Episode 10 The First Intermedia Period

The History of Ancient Egypt

Professor Robert Brier

Film Review

The First Intermediate Period (2181-2040), following the collapse of the Fifth Dynasty, was Egypt’s dark ages, characterized by the collapse of government (and record keeping) and anarchy.

The third century BC Egyptian priest Manetho wrote about the First Intermediate Period in his book Aegypteakia. It was written in Greek (Egypt was under Greek control) and based on temple records.

In describing the extreme instability, Aegypteakia makes reference to “70 kings in 70 days.” Brier believes there were likely simultaneous kings in isolated regions of Egypt. The capitol moved south during the First Intermediate Period to Herakeopolis (named by the Greeks after the goddess Hera).** Nothing is known of the Sixth and Seventh Dynasty that ruled during this period.

Other useful information available comes from a fictional work entitled Lamentations of Khakheperraseneb from the late First Intermediate Period. It contains a fable describing a dispute between a suicidal man and his “ba.”* When the ba threatens to desert the man (which will prevent him from being reurrected) if he suicides, the man laments the absence of justice in society, with brothers killing each other, foreign “bowmen” invading Egypt and common slave girls wearing gold, lapis and cornelian necklaces (in violation of the divine order).

Other sections of the Lamentations decry the loss of traditional class hierarchy:

• that no one sails north to Byblo (Lebanon) for pine trees (used in construction and furniture)
• that all is in ruin
• that the have-nots have
• that people are robbing tombs
• that wearers of fine linen are beaten with sticks
• that maid servants are rude and noble ladies are treated like maid servants
• that the grand no longer rule the land
• that what was made is unmade
• that the Nile has dried up and one crosses it on foot
• that desert flocks (belonging to Bedouin nomads) drink from the Nile**
• that you are saluting the one who should salute you
• that people live in the graveyard
• that beggars and slaves thrive

*One aspect of the Egyptian soul, comparable to the modern concept of personality. The “ba” was frequently depicted as a person’s head on the animal body they most resembled.

**Egyptians both hated and feared the desert and Bedouins, who they viewed as barbarians.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/1492791/1492815