Structure and Crisis: A Prosopographical Study of the Economic and Social History of Lower Egypt in the Ramesside Period

• Applicant: Dr. Anne Herzberg-Beiersdorf
• Subject Area: Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 565264735

This research initiative represents a significant academic endeavor that will employ innovative prosopographical methodologies to produce the first comprehensive social and economic history of Lower Egypt during the later 2nd millennium BC. The northern region of Egypt, characterized by extensive agricultural productivity and a large population, served as the "engine room" of the Egyptian economy. As such, it provides exceptional opportunities to examine economic structures, social stratification, and indicators of crisis during a pivotal period in Egyptian history: the Ramesside period (1292 to 1070 BC). A unique aspect of the project is the incorporation of major urban centers such as Memphis, Heliopolis, and Pi-Ramesse, alongside personal data from rural Ramesside communities, into its analysis. Such a comprehensive approach facilitates an in-depth exploration of all identifiable social strata within the Delta population, portraying the Egyptian Nile Delta as a cohesive and complex social space. By compiling Ramesside research data from Lower Egypt, the proposed project will significantly enhance our understanding of New Kingdom prosopography by integrating previously overlooked findings from this area. This integration allows for a social-historical analysis that has not previously been conducted. Through a meticulously detailed and comparative examination of the compiled research data from Lower Egypt, the region's administrative, economic, and social structures can be reconstructed for the first time in this manner. This approach makes it possible to trace both regional and transregional networks, contributing to a nuanced understanding of the profound demographic and social transformations that took place towards the end of the New Kingdom. Consequently, this project promises a groundbreaking contribution to the field by establishing a revised, differentiated, and more precise understanding of the epoch that will significantly impact the academic community.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants