Ancient Egypt: A Social History

by Bruce G. Trigger, B.J. Kemp, D. O'Connor

The rich and extensive floodplain of the River Nile can claim to be the cradle of one of the earliest and most spectacular civilizations of antiquity. Ancient A Social History, first published in 1983, presents an innovative perspective on the ancient societies which flourished in the Nile Valley from the Predynastic period to the conquest by Alexander the Great. From the introduction of a subsistence economy through the establishment of the first agricultural communities to the development of urban centres and the political state, this volume traces the process of political, social and economic change. The emphasis on the social and economic aspects of Egyptian society and the integration of archaeological and historical data mark a new departure in Egyptian studies.

Genres: History, Egyptology, Egypt, Africa, Ancient, Nonfiction, Ancient History

466 pages, Paperback

First published September 22, 1983

About the author

Bruce Graham Trigger, OC OQ FRSC was a Canadian archaeologist, anthropologist, and ethnohistorian.

He received a doctorate in archaeology from Yale University in 1964. His research interests at that time included the history of archaeological research and the comparative study of early cultures. He spent the following year teaching at Northwestern University and then took a position with the Department of Anthropology at McGill University in Montreal, and remained there for the rest of his career.

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really what I was looking for. Written more for experts in the field themselves and is heavily concerned with theories from different archeologists.

[A.L. Sirois · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really finish this. Like many books I read on ancient Egypt, this one serves as a reference work; and as I'm only concerned with the Third Dynasty (and the history leading up to it), that leaves a substantial chunk of the book that is of no interest to me. Therefore I see no reason to plow through the rest. This is a serviceable work, decently written, nothing terribly special and not as informative as I'd hoped--but there are things n it that will be of use at some point in my writing.