Kinship and Family in Ancient Egypt: Archaeology and Anthropology in Dialogue

In this interdisciplinary study, Leire Olabarria examines ancient Egyptian society through the notion of kinship. Drawing on methods from archaeology and sociocultural anthropology, she provides an emic characterisation of ancient kinship that relies on performative aspects of social interaction. Olabarria uses memorial stelae of the First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdom (ca.2150-1650 BCE) as her primary evidence. Contextualising these monuments within their social and physical landscapes, she proposes a dynamic way to explore kin groups through sources that have been considered static. The volume offers three case studies of kin groups at the beginning, peak, and decline of their developmental cycles respectively. They demonstrate how ancient Egyptian evidence can be used for cross-cultural comparison of key anthropological topics, such as group formation, patronage, and rites of passage.

Author: Leire Olabarria
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 02/27/2020
Pages: 292
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.60lbs
Size: 10.00h x 7.40w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781108498777

Review Citation(s):
Choice 09/01/2021

About the Author
Olabarria, Leire: - Leire Olabarria is a Lecturer in Egyptology at the department of Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology of the University of Birmingham.