The Second Intermediate Period of Egypt is characterised by the destabilisation of the Egyptian state. It is recognised as the time in which the ḥḳ3.w ḫ3s.wt 'rulers of foreign lands', or 'Hyksos', extended their control over Egypt during the Fifteenth Dynasty. Investigations into how the Hyksos were able to gain such control remained dependent on Manetho's affirmation of an Asiatic invasion until recent excavations at Tell el-Dab'a disclosed new data on their dynasty. Since then, much debate has circulated on the rise of the Hyksos, with scholars advocating one of three models: (1) invasion; (2) gradual infiltration and peaceful takeover; or (3) gradual infiltration and violent takeover. The Hyksos have also been argued to be from either the Northern or Southern Levant, the confusion partly due to a lack of an up-to-date study assessing Levantines, their growing influences on Egypt, and whether this influence helped the Hyksos establish their rule. The thesis is a response to this need and focuses on the rise of the Hyksos by tracing Egyptian-Levantine contact from the Middle Kingdom to the early Second Intermediate Period. It outlines the development of the status of Levantines in Egyptian society, and reassesses the changing nature of Egyptian-Levantine relations. The approach is holistic, gathering archaeological, textual and artistic evidence that reveals intercultural contact. Special focus is placed on archaeological ethnic markers to identify the presence of Levantines in Egypt. The Egyptian concept of ethnicity is also utilised as a means to differentiate between Egyptians and a Levantine ethnic group in Egyptian textual and artistic compositions. The methods are proven to be well-suited in determining the rise of the Fifteenth Dynasty, offering significant insight into its origin. Consequently, current knowledge surrounding Egyptian-Levantine relations and the collapse of the Middle Kingdom are illuminated, and new light is shed on the enigmatic Hyksos dynasty of Egypt.

Manetho's obscure reference to a race of invaders has been a constant source of debate and controversy. This book assesses the rise to power of the Hyksos, exploring the preliminary stages that enabled them to gain control over a portion of Egyptian territory and thus to merit a small mention in Manetho's history.

During the 18th-16th centuries BC, from the late Middle Kingdom to the early New Kingdom, pharaonic Egypt went through a period of great political and cultural change. Kings came and went at unprecedented speed, saw their power reduced, and failed to keep the land under one sceptre. In the eastern Nile Delta, a community of Asiatic origin proclaimed its own rulers, known later as the Hyksos, who ultimately controlled the entire northern half of Egypt. Kings at Thebes maintained a fragile independence, then went to war and defeated the Hyksos, restoring national unity. Ongoing fieldwork and research have thrown new light on all stages and aspects of this fascinating era. This volume, resulting from an international colloquium at The British Museum, assembles work of prime importance from leading scholars in the field, and will long be a major source of reference for researchers as well as the interested layman.

*Includes pictures *Includes ancient Egyptian accounts of the Hyksos *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading From approximately 3100 BCE until around 1075 BCE, ancient Egypt was ruled by 20 different dynasties. The length of the dynasties varied: some, such as those during the First and Second Intermediate periods could be quite short, while the Thirteenth and 18th Dynasties each contained more a one dozen kings and ruled over the Nile Valley for around 200 years each. Although the first 20 Egyptian dynasties varied in number of rulers and length, most shared one important attribute: they were all native Egyptian dynasties. The one important exception came during Egypt's Second Intermediate Period, when a mysterious foreign group of people, known as the Hyksos, conquered Egypt and established the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Dynasties some time shortly after 1700 BCE. For centuries, the Hyksos rule over Egypt was an enigma shrouded in half-truths and myth. The Hyksos were sometimes mistakenly associated with the biblical Israelites, but were for the most part forgotten in modern times due to the dearth of written texts that can be dated to their rule. It was only in the mid-20th century that Egyptologists, using newly discovered and translated texts, shed fresh light on the Hyksos to reveal details about their origins and rule in Egypt. An examination reveals that although the Hyksos were initially foreign to Egypt, they probably did not come from too far, and once they did establish themselves as rulers, a degree of acculturation then took place, until the foreign rulers became gradually more "Egyptianized" themselves. Eventually, the Hyksos were driven from the Nile Valley by the native Egyptians, but their influence continued to resonate in Egypt for centuries. For example, the Egyptians adapted some of the successful warfare techniques that they learned from the Hyksos in order to establish their New Kingdom Empire in the 18th Dynasty. Later, the Hyksos proved to be a good foil or "bogeyman" for Egyptian literature in the New Kingdom and Late Period. Truly, the Hyksos may not have ruled Egypt for a long period, but their regime left a resounding impression on Egyptian society for centuries. The Hyksos: The History of the Foreign Invaders Who Conquered Ancient Egypt and Established the Fifteenth Dynasty looks at the controversial and mysterious history of the group that conquered Egypt and established a new dynasty there in the middle of the 2nd millennium BCEE. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Hyksos like never before.