes 2000, 41) Béatrix Midant-Reynes. 2000. 'The Naqada Period (c. 4000-3200 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 41-56. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  the Naqada culture is dated from around 3800 to 3100 BCE. §REF§ (Dee et al. 2013, 5) Michael Dee, David Wengrow, Andrew Shortland, Alice Stevenson, Fiona Brock, Linus Girdland Flink and Christopher Bronk Ramsey. 2013. 'An Absolute Chronology for Early Egypt Using Radiocarbon Dating and Bayesian Statistical Modelling'. <i>Proceedings of the Royal Society A</i> 469 (2159). DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2013.0395. §REF§  The Naqada has been subdivided into three periods ‒ the Amratian, Gerzean, and Semainean ‒ as well as, more recently, into Naqada IA-C, IIA-D, and IIIA-D. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 424) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  §REF§ (Dee et al. 2013, 2) Michael Dee, David Wengrow, Andrew Shortland, Alice Stevenson, Fiona Brock, Linus Girdland Flink and Christopher Bronk Ramsey. 2013. 'An Absolute Chronology for Early Egypt Using Radiocarbon Dating and Bayesian Statistical Modelling'. <i>Proceedings of the Royal Society A</i> 469 (2159). DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2013.0395. §REF§  Seshat's 'Naqada 1' (3800-3550 BCE) corresponds to the Naqada IA-IIB phases; Naqada 2 (3550-3300 BCE) to IIC-IID; and Naqada 3 (3300-3100 BCE) to IIIA-IIIB. We end Naqada 3 with the IIIB-C transition, because the First Dynasty of the Egyptian state is considered to begin with the accession of King Aha in Naqada IIIC. §REF§ (Dee et al. 2013, 2) Michael Dee, David Wengrow, Andrew Shortland, Alice Stevenson, Fiona Brock, Linus Girdland Flink and Christopher Bronk Ramsey. 2013. 'An Absolute Chronology for Early Egypt Using Radiocarbon Dating and Bayesian Statistical Modelling'. <i>Proceedings of the Royal Society A</i> 469 (2159). DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2013.0395. §REF§  Naqada III is also sometimes referred to as the Protodynastic period or 'Dynasty 0'.<br>Early Naqada archaeological material is clustered around the key sites of Naqada itself, Abydos, and Hierakonpolis (ancient Nekhen) in the fertile land nestled around the 'Qena bend' of the Nile. §REF§ (Bard 1994, 267) Kathryn A. Bard. 1994. 'The Egyptian Predynastic: A Review of the Evidence'. <i>Journal of Field Archaeology</i> 21 (3): 265-88. §REF§  However, from the late Naqada II onwards, there is an archaeologically visible expansion of the culture both southwards along the Nile and northwards into Lower Egypt (the Delta), eventually reaching as far north as the Levant in Naqada IIIA-B. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 442-43) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§ <br><i>Population and Political Organization</i><br>The 4th millennium BCE was a crucial period for Egyptian state formation. Prior to roughly 3800 BCE, Upper Egypt was inhabited by seasonally mobile farmers and herders, constituting an archaeological culture known as the Badarian. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 422, 428-29) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  However, the Naqada periods brought a series of key social transformations to the region, including increasing inequality, a greater commitment to sedentary settlement and cereal farming, the emergence of full-time craft specialists, and, towards the end of the millennium, the invention of writing. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 431-32, 434) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  §REF§ (Hendrickx 2011, 93) Stan Hendrickx. 2011. 'Crafts and Craft Specialization', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 93-98. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§  §REF§ (Wengrow 2011, 99) David Wengrow. 2011. 'The Invention of Writing in Egypt', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 99-103. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§  The growth of hierarchical social structures and the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt laid the foundations for the divine kings and complex bureaucracy of the Old Kingdom and beyond.<br>During Naqada I, new forms of political organization appeared ‒ relatively swiftly compared to other prehistoric cultures ‒ in the upper Nile Valley. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 431-32) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  According to the Egyptologist Branislav Anđelković, previously autonomous agricultural villages began to band together to form 'chiefdoms' or 'proto-nomes' between Naqada IA and IB (a 'nome' was an administrative division in the later Egyptian state). §REF§ (Anđelković 2011, 28) Branislav Anđelković. 2011. 'Political Organization of Egypt in the Predynastic Period', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 25-32. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§  In Naqada IC, even larger political entities ‒ 'nome pre-states' ‒ started to form, centred on Naqada, Abydos and Hierakonpolis. It has been suggested that a 'primitive chiefdom' centred around a 'royal' authority based at Hierakonpolis, had formed by around 3700 BCE. §REF§ (García 2013, 187-88) Juan Carlos Moreno García. 2013. 'Building the Pharaonic State: Territory, Elite, and Power in Ancient Egypt during the Third Millennium BCE', in <i>Experiencing Power, Generating Authority: Cosmos, Politics, and the Ideology of Kingship in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia</i>, edited by Jane A. Hill, Philip Jones, and Antonio J. Morales, 185-217. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. §REF§  Not all researchers agree with this terminology, believing that it creates the impression of an inexorable march towards state formation, and some prefer to stress the fragile and experimental nature of early complex social formations in Upper Egypt. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 422, 427) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  However, the term chiefdom remains in common usage as a label for the new ranked societies of the early 4th millennium. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 422) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  §REF§ (Bard 2017, 2) Kathryn A. Bard. 2017. 'Political Economies of Predynastic Egypt and the Formation of the Early State'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 25: 1-36. §REF§  §REF§ (Koehler 2010, 32) E. Christiana Koehler. 2010. 'Prehistory', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 1</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 25-47. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  In the Naqada II period, 'proto-states' formed, and by the Naqada III we can speak of kings and a centralized government ruling over a unified Upper and Lower Egypt. §REF§ (Anđelković 2011, 29-30) Branislav Anđelković. 2011. 'Political Organization of Egypt in the Predynastic Period', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 25-32. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§ <br>We lack firm figures for the population of Egypt during the Naqada. At the beginning of the period, most inhabitants of Upper Egypt were living in small villages. §REF§ (Anđelković 2011, 28) Branislav Anđelković. 2011. 'Political Organization of Egypt in the Predynastic Period', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 25-32. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§  However, as the 4th millennium progressed, archaeologists can discern a process of urbanization and aggregation into larger political units. The largest known settlement, Hierakonpolis, grew into a regional centre of power in the 3800‒3500 BCE period §REF§ (Friedman 2011, 34) Renée Friedman. 2011. 'Hierakonpolis', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 33-44. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§  and may have reached a population of between 5,000 and 10,000 people in the late Naqada I. §REF§ (Hoffman, Hamroush and Allen 1986, 181) Michael Allen Hoffman, Hany A. Hamroush and Ralph O. Allen. 1986. 'A Model of Urban Development for the Hierakonpolis Region from Predynastic through Old Kingdom Times'. <i>Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt</i> 23: 175-87. §REF§  Other researchers consider this figure 'inflated' §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 436) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  and point to recent evidence from the Abydos region for low population numbers throughout the Predynastic period. §REF§ (Patch 2004, 914) Diana Craig Patch. 2004. 'Settlement Patterns and Cultural Change in the Predynastic Period', in <i>Egypt at Its Origins: Studies in Memory of Barbara Adams</i>, edited by S. Hendrickx, R. F. Friedman, K. M. Ciałowicz and M. Chłodnicki, 905-18. Leuven: Uitgeverij Peeters en Departement Oosterse Studies. §REF§ ",
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                    "name": "Upper Egypt",
                    "subregion": "Northeastern Africa",
                    "longitude": "32.714706000000",
                    "latitude": "25.725715000000",
                    "capital_city": "Luxor",
                    "nga_code": "EG",
                    "fao_country": "Egypt",
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            "id": 473,
            "year_from": -3700,
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            "description": " KM2. AD: estimate for 3800 BCE has been changed to 5-20 square kilometers to reflect the territory that could have been controlled by a village for agricultural/foraging purposes. Considering that Hierakonpolis covered at least 7.5km2 the range should allow for variations.<br>Upper Egypt is the core territory of Naqada culture.<br>This describes a 7.5km2, 750ha site if taken as a square<br>In the Naqada I period Hierakonpolis occupation \"stretched for over 2.5 kilometers along the edge of the desert and back almost 3 kilometers into the great wadi that bisects the site\"§REF§Friedman, R. 2011. \"Hierakonpolis\". [in:] Before the Pyramids. The Orygin of Egyptian Cyvilization. Teeter, E.[ed.]. Chicago: The Oriental Instytute of the University of Chicago. pg: 34.§REF§<br>Naqada I: A few thousand meters-3 ha §REF§Ciałowicz, K. M. 1999. Początki cywilizacji egipskiej. Warszawa-Kraków: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN. pg: 110§REF§; Naqada II-III: uncoded quasi-polities<br>At the end of Naqada I the villages started to united, first creating chiefdoms/nome pre-states and in the Naqada III or even in the end of Naqada II - proto-states. The size of those polities varied and changed during the process of state formation. That remains uncoded.<br>",
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                "id": 511,
                "name": "EgNaqa1",
                "start_year": -3800,
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                "long_name": "Naqada I",
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                "polity_tag": "LEGACY",
                "general_description": "The Naqada is a Predynastic archaeological culture located in Upper Egypt, the strip of land flanking the Nile river south of the Faiyum region and north of the First Cataract. Named after the site where British archaeologist Flinders Petrie uncovered a necropolis of over 3000 graves in the late 19th century, §REF§ (Midant-Reynes 2000, 41) Béatrix Midant-Reynes. 2000. 'The Naqada Period (c. 4000-3200 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 41-56. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  the Naqada culture is dated from around 3800 to 3100 BCE. §REF§ (Dee et al. 2013, 5) Michael Dee, David Wengrow, Andrew Shortland, Alice Stevenson, Fiona Brock, Linus Girdland Flink and Christopher Bronk Ramsey. 2013. 'An Absolute Chronology for Early Egypt Using Radiocarbon Dating and Bayesian Statistical Modelling'. <i>Proceedings of the Royal Society A</i> 469 (2159). DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2013.0395. §REF§  The Naqada has been subdivided into three periods ‒ the Amratian, Gerzean, and Semainean ‒ as well as, more recently, into Naqada IA-C, IIA-D, and IIIA-D. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 424) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  §REF§ (Dee et al. 2013, 2) Michael Dee, David Wengrow, Andrew Shortland, Alice Stevenson, Fiona Brock, Linus Girdland Flink and Christopher Bronk Ramsey. 2013. 'An Absolute Chronology for Early Egypt Using Radiocarbon Dating and Bayesian Statistical Modelling'. <i>Proceedings of the Royal Society A</i> 469 (2159). DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2013.0395. §REF§  Seshat's 'Naqada 1' (3800-3550 BCE) corresponds to the Naqada IA-IIB phases; Naqada 2 (3550-3300 BCE) to IIC-IID; and Naqada 3 (3300-3100 BCE) to IIIA-IIIB. We end Naqada 3 with the IIIB-C transition, because the First Dynasty of the Egyptian state is considered to begin with the accession of King Aha in Naqada IIIC. §REF§ (Dee et al. 2013, 2) Michael Dee, David Wengrow, Andrew Shortland, Alice Stevenson, Fiona Brock, Linus Girdland Flink and Christopher Bronk Ramsey. 2013. 'An Absolute Chronology for Early Egypt Using Radiocarbon Dating and Bayesian Statistical Modelling'. <i>Proceedings of the Royal Society A</i> 469 (2159). DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2013.0395. §REF§  Naqada III is also sometimes referred to as the Protodynastic period or 'Dynasty 0'.<br>Early Naqada archaeological material is clustered around the key sites of Naqada itself, Abydos, and Hierakonpolis (ancient Nekhen) in the fertile land nestled around the 'Qena bend' of the Nile. §REF§ (Bard 1994, 267) Kathryn A. Bard. 1994. 'The Egyptian Predynastic: A Review of the Evidence'. <i>Journal of Field Archaeology</i> 21 (3): 265-88. §REF§  However, from the late Naqada II onwards, there is an archaeologically visible expansion of the culture both southwards along the Nile and northwards into Lower Egypt (the Delta), eventually reaching as far north as the Levant in Naqada IIIA-B. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 442-43) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§ <br><i>Population and Political Organization</i><br>The 4th millennium BCE was a crucial period for Egyptian state formation. Prior to roughly 3800 BCE, Upper Egypt was inhabited by seasonally mobile farmers and herders, constituting an archaeological culture known as the Badarian. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 422, 428-29) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  However, the Naqada periods brought a series of key social transformations to the region, including increasing inequality, a greater commitment to sedentary settlement and cereal farming, the emergence of full-time craft specialists, and, towards the end of the millennium, the invention of writing. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 431-32, 434) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  §REF§ (Hendrickx 2011, 93) Stan Hendrickx. 2011. 'Crafts and Craft Specialization', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 93-98. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§  §REF§ (Wengrow 2011, 99) David Wengrow. 2011. 'The Invention of Writing in Egypt', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 99-103. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§  The growth of hierarchical social structures and the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt laid the foundations for the divine kings and complex bureaucracy of the Old Kingdom and beyond.<br>During Naqada I, new forms of political organization appeared ‒ relatively swiftly compared to other prehistoric cultures ‒ in the upper Nile Valley. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 431-32) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  According to the Egyptologist Branislav Anđelković, previously autonomous agricultural villages began to band together to form 'chiefdoms' or 'proto-nomes' between Naqada IA and IB (a 'nome' was an administrative division in the later Egyptian state). §REF§ (Anđelković 2011, 28) Branislav Anđelković. 2011. 'Political Organization of Egypt in the Predynastic Period', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 25-32. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§  In Naqada IC, even larger political entities ‒ 'nome pre-states' ‒ started to form, centred on Naqada, Abydos and Hierakonpolis. It has been suggested that a 'primitive chiefdom' centred around a 'royal' authority based at Hierakonpolis, had formed by around 3700 BCE. §REF§ (García 2013, 187-88) Juan Carlos Moreno García. 2013. 'Building the Pharaonic State: Territory, Elite, and Power in Ancient Egypt during the Third Millennium BCE', in <i>Experiencing Power, Generating Authority: Cosmos, Politics, and the Ideology of Kingship in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia</i>, edited by Jane A. Hill, Philip Jones, and Antonio J. Morales, 185-217. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. §REF§  Not all researchers agree with this terminology, believing that it creates the impression of an inexorable march towards state formation, and some prefer to stress the fragile and experimental nature of early complex social formations in Upper Egypt. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 422, 427) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  However, the term chiefdom remains in common usage as a label for the new ranked societies of the early 4th millennium. §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 422) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  §REF§ (Bard 2017, 2) Kathryn A. Bard. 2017. 'Political Economies of Predynastic Egypt and the Formation of the Early State'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 25: 1-36. §REF§  §REF§ (Koehler 2010, 32) E. Christiana Koehler. 2010. 'Prehistory', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 1</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 25-47. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  In the Naqada II period, 'proto-states' formed, and by the Naqada III we can speak of kings and a centralized government ruling over a unified Upper and Lower Egypt. §REF§ (Anđelković 2011, 29-30) Branislav Anđelković. 2011. 'Political Organization of Egypt in the Predynastic Period', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 25-32. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§ <br>We lack firm figures for the population of Egypt during the Naqada. At the beginning of the period, most inhabitants of Upper Egypt were living in small villages. §REF§ (Anđelković 2011, 28) Branislav Anđelković. 2011. 'Political Organization of Egypt in the Predynastic Period', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 25-32. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§  However, as the 4th millennium progressed, archaeologists can discern a process of urbanization and aggregation into larger political units. The largest known settlement, Hierakonpolis, grew into a regional centre of power in the 3800‒3500 BCE period §REF§ (Friedman 2011, 34) Renée Friedman. 2011. 'Hierakonpolis', in <i>Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization</i>, edited by Emily Teeter, 33-44. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. §REF§  and may have reached a population of between 5,000 and 10,000 people in the late Naqada I. §REF§ (Hoffman, Hamroush and Allen 1986, 181) Michael Allen Hoffman, Hany A. Hamroush and Ralph O. Allen. 1986. 'A Model of Urban Development for the Hierakonpolis Region from Predynastic through Old Kingdom Times'. <i>Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt</i> 23: 175-87. §REF§  Other researchers consider this figure 'inflated' §REF§ (Stevenson 2016, 436) Alice Stevenson. 2016. 'The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation'. <i>Journal of Archaeological Research</i> 24: 421-68. §REF§  and point to recent evidence from the Abydos region for low population numbers throughout the Predynastic period. §REF§ (Patch 2004, 914) Diana Craig Patch. 2004. 'Settlement Patterns and Cultural Change in the Predynastic Period', in <i>Egypt at Its Origins: Studies in Memory of Barbara Adams</i>, edited by S. Hendrickx, R. F. Friedman, K. M. Ciałowicz and M. Chłodnicki, 905-18. Leuven: Uitgeverij Peeters en Departement Oosterse Studies. §REF§ ",
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            "description": " in squared kilometres. Adams discerned two settlement areas: northern and southern. In the Early Uruk period, the southern area had 2010 km2, and the northern area had 2087 km2. In the Late Uruk Period: southern enclave: 2231 km2 and the northern area: 1619 km2.§REF§Adams 1981, 90§REF§",
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            "polity": {
                "id": 474,
                "name": "IqUruk*",
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                "long_name": "Uruk",
                "new_name": "iq_uruk",
                "polity_tag": "LEGACY",
                "general_description": "The name of this polity derives from the site of Uruk (modern Warka) located c. 35 km east from the Euphrates River, in south Iraq. This period is perceived as a time of deep transformations and significant inventions (such as wheel, fast wheel, plough, using alloys - bronze, writing system, etc.). There is very little known about the people living in Mesopotamia during that time (so-called Sumerian problem). There are some voices suggesting that Uruk population might have been identified as Sumerians, however there is no direct evidence to support this hypothesis. On the contrary, there is a lack of traces of invasion or appearance of completely new group of people. There is rather highlighted undisturbed continuation between previous polities, such as Ubaid and Uruk, and endurance of some cultural patterns, which are especially visible in architecture (construction of temples at Eridu or Uruk).  §REF§ Roux 1998, 75-78 §REF§ ,  §REF§ Crawford 2004, 16-18 §REF§ ,  §REF§ Kuhr 1997, 22-23 §REF§  The nature of relations between Mesopotamia and Susiana land in this period deserves the special attention. There are few main ideas regarding the relationships between these two geographical areas. According to Algaze, the Susiana was colonized by group of people from southern Mesopotamia in the Uruk period and he indicates cultural homogeneity these two lands in Uruk period.  §REF§ Algaze 1993, 15-17 §REF§  The opposite opinion is presented by Amiet, who suggested that Susiana was inhabited by two different 'ethnic' group (so called - 'Elamite' and 'Mesopotamian' type). The culture of this land, hence, was seen as some kind of hybrid and the alternately appearance of 'Elamite' or 'Mesopotamian' cultural elements is related to some sort of 'fashion' or 'trends'. §REF§ Amiet 1979 §REF§  ,  §REF§ Amiet 1992: 80 §REF§ The Uruk polity is perceived by Algaze as some kind of proto-state organism and he describes it as “an early instance of an \"informal empire\" or \"world system\" based on asymmetrical exchange and a hierarchically organized international division of labour that differs from modern examples only in degree.” §REF§ Algaze 1989, 571 §REF§  He emphasizes very rapid and intense cultural growth of Uruk polity and he considers few types of Uruk expansions: “(1)new form of spatial distribution: the growth of cities and their dependencies; (2)new form of socio-political organization: the explosive growth of social differentiation, the emergence of encumbered labour, and the crystallization of the state; (3) new forms of economic arrangements and of record keeping: state control of a substantial portion of the means of production and of its surplus, craft and occupational  specialization on an industrial scale; and, finally, (4)the new forms of symbolic representation needed to validate the changes taking place in the realm of social and political relationship-leading to the creation of an artistic tradition and iconographical repertoire that were to set the framework for pictorial representation in Mesopotamia for millennium to come.” §REF§ Algaze 1989, 590-91 §REF§ There are many hypotheses regarding the political system of Uruk polity. Most of the researchers (e. g. Frangipane, Rothman, Pollock, Wright) perceived the Uruk polity as some kind of united (in cultural sense) community which shares number of features (particularly in material culture) and they represent some early stage of city-state organization with dominant position of some cities and the group of elite. §REF§ Nissen 2001, 161 §REF§ , §REF§ Pollock 2001, 181-233 §REF§  However, other archaeologists believed (e. g. Algaze) that some cities have been already ruled by one person - ruler which collected all political, religious and military power. There are many images of this person on seals, sealing, vase, furniture inlays where he is showed as a warrior, bearded man in cap, hunter and master of animals. Algaze even writes: “comparison with inscribed statues of later Sumerian rulers in strikingly similar poses leaves no doubt that the analogous Uruk-period images are stylized and standardized representations of kings.” §REF§ Algaze 2001, 34 §REF§ ",
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                "long_name": "Egypt - Dynasty II",
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                "general_description": "The Second Dynasty of Egypt (c. 2900‒2687 BCE) was a relatively geographically constricted state, centred near the Nile delta of Egypt and extending as far south as Aswan and the First Cataract of the Nile. Founded by Hotepsekhemwy, the kings of the Second Dynasty initially ruled over a centralized state, but as the period progressed they had to contend with disorder and civil war that lasted until the last ruler, Khasekhemwy (c. 2714‒2687 BCE). §REF§ (El-Shahawy 2005, 31) A El-Shahawy. 2005. <i>The Egyptian Museum in Cairo</i>. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press. §REF§  §REF§ (Dodson 2016, 9) Aidan Dodson. 2016. 'Go West: On the Ancient Means of Approach to the Saqqara Necropolis', in <i>Mummies, Magic and Medicine in Ancient Egypt: Multidisciplinary Essays for Rosalie David</i>, edited by Campbell Price, Roger Forshaw, Andrew Chamberlain and Paul Nicholson, 3-18. Manchester: Manchester University Press. §REF§  The restoration of central authority after this period ushered in the classic Old Kingdom period, widely considered a high point of ancient civilization.<br><i>Population and political organization</i><br>Controlled by a god-king who presided over an administration with specialized overseers, §REF§ (Moreno García 2014) Juan Carlos Moreno García. 2014. 'Invaders or Just Herders? Libyans in Egypt in the Third and Second Millennia BCE'. <i>World Archaeology</i> 46: 610-23. §REF§  Memphis is considered the main administrative centre of the Early Dynastic period because tombs of administrative officials are located nearby. §REF§ (Bard 2000, 64-65) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  Also known as the White Walls, §REF§ (Malek 2000, 104) Jaromir Malek. 2000. 'The Old Kingdom (c. 2686-2160 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 83-107. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  apparently after the colour of the palace enclosure walls, §REF§ (Thompson 2012, 1) Dorothy J. Thompson. 2012. <i>Memphis under the Ptolemies</i>. 2nd ed. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. §REF§  Memphis probably had at least 6,000 residents at a population density of 193 per hectare. §REF§ (Mumford 2010, 331) Gregory D. Mumford. 2010. 'Settlements - Distribution, Structure, Architecture: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 1</i>, edited by Alan B Lloyd, 326-49. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  The government of the Early Dynasties is thought to have developed significant divisions of labour and a more hierarchical structure under King Djer, who introduced permanent institutions, §REF§ (Engel 2013, 20-38) Eva-Maria Engel. 2013. 'The Organisation of a Nascent State: Egypt until the Beginning of the 4th Dynasty', in <i>Ancient Egyptian Administration</i>, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 19-40. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  although Egyptologist Hratch Papazian stresses that a true hierarchical bureaucracy emerged 'only during the latter parts of the Old Kingdom'. §REF§ (Papazian 2013, 67-68) Hratch Papazian. 2013. 'Departments, Treasuries, Granaries and Work Centers', in <i>Ancient Egyptian Administration</i>, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 41-83. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  Writing in this period was now well established; it had been present since the late Predynastic period ('Dynasty 0'), §REF§ (Bard 2000, 75) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  when hieroglyphs were used for labels such as those found in the tomb of U-j at Abydos, dating to around 3150 BCE. §REF§ (Bard 2000, 60) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§ <br>Regional centres of the Second Dynasty included Hierakonpolis, Abydos, and minor centres further south at Naga-el-Deir and Aswan. Evidence for a system of territorial organization comes from thousands of seal stamps discovered in the tomb of Khasekhemwy, the last king of the dynasty; they mention some historical provinces along with 'administrative titles and the names of the king'. §REF§ (Moreno García 2013, 190) Juan Carlos Moreno García. 2013. 'Building the Pharaonic State: Territory, Elite, and Power in Ancient Egypt during the 3rd Millennium BCE', in <i>Experiencing Power - Generating Authority: Cosmos and Politics in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia</i>, edited by J. A. Hill, Ph. H. Jones, A. J. Morales, 185-217. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. §REF§  However, Second-Dynasty Egypt was likely not yet divided into the clearly demarcated provinces, controlled by local governors, that we find in later periods. §REF§ (Moreno Garcia 2013, 190-192) Juan Carlos Moreno Garcia. 'Building the Pharaonic state: Territory, elite, and power in ancient Egypt in the 3rd millennium BCE' in <i>Ancient Egyptian Administration</i> edited by Juan Carlos Moreno Garcia. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  Abydos appears to have been the most significant cult centre. Its royal cemetery reveals the increasing elaboration of the ideology of kingship through the mortuary cult, and its monumental architecture has been interpreted as the expression of a 'state religion' on a grander scale than in previous periods. §REF§ (Bard 2000, 66-67) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§ <br>The Egyptian population during the Early Dynastic period is difficult to determine, but the archaeologist Bruce Trigger estimated that there could have been over 2 million people living in the Nile Valley at this time. §REF§ (Trigger 1983, 51) Bruce G. Trigger. 1983. 'The Rise of Egyptian Civilization', in <i>Ancient Egypt: A Social History</i> edited by Bruce G. Trigger, Barry J. Kemp, David O'Connor and Alan B Lloyd, 1-70. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. §REF§ ",
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                "general_description": "The Second Dynasty of Egypt (c. 2900‒2687 BCE) was a relatively geographically constricted state, centred near the Nile delta of Egypt and extending as far south as Aswan and the First Cataract of the Nile. Founded by Hotepsekhemwy, the kings of the Second Dynasty initially ruled over a centralized state, but as the period progressed they had to contend with disorder and civil war that lasted until the last ruler, Khasekhemwy (c. 2714‒2687 BCE). §REF§ (El-Shahawy 2005, 31) A El-Shahawy. 2005. <i>The Egyptian Museum in Cairo</i>. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press. §REF§  §REF§ (Dodson 2016, 9) Aidan Dodson. 2016. 'Go West: On the Ancient Means of Approach to the Saqqara Necropolis', in <i>Mummies, Magic and Medicine in Ancient Egypt: Multidisciplinary Essays for Rosalie David</i>, edited by Campbell Price, Roger Forshaw, Andrew Chamberlain and Paul Nicholson, 3-18. Manchester: Manchester University Press. §REF§  The restoration of central authority after this period ushered in the classic Old Kingdom period, widely considered a high point of ancient civilization.<br><i>Population and political organization</i><br>Controlled by a god-king who presided over an administration with specialized overseers, §REF§ (Moreno García 2014) Juan Carlos Moreno García. 2014. 'Invaders or Just Herders? Libyans in Egypt in the Third and Second Millennia BCE'. <i>World Archaeology</i> 46: 610-23. §REF§  Memphis is considered the main administrative centre of the Early Dynastic period because tombs of administrative officials are located nearby. §REF§ (Bard 2000, 64-65) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  Also known as the White Walls, §REF§ (Malek 2000, 104) Jaromir Malek. 2000. 'The Old Kingdom (c. 2686-2160 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 83-107. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  apparently after the colour of the palace enclosure walls, §REF§ (Thompson 2012, 1) Dorothy J. Thompson. 2012. <i>Memphis under the Ptolemies</i>. 2nd ed. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. §REF§  Memphis probably had at least 6,000 residents at a population density of 193 per hectare. §REF§ (Mumford 2010, 331) Gregory D. Mumford. 2010. 'Settlements - Distribution, Structure, Architecture: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 1</i>, edited by Alan B Lloyd, 326-49. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  The government of the Early Dynasties is thought to have developed significant divisions of labour and a more hierarchical structure under King Djer, who introduced permanent institutions, §REF§ (Engel 2013, 20-38) Eva-Maria Engel. 2013. 'The Organisation of a Nascent State: Egypt until the Beginning of the 4th Dynasty', in <i>Ancient Egyptian Administration</i>, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 19-40. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  although Egyptologist Hratch Papazian stresses that a true hierarchical bureaucracy emerged 'only during the latter parts of the Old Kingdom'. §REF§ (Papazian 2013, 67-68) Hratch Papazian. 2013. 'Departments, Treasuries, Granaries and Work Centers', in <i>Ancient Egyptian Administration</i>, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 41-83. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  Writing in this period was now well established; it had been present since the late Predynastic period ('Dynasty 0'), §REF§ (Bard 2000, 75) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  when hieroglyphs were used for labels such as those found in the tomb of U-j at Abydos, dating to around 3150 BCE. §REF§ (Bard 2000, 60) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§ <br>Regional centres of the Second Dynasty included Hierakonpolis, Abydos, and minor centres further south at Naga-el-Deir and Aswan. Evidence for a system of territorial organization comes from thousands of seal stamps discovered in the tomb of Khasekhemwy, the last king of the dynasty; they mention some historical provinces along with 'administrative titles and the names of the king'. §REF§ (Moreno García 2013, 190) Juan Carlos Moreno García. 2013. 'Building the Pharaonic State: Territory, Elite, and Power in Ancient Egypt during the 3rd Millennium BCE', in <i>Experiencing Power - Generating Authority: Cosmos and Politics in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia</i>, edited by J. A. Hill, Ph. H. Jones, A. J. Morales, 185-217. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. §REF§  However, Second-Dynasty Egypt was likely not yet divided into the clearly demarcated provinces, controlled by local governors, that we find in later periods. §REF§ (Moreno Garcia 2013, 190-192) Juan Carlos Moreno Garcia. 'Building the Pharaonic state: Territory, elite, and power in ancient Egypt in the 3rd millennium BCE' in <i>Ancient Egyptian Administration</i> edited by Juan Carlos Moreno Garcia. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  Abydos appears to have been the most significant cult centre. Its royal cemetery reveals the increasing elaboration of the ideology of kingship through the mortuary cult, and its monumental architecture has been interpreted as the expression of a 'state religion' on a grander scale than in previous periods. §REF§ (Bard 2000, 66-67) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§ <br>The Egyptian population during the Early Dynastic period is difficult to determine, but the archaeologist Bruce Trigger estimated that there could have been over 2 million people living in the Nile Valley at this time. §REF§ (Trigger 1983, 51) Bruce G. Trigger. 1983. 'The Rise of Egyptian Civilization', in <i>Ancient Egypt: A Social History</i> edited by Bruce G. Trigger, Barry J. Kemp, David O'Connor and Alan B Lloyd, 1-70. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. §REF§ ",
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            "description": " 100,000: 2900 BCE; 250,000: 2850 BCE; 267,000: 2800 BCE; 283,000: 2750 BCE; 300,000: 2700 BCE; 317,000: 2650 BCE §REF§(Chase-Dunn spreadsheet)§REF§<br>This includes only habitable area. we will have another that includes the desert (John Baines)JGM: We should bring up, somewhere, theories on the rise of the first state in Egypt in relations to the oases, western desert. Lots of archaeology has occurred, and there is a clear relationship between the desert hinterlands in southern Egypt and the rise of the state in the Nile valley.<br>",
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            "polity": {
                "id": 515,
                "name": "EgDyn2*",
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                "long_name": "Egypt - Dynasty II",
                "new_name": "eg_dynasty_2",
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                "general_description": "The Second Dynasty of Egypt (c. 2900‒2687 BCE) was a relatively geographically constricted state, centred near the Nile delta of Egypt and extending as far south as Aswan and the First Cataract of the Nile. Founded by Hotepsekhemwy, the kings of the Second Dynasty initially ruled over a centralized state, but as the period progressed they had to contend with disorder and civil war that lasted until the last ruler, Khasekhemwy (c. 2714‒2687 BCE). §REF§ (El-Shahawy 2005, 31) A El-Shahawy. 2005. <i>The Egyptian Museum in Cairo</i>. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press. §REF§  §REF§ (Dodson 2016, 9) Aidan Dodson. 2016. 'Go West: On the Ancient Means of Approach to the Saqqara Necropolis', in <i>Mummies, Magic and Medicine in Ancient Egypt: Multidisciplinary Essays for Rosalie David</i>, edited by Campbell Price, Roger Forshaw, Andrew Chamberlain and Paul Nicholson, 3-18. Manchester: Manchester University Press. §REF§  The restoration of central authority after this period ushered in the classic Old Kingdom period, widely considered a high point of ancient civilization.<br><i>Population and political organization</i><br>Controlled by a god-king who presided over an administration with specialized overseers, §REF§ (Moreno García 2014) Juan Carlos Moreno García. 2014. 'Invaders or Just Herders? Libyans in Egypt in the Third and Second Millennia BCE'. <i>World Archaeology</i> 46: 610-23. §REF§  Memphis is considered the main administrative centre of the Early Dynastic period because tombs of administrative officials are located nearby. §REF§ (Bard 2000, 64-65) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  Also known as the White Walls, §REF§ (Malek 2000, 104) Jaromir Malek. 2000. 'The Old Kingdom (c. 2686-2160 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 83-107. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  apparently after the colour of the palace enclosure walls, §REF§ (Thompson 2012, 1) Dorothy J. Thompson. 2012. <i>Memphis under the Ptolemies</i>. 2nd ed. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. §REF§  Memphis probably had at least 6,000 residents at a population density of 193 per hectare. §REF§ (Mumford 2010, 331) Gregory D. Mumford. 2010. 'Settlements - Distribution, Structure, Architecture: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 1</i>, edited by Alan B Lloyd, 326-49. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  The government of the Early Dynasties is thought to have developed significant divisions of labour and a more hierarchical structure under King Djer, who introduced permanent institutions, §REF§ (Engel 2013, 20-38) Eva-Maria Engel. 2013. 'The Organisation of a Nascent State: Egypt until the Beginning of the 4th Dynasty', in <i>Ancient Egyptian Administration</i>, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 19-40. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  although Egyptologist Hratch Papazian stresses that a true hierarchical bureaucracy emerged 'only during the latter parts of the Old Kingdom'. §REF§ (Papazian 2013, 67-68) Hratch Papazian. 2013. 'Departments, Treasuries, Granaries and Work Centers', in <i>Ancient Egyptian Administration</i>, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 41-83. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  Writing in this period was now well established; it had been present since the late Predynastic period ('Dynasty 0'), §REF§ (Bard 2000, 75) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  when hieroglyphs were used for labels such as those found in the tomb of U-j at Abydos, dating to around 3150 BCE. §REF§ (Bard 2000, 60) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§ <br>Regional centres of the Second Dynasty included Hierakonpolis, Abydos, and minor centres further south at Naga-el-Deir and Aswan. Evidence for a system of territorial organization comes from thousands of seal stamps discovered in the tomb of Khasekhemwy, the last king of the dynasty; they mention some historical provinces along with 'administrative titles and the names of the king'. §REF§ (Moreno García 2013, 190) Juan Carlos Moreno García. 2013. 'Building the Pharaonic State: Territory, Elite, and Power in Ancient Egypt during the 3rd Millennium BCE', in <i>Experiencing Power - Generating Authority: Cosmos and Politics in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia</i>, edited by J. A. Hill, Ph. H. Jones, A. J. Morales, 185-217. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. §REF§  However, Second-Dynasty Egypt was likely not yet divided into the clearly demarcated provinces, controlled by local governors, that we find in later periods. §REF§ (Moreno Garcia 2013, 190-192) Juan Carlos Moreno Garcia. 'Building the Pharaonic state: Territory, elite, and power in ancient Egypt in the 3rd millennium BCE' in <i>Ancient Egyptian Administration</i> edited by Juan Carlos Moreno Garcia. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  Abydos appears to have been the most significant cult centre. Its royal cemetery reveals the increasing elaboration of the ideology of kingship through the mortuary cult, and its monumental architecture has been interpreted as the expression of a 'state religion' on a grander scale than in previous periods. §REF§ (Bard 2000, 66-67) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. 'The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§ <br>The Egyptian population during the Early Dynastic period is difficult to determine, but the archaeologist Bruce Trigger estimated that there could have been over 2 million people living in the Nile Valley at this time. §REF§ (Trigger 1983, 51) Bruce G. Trigger. 1983. 'The Rise of Egyptian Civilization', in <i>Ancient Egypt: A Social History</i> edited by Bruce G. Trigger, Barry J. Kemp, David O'Connor and Alan B Lloyd, 1-70. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. §REF§ ",
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            "description": "§REF§(Chase-Dunn spreadsheet)§REF§ Senusret III, 1878-1843 BCE, fixed Egypt's southern border above the second cataract of the Nile. §REF§(<a class=\"external free\" href=\"http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/history12-17.htm#amenemheti\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/history12-17.htm#amenemheti</a>)§REF§<br>257,000: 1700 BCE<br>Annexed part of Nubia directly south of Egypt. §REF§(Garcia ed. 2013, 435)§REF§",
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                "general_description": "After a phase of decentralized state power during the Period of the Regions (or First Intermediate Period), Egypt became unified once again during the Middle Kingdom (Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth Dynasties, 2016‒1700 BCE), experiencing a 'golden age'. §REF§ (Callender 2000, 171) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  Achievements in art, architecture, writing and religion ‒ coupled with a growing 'middle class' and the increased importance of scribes ‒ reached their peak during this period, particularly under Amenemhat III (r. 1831‒1786 BCE). §REF§ (Callender 2000, 156) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§ <br><i>Population and political organization</i><br>The Middle Kingdom king ruled via royal decree, §REF§ (Ezzamel 2004, 502) Mahmoud Ezzamel. 2004. 'Work Organization in the Middle Kingdom, Ancient Egypt'. <i>Organization</i> 11 (4): 497-537. §REF§  but he and his officials were responsive to petitions from the people. We lack detailed information about the royal palace, although Stephen Quirke suggests that the terms <i>k3p</i> and <i>hnty</i> might refer to an inner and outer palace respectively. §REF§ (Pagliari 2012, 267-269) Giulia Pagliari. 2012. 'Function and Significance of Ancient Egyptian Royal Palaces from the Middle Kingdom to the Saite Period: A Lexicographical Study and Its Possible Connection with the Archaeological Evidence'. PhD thesis, University of Birmingham. §REF§  The first Middle Kingdom capital was at Thebes in Upper Egypt, but was moved during the Twelfth Dynasty to El-Lisht at the neck of the Delta in Lower Egypt. From this new location, the monarchy exerted more centralized control over the country and expanded the bureaucratic system. §REF§ (Callender 2000, 146-47) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  Administrative reforms under Senusret III (r. 1878-1839 BCE) resulted in the reorganization of the provinces around 1860 BCE: 'the old system of hereditary nomarchs was destroyed and replaced by a bureaucratic machinery, the operators of which owed their allegiance to the king'. §REF§ (Ezzamel 2004, 502) Mahmoud Ezzamel. 2004. 'Work Organization in the Middle Kingdom, Ancient Egypt'. <i>Organization</i> 11 (4): 497-537. §REF§  §REF§ (Callender 2000, 163-64) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  For the first time since the Classic Old Kingdom, the central state had become powerful enough to directly command all the regions of Egypt.<br>During the Middle Kingdom, the nome (province) of the Old Kingdom was replaced by a 'city district' centred on an urban complex and headed by a <i>hat-ya</i> ('mayor'). §REF§ (Haring 2010, 225) Ben Haring. 2010. 'Administration and Law: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 218-36. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  The mayors received orders from the central government, specifically the vizier, and were responsible for tax collection and supervising the royal domains. §REF§ (Haring 2010, 225) Ben Haring. 2010. 'Administration and Law: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 218-36. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  Thebes was the administrative centre for southern Upper Egypt and Lower Nubia. §REF§ (Quirke 2001, 16) Stephen G. J. Quirke. 2001. 'Administration: State Administration', in <i>The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by D. B. Redford, 12-16. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  The army was professional in the Middle Kingdom. §REF§ (Van De Mieroop 2011, 105) Marc Van De Mieroop. 2011. <i>A History of Ancient Egypt</i>. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  The king remained a divine ruler, legitimated as the guarantor and preserver of <i>maat</i>, the principle of harmony and cosmic order. §REF§ (Pu 2005, 86) Muzhou Pu. 2005. <i>Enemies of Civilization: Attitudes towards Foreigners in Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China</i>. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. §REF§  §REF§ (Szpakowska 2010, 521) Kasia Szpakowska. 2010. 'Religion in Society: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 1</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 507-25. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§ <br>Amenemhat III laid the foundations for a much larger Egyptian population (in his time, the country still had under two million inhabitants). §REF§ (Willems 2013, 343) Harco Willems. 2013. 'Nomarchs and Local Potentates: The Provincial Administration in the Middle Kingdom', in <i>Ancient Egyptian Adminstration</i>, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 341-92. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  Using giant waterwheels and a canal from the Faiyum to the Nile, the Egyptians managed to improve irrigation in this fertile region and control flooding: a measure of sophisticated technology, strong central control, and a good deal of foresight. Another indication of the sophistication of Middle Kingdom technology is that the scribe responsible for the famed Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, dating to the Second Intermediate Period, noted that the work was copied from a Middle Kingdom original. §REF§ (Van De Mieroop 2011, 134) Marc Van De Mieroop. 2011. <i>A History of Ancient Egypt</i>. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  Literacy and a culture of storytelling were widespread: the Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor, Story of Sinuhe, Account of the Sporting King, and many others represent the birth of written fiction in Egypt. §REF§ (Van Blerk 2006) N. J. Van Blerk. 2006. 'The Concept of Law and Justice in Ancient Egypt, with Specific Reference to The Tale of The Eloquent Peasant'. Master's dissertation, University of South Africa. Available online at <a class=\"external free\" href=\"http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/2447/dissertation.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/2447/dissertation.pdf</a>. §REF§  The Tale of King Cheops' Court reveals a lively interest at this time in the history of Classic Old Kingdom Egypt. §REF§ (Enmarch 2010) Roland Enmarch. 2010. 'Middle Kingdom Literature', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 2</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 663-85. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§ ",
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                "general_description": "After a phase of decentralized state power during the Period of the Regions (or First Intermediate Period), Egypt became unified once again during the Middle Kingdom (Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth Dynasties, 2016‒1700 BCE), experiencing a 'golden age'. §REF§ (Callender 2000, 171) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  Achievements in art, architecture, writing and religion ‒ coupled with a growing 'middle class' and the increased importance of scribes ‒ reached their peak during this period, particularly under Amenemhat III (r. 1831‒1786 BCE). §REF§ (Callender 2000, 156) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§ <br><i>Population and political organization</i><br>The Middle Kingdom king ruled via royal decree, §REF§ (Ezzamel 2004, 502) Mahmoud Ezzamel. 2004. 'Work Organization in the Middle Kingdom, Ancient Egypt'. <i>Organization</i> 11 (4): 497-537. §REF§  but he and his officials were responsive to petitions from the people. We lack detailed information about the royal palace, although Stephen Quirke suggests that the terms <i>k3p</i> and <i>hnty</i> might refer to an inner and outer palace respectively. §REF§ (Pagliari 2012, 267-269) Giulia Pagliari. 2012. 'Function and Significance of Ancient Egyptian Royal Palaces from the Middle Kingdom to the Saite Period: A Lexicographical Study and Its Possible Connection with the Archaeological Evidence'. PhD thesis, University of Birmingham. §REF§  The first Middle Kingdom capital was at Thebes in Upper Egypt, but was moved during the Twelfth Dynasty to El-Lisht at the neck of the Delta in Lower Egypt. From this new location, the monarchy exerted more centralized control over the country and expanded the bureaucratic system. §REF§ (Callender 2000, 146-47) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  Administrative reforms under Senusret III (r. 1878-1839 BCE) resulted in the reorganization of the provinces around 1860 BCE: 'the old system of hereditary nomarchs was destroyed and replaced by a bureaucratic machinery, the operators of which owed their allegiance to the king'. §REF§ (Ezzamel 2004, 502) Mahmoud Ezzamel. 2004. 'Work Organization in the Middle Kingdom, Ancient Egypt'. <i>Organization</i> 11 (4): 497-537. §REF§  §REF§ (Callender 2000, 163-64) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  For the first time since the Classic Old Kingdom, the central state had become powerful enough to directly command all the regions of Egypt.<br>During the Middle Kingdom, the nome (province) of the Old Kingdom was replaced by a 'city district' centred on an urban complex and headed by a <i>hat-ya</i> ('mayor'). §REF§ (Haring 2010, 225) Ben Haring. 2010. 'Administration and Law: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 218-36. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  The mayors received orders from the central government, specifically the vizier, and were responsible for tax collection and supervising the royal domains. §REF§ (Haring 2010, 225) Ben Haring. 2010. 'Administration and Law: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 218-36. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  Thebes was the administrative centre for southern Upper Egypt and Lower Nubia. §REF§ (Quirke 2001, 16) Stephen G. J. Quirke. 2001. 'Administration: State Administration', in <i>The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by D. B. Redford, 12-16. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  The army was professional in the Middle Kingdom. §REF§ (Van De Mieroop 2011, 105) Marc Van De Mieroop. 2011. <i>A History of Ancient Egypt</i>. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  The king remained a divine ruler, legitimated as the guarantor and preserver of <i>maat</i>, the principle of harmony and cosmic order. §REF§ (Pu 2005, 86) Muzhou Pu. 2005. <i>Enemies of Civilization: Attitudes towards Foreigners in Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China</i>. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. §REF§  §REF§ (Szpakowska 2010, 521) Kasia Szpakowska. 2010. 'Religion in Society: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 1</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 507-25. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§ <br>Amenemhat III laid the foundations for a much larger Egyptian population (in his time, the country still had under two million inhabitants). §REF§ (Willems 2013, 343) Harco Willems. 2013. 'Nomarchs and Local Potentates: The Provincial Administration in the Middle Kingdom', in <i>Ancient Egyptian Adminstration</i>, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 341-92. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  Using giant waterwheels and a canal from the Faiyum to the Nile, the Egyptians managed to improve irrigation in this fertile region and control flooding: a measure of sophisticated technology, strong central control, and a good deal of foresight. Another indication of the sophistication of Middle Kingdom technology is that the scribe responsible for the famed Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, dating to the Second Intermediate Period, noted that the work was copied from a Middle Kingdom original. §REF§ (Van De Mieroop 2011, 134) Marc Van De Mieroop. 2011. <i>A History of Ancient Egypt</i>. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  Literacy and a culture of storytelling were widespread: the Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor, Story of Sinuhe, Account of the Sporting King, and many others represent the birth of written fiction in Egypt. §REF§ (Van Blerk 2006) N. J. Van Blerk. 2006. 'The Concept of Law and Justice in Ancient Egypt, with Specific Reference to The Tale of The Eloquent Peasant'. Master's dissertation, University of South Africa. Available online at <a class=\"external free\" href=\"http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/2447/dissertation.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/2447/dissertation.pdf</a>. §REF§  The Tale of King Cheops' Court reveals a lively interest at this time in the history of Classic Old Kingdom Egypt. §REF§ (Enmarch 2010) Roland Enmarch. 2010. 'Middle Kingdom Literature', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 2</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 663-85. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§ ",
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                "general_description": "After a phase of decentralized state power during the Period of the Regions (or First Intermediate Period), Egypt became unified once again during the Middle Kingdom (Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth Dynasties, 2016‒1700 BCE), experiencing a 'golden age'. §REF§ (Callender 2000, 171) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  Achievements in art, architecture, writing and religion ‒ coupled with a growing 'middle class' and the increased importance of scribes ‒ reached their peak during this period, particularly under Amenemhat III (r. 1831‒1786 BCE). §REF§ (Callender 2000, 156) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§ <br><i>Population and political organization</i><br>The Middle Kingdom king ruled via royal decree, §REF§ (Ezzamel 2004, 502) Mahmoud Ezzamel. 2004. 'Work Organization in the Middle Kingdom, Ancient Egypt'. <i>Organization</i> 11 (4): 497-537. §REF§  but he and his officials were responsive to petitions from the people. We lack detailed information about the royal palace, although Stephen Quirke suggests that the terms <i>k3p</i> and <i>hnty</i> might refer to an inner and outer palace respectively. §REF§ (Pagliari 2012, 267-269) Giulia Pagliari. 2012. 'Function and Significance of Ancient Egyptian Royal Palaces from the Middle Kingdom to the Saite Period: A Lexicographical Study and Its Possible Connection with the Archaeological Evidence'. PhD thesis, University of Birmingham. §REF§  The first Middle Kingdom capital was at Thebes in Upper Egypt, but was moved during the Twelfth Dynasty to El-Lisht at the neck of the Delta in Lower Egypt. From this new location, the monarchy exerted more centralized control over the country and expanded the bureaucratic system. §REF§ (Callender 2000, 146-47) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  Administrative reforms under Senusret III (r. 1878-1839 BCE) resulted in the reorganization of the provinces around 1860 BCE: 'the old system of hereditary nomarchs was destroyed and replaced by a bureaucratic machinery, the operators of which owed their allegiance to the king'. §REF§ (Ezzamel 2004, 502) Mahmoud Ezzamel. 2004. 'Work Organization in the Middle Kingdom, Ancient Egypt'. <i>Organization</i> 11 (4): 497-537. §REF§  §REF§ (Callender 2000, 163-64) Gae Callender. 2000. 'The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)', in <i>The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  For the first time since the Classic Old Kingdom, the central state had become powerful enough to directly command all the regions of Egypt.<br>During the Middle Kingdom, the nome (province) of the Old Kingdom was replaced by a 'city district' centred on an urban complex and headed by a <i>hat-ya</i> ('mayor'). §REF§ (Haring 2010, 225) Ben Haring. 2010. 'Administration and Law: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 218-36. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  The mayors received orders from the central government, specifically the vizier, and were responsible for tax collection and supervising the royal domains. §REF§ (Haring 2010, 225) Ben Haring. 2010. 'Administration and Law: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 218-36. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  Thebes was the administrative centre for southern Upper Egypt and Lower Nubia. §REF§ (Quirke 2001, 16) Stephen G. J. Quirke. 2001. 'Administration: State Administration', in <i>The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt</i>, edited by D. B. Redford, 12-16. Oxford: Oxford University Press. §REF§  The army was professional in the Middle Kingdom. §REF§ (Van De Mieroop 2011, 105) Marc Van De Mieroop. 2011. <i>A History of Ancient Egypt</i>. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  The king remained a divine ruler, legitimated as the guarantor and preserver of <i>maat</i>, the principle of harmony and cosmic order. §REF§ (Pu 2005, 86) Muzhou Pu. 2005. <i>Enemies of Civilization: Attitudes towards Foreigners in Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China</i>. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. §REF§  §REF§ (Szpakowska 2010, 521) Kasia Szpakowska. 2010. 'Religion in Society: Pharaonic', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 1</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 507-25. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§ <br>Amenemhat III laid the foundations for a much larger Egyptian population (in his time, the country still had under two million inhabitants). §REF§ (Willems 2013, 343) Harco Willems. 2013. 'Nomarchs and Local Potentates: The Provincial Administration in the Middle Kingdom', in <i>Ancient Egyptian Adminstration</i>, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 341-92. Leiden: Brill. §REF§  Using giant waterwheels and a canal from the Faiyum to the Nile, the Egyptians managed to improve irrigation in this fertile region and control flooding: a measure of sophisticated technology, strong central control, and a good deal of foresight. Another indication of the sophistication of Middle Kingdom technology is that the scribe responsible for the famed Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, dating to the Second Intermediate Period, noted that the work was copied from a Middle Kingdom original. §REF§ (Van De Mieroop 2011, 134) Marc Van De Mieroop. 2011. <i>A History of Ancient Egypt</i>. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§  Literacy and a culture of storytelling were widespread: the Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor, Story of Sinuhe, Account of the Sporting King, and many others represent the birth of written fiction in Egypt. §REF§ (Van Blerk 2006) N. J. Van Blerk. 2006. 'The Concept of Law and Justice in Ancient Egypt, with Specific Reference to The Tale of The Eloquent Peasant'. Master's dissertation, University of South Africa. Available online at <a class=\"external free\" href=\"http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/2447/dissertation.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/2447/dissertation.pdf</a>. §REF§  The Tale of King Cheops' Court reveals a lively interest at this time in the history of Classic Old Kingdom Egypt. §REF§ (Enmarch 2010) Roland Enmarch. 2010. 'Middle Kingdom Literature', in <i>A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 2</i>, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 663-85. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. §REF§ ",
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