商品簡介
The reasons, the development and point in time of Egyptian state formation are central issues of Egyptological research. The present study reviews previous theses and identifies flaws in their argumentation. In a new approach the archaeological material of the pre-dynastic period is investigated, focusing on the development of productive forces and conditions of production. For the early dynastic period, representations and early written records, especially seal impressions and labels, are analyzed. This material evidence indicates changes in the structure of society, as well as in the character of rulership in this period, including the relationship of the ruler to the population. Economic and administrative institutions attested in the written records are discussed in detail, since they yield information on the development of government branches and the administration of revenue. In contrast to other theories of state formation, the present study argues for purely internal factors, based on ideological conceptions and the distribution of the agricultural surplus product. In this view, the formation of the state can be described as a process over a longer timespan (longue duree). (German text)
