Timeline
Egyptologists have divided Egyptian history into periods which mark cultural and historical developments – although whether they would have been the divisions that would have been most noticeable to the Egyptians themselves is another question.
The development of writing in Egypt comes at around the same time as the establishment of royal authority over the whole country, and the names of rulers began to be recorded. Ruling families or lines are arranged by Egyptologists in Dynasties.
Below follows a brief outline of Egyptian history. All dates before 664BC are approximate.
Dates |
Period |
Period details |
Sites represented in the collection |
| 4800-3000BC | Predynastic Period |
Spread of unified material culture throughout Egypt. |
Badari, Naqada, Mahasna, Abydos |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3000-2613BC | Early Dynastic Period (Dynasties I – III) | Development of writing. Establishment of a capital city at Memphis. | Abydos, Tarkhan |
| 2613-2181 BC | Old Kingdom (Dynasties III – VI) | The Great Pyramid at Giza built for the 4th Dynasty ruler Cheops. | Abydos, Saqqara |
| 2181-2055 BC | First Intermediate Period (Dynasties VII-XI) | Collapse of central authority; cities outside the capital become more independent. | Qau el-Kebir, Dendera |
| 2055-1650 BC | Middle Kingdom (Dynasties XI-XIII) | Mentuhotep II of the 11th Dynasty, based at Thebes (modern Luxor), re-unites Egypt. The 12th and 13th Dynasties rule from Memphis. Bronze begins to be used in quantity. | Thebes, Abydos, Serabit el-Khadim, Qau el-Kebir |
| 1650-1550 BC | Second Intermediate Period (Dynasties XIV-XVII) | Collapse of central authority; Lower Egypt ruled by the Hyksos, kings from Syria-Palestine. Upper Egypt attacked by the rulers of Kush, in Nubia (modern Sudan). | Abydos, Mostagedda, Badari, Matmar, Hu |
| 1550-1070 BC | New Kingdom (Dynasties XVIII-XX) | The Hyksos are expelled by the 18th Dynasty, based at Thebes. Extensive Egyptian influence throughout Palestine and Syria. | Tell el Amarna, Thebes, Abydos, Saqqara, Serabit el-Khadim, Sesebi, Qau el-Kebir |
| 1070-664 BC | Third Intermediate Period (Dynasties XXI-XXV) | Dynasties ruling from Thebes, Tanis and elsewhere. Egypt occupied by the Assyrians, who are expelled by the 25th Dynasty, of Nubian origin. Iron begins to be used. | Bubastis, Luxor, Saqqara, Illahun, Napata |
| 664-323 BC | Late Period (Dynasties XXVI-XXX) | The Egyptian 26th Dynasty defeated by the Persians. The 30th Dynasty ( ) is the last native Egyptian dynasty. Increased trade with the Mediterranean, and the port of Naucratis founded as a trading post for Greek merchants. | Saqqara, Dendera, Naucratis |
| 323-30 BC | Ptolemaic Period | Alexander the Great conquers Egypt. After his death his general Ptolemy controls Egypt and establishes a dynasty of his own. | Terenuthis, Naucratis, Abydos |
| 30BC-642AD | Roman Period | Cleopatra VII, the last Ptolemaic ruler, and her lover Mark Anthony are defeated by Octavian at the sea-battle of Actium; Egypt becomes a province of the Roman empire. Christianity becomes increasingly popular from the 2nd Century AD. From the 4th Century AD Egypt is governed from Constantinople as a province of the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire. Invaded by the Arabs in 642 AD. | Abydos, Illahun, Qasr Ibrim, Antinoe, Matmar, Mostagedda, Oxyrhynchus, Hawara |
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