The Surrounding World
The Surrounding World
Knowledge. The Egyptian world was the eastern Mediterranean. The Egyptians knew of areas currently in Africa, Western Asia, and Europe. There is no convincing and scientific evidence that the Egyptians were aware of North or Central America or that the “lost continent” of Atlantis ever existed.
Africa. Egypt itself is an African country. The Egyptians were aware of their neighbors in modern Libya, Sudan, and Ethiopia. There is abundant evidence that the Egyptians explored, traded with, and sometimes conquered Sudan (Nubia). The Egyptians also traded with Ethiopia and Djibouti, which they called Punt. This area was the source of incense used in the cult of the god Amun. Punt was clearly near the end of the Egyptian’s known world since they emphasized the difficulty of reaching this place in their inscriptions.
Western Asia. The Egyptians became aware of the Near East at an early time. Trade with Syria-Palestine (present-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria) began before Dynasty 1 (circa 3000–2800 b.c.e.). There was also contact with Mesopotamia (Iraq, eastern Syria, and western Iran) from the Old Kingdom (circa 2675–2130 b.c.e.). Egyptians traveled there and in the New Kingdom (circa 1539–1075 b.c.e.) conducted an extensive diplomatic correspondence with rulers there.
Europe. Anatolia (present-day Turkey), the Aegean Islands, and the Greek mainland were known to the Egyptians at least since the Middle Kingdom (circa 1980–1630 b.c.e.). Minoan products have been discovered in Egypt from the Middle Kingdom. The Hittites conducted a foreign policy in competition with the Egyptians during the New Kingdom. Ultimately, Europeans in the form of Macedonian Greeks ruled Egypt after the conquest by Alexander the Great in 332 b.c.e.
Sources
John Baines and Jaromir Malek, Atlas of Ancient Egypt (Oxford: Phaidon, 1980).
William J. Murnane, The Penguin Guide to Ancient Egypt (Harmondsworth, U.K.: Penguin, 1983).
Jack M. Sasson, ed., Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, 4 volumes (New York: Scribners, 1995).
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