This is a start. Egypt’s Eighteenth
Dynasty to be lowered on the timescale by a century.
Damien Mackey.
Ancient Egypt's origin story rewritten
after scientists reveal new timeline for its most powerful era
Story
by Stacy Liberatore
A new discovery has rewritten
the timeline of Egypt’s early dynasties, placing the
rise of the New Kingdom nearly a century later than previously thought.
The New Kingdom, which lasted
from 1550 to 1070 BCE [sic], was Egypt's peak of power, wealth, and territorial
expansion, the era of famous rulers like Tutankhamun.
It began with the 18th
Dynasty, founded by Pharaoh Ahmose I, who reunited Egypt and expelled the
Hyksos invaders, restoring central authority after a period of fragmentation.
Now, scientists have confirmed
that the massive Santorini (Thera) volcanic eruption occurred before the reign
of Ahmose, meaning the 18th Dynasty, and the New Kingdom itself, rose later
than previously believed.
Until now, historians had
often assumed the eruption might have coincided with the early New Kingdom, and
some researchers even tried to link it to specific pharaohs, including
Hatshepsut, Thutmose III or Ahmose I.
The breakthrough comes from
radiocarbon dating of Egyptian artifacts from the 17th and early 18th
Dynasties.
Researchers examined a
mudbrick stamped with Ahmose's name, a linen burial cloth, and wooden funerary
figures called shabtis, all of which were directly tied to known pharaohs and
their temples.
Because these objects are
anchored to specific historical contexts, their ages provide a reliable
snapshot of the period. The study shows that the eruption predates these
artifacts, reshaping how historians understand the rise of Egypt's most powerful
period.
By reanalyzing ancient
Egyptian artifacts, like a brick stamped with a pharaoh's seal, scientists were
able to change the timeline.
Scientists have confirmed that
the massive Santorini (Thera) volcanic eruption occurred before the reign of
Ahmose, meaning the 18th Dynasty, and the New Kingdom itself, rose later than
previously believed
The Santorini volcano, located
about 75 miles north of Crete, is surrounded by the small islands of Thera,
Therasia, and Aspronisi.
Over time, it has produced
many large, explosive eruptions, but the most famous occurred during the Late
Minoan IA period, around 1600 to 1480 BC [sic].
This eruption buried the town
of Akrotiri on southern Thera under thick layers of volcanic ash.
Fine ash was carried by winds
and fell as far away as eastern Crete, demonstrating the eruption's enormous
regional impact.
Traditionally, the Thera
eruption has been linked to Egypt's 18th Dynasty, with scholars using it as a
rough marker for dating early New Kingdom events.
However, the new radiocarbon
analysis showed the eruption actually occurred earlier, during the Second
Intermediate Period, a time before Egypt had fully reunited under Ahmose.
This means that previous
assumptions tying the eruption directly to the early New Kingdom were
incorrect.
'This study provides the first
direct radiocarbon comparison between the Thera eruption and Egyptian artifacts
from this transitional period,' said the researchers from Ben-Gurion University
of the Negev and the University of Groningen.
Researchers examined a
mudbrick stamped with Ahmose's name, a linen burial cloth, and wooden funerary
figures called shabtis (pictured), all of which were directly tied to known
pharaohs and their temples
'It allows us to anchor one of
the most dramatic natural events in the eastern Mediterranean to Egypt's own
historical timeline for the first time.'
The findings carry broader
implications for our understanding of the ancient world.
By showing that the eruption
happened earlier than previously thought, historians and archaeologists can now
reassess cultural and trade interactions between Egypt, Crete, and other
Mediterranean regions.
This includes everything from
the movement of goods and ideas to migrations prompted by natural disasters.
The research also demonstrated
the power of modern science to reshape what we know about ancient
history.
Even civilizations studied for
thousands of years, like Ancient Egypt, can have their timelines refined
through new techniques and careful analysis.
The results support the 'low
chronology' model, which positions the start of the 18th Dynasty a bit later
than previously thought.
Photograph published in 1916,
showing four 12th Dynasty shabtis and one shabti attributed by him to the 17th
Dynasty
As lead author Hendrik J
Bruins put it, “Our findings indicate that the Second Intermediate Period
lasted considerably longer than traditional assessments, and the New Kingdom
started later.”
Although the adjustment is
modest in years, it carries major historical significance.
Ahmose’s reunification of
Egypt marks a critical turning point, and moving its date reshapes how scholars
understand the political and cultural transformation that ushered in Egypt’s
New Kingdom.
