ABSTRACT
One of the world’s earliest urban civilizations, and one of Africa’s most successful, arose in the north-east corner of the African continent, along the banks of the lower River Nile. The ancient state of Egypt, enduring from about 5000 to about 2000 years ago, was remarkable for its long survival, perhaps longer than that of any other state in human history. It was also remarkable for its other achievements, particularly in art, architecture, engineering and scholarly activity. Because it is the oldest example of emerging social complexity in Africa, it is particularly important to try to understand the reason for such success. Fortunately, the extraordinarily rich archaeological and documentary evidence that has survived in Egypt’s dry environment provides detailed information about its ancient society. It is also possible to trace the roots of that society amongst the farming people who lived along the lower Nile between about 6500 and about 5000 years ago (Chapter 7). By about 5500 years ago there were already large settlements at Hierakonpolis and other places in southern Egypt, that formed the basis of subsequent social and political development.
