Hierakonpolis: A Case Study for an Early, Large Low-Occupation-Density Settlement from Egypt

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Theorizing Prehistoric Large Low-Density Settlements beyond Urbanism and Other Conventional Classificatory Conventions" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Much attention has been drawn to the discovery of unusually large agglomerations, so-called “anomalous giants,” that appeared out of nothing at different times and in many parts of the world, suddenly and without any signs for a noticeable long-term trend that would have logically culminated in their existence. This paper will discuss a pertinent case study from ancient Egypt, the site of Hierakonpolis, which is an emerging urban center dating back to the Predynastic period (ca. 3800–3600 BCE). The site can be characterized as a multicomponent site with clusters of larger cemetery areas, loosely organized settlement remains in the low desert including distinct production and manufacturing areas, a sacred precinct or forerunner of an early sanctuary. This unusually large early Predynastic town did not persist in the landscape for long and seems to have disappeared as fast as it emerged. Given its retraction to a more dense and nucleated form of settlement, it constitutes a social experiment that probably faced several unsurmountable challenges; environmental change might have been the decisive one. This paper will address aspects on monumentality, group identity and economic considerations with the aim to shed new light on the inhabitants and their social hierarchies at this LLODS.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Theorizing Prehistoric Large Low-Density Settlements beyond Urbanism and Other Conventional Classificatory Conventions   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38500.0