15 maart 2022 | The cultural origins of the Hyksos

The Hyksos are a much-debated topic in Egyptology and Near Eastern Studies. The Near Eastern roots of these enigmatic kings have been variously located in different parts of the Levant. From here they had moved into the Egyptian Eastern Nile Delta to establish their power at the important trade hub Tell el-Dab’a. Whereas the order of the Hyksos kings, their names and family relations are still far from being resolved, their new home gives insight into everyday life in their new capital Avaris. Daily practices and the socio-economic background of the city’s inhabitants, especially also in the period leading up to the Hyksos takeover of power in the Second Intermediate Period, inform about the cultural background and foundations for the Hyksos rule. Inspired by the latest research around the Hyksos Enigma and unexpected new insights into the Hyksos move to power, this lecture will provide an additional perspective on the roots of the Hyksos culture in Egypt. By presenting various aspects of daily practices as visible in one of the residential neighborhoods of Avaris and tracing their origins to the region of the Upper Mesopotamian plain, the idea of a shared cultural background will be discussed.

Foto: Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst, München

The Hyksos are a much-debated topic in Egyptology and Near Eastern Studies. The Near Eastern roots of these enigmatic kings have been variously located in different parts of the Levant. From here they had moved into the Egyptian Eastern Nile Delta to establish their power at the important trade hub Tell el-Dab’a. Whereas the order of the Hyksos kings, their names and family relations are still far from being resolved, their new home gives insight into everyday life in their new capital Avaris. Daily practices and the socio-economic background of the city’s inhabitants, especially also in the period leading up to the Hyksos takeover of power in the Second Intermediate Period, inform about the cultural background and foundations for the Hyksos rule. Inspired by the latest research around the Hyksos Enigma and unexpected new insights into the Hyksos move to power, this lecture will provide an additional perspective on the roots of the Hyksos culture in Egypt. By presenting various aspects of daily practices as visible in one of the residential neighborhoods of Avaris and tracing their origins to the region of the Upper Mesopotamian plain, the idea of a shared cultural background will be discussed.

Foto: Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst, München