29-10-24 – International Conference: “People, commodities, and cultures in exchange: Trade routes as spaces of contact in ancient Egypt”

We are pleased to announce the programme of the international conference “People, commodities, and cultures in exchange: Trade routes as spaces of contact in ancient Egypt”, organised by Prof. Gianluca Miniaci and Dr. Francesco Missiroli.

At the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age (circa 2150 BC), Egypt was integrated into a complex trade network linking northeastern Africa with Western Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean. Notwithstanding the crisis of the monarchy following the end of the Old Kingdom, commercial activities thrived, also due to the involvement of non-institutional actors engaged in international trade, and the emergence of new commercial partners which facilitated the expansion of new trade routes.

The Royal and private expeditions launched to Serabit el-Khadim, to Punt via the harbor of Mersa Gawasis, to Lebanon, and to desert mining sites fostered various interactions, including religious and economic exchanges. As a result, depending on the different routes taken, trades and material exchange, new cultural forms arose in this period.

This roundtable aims to promote a discussion on the following themes:

• The different routes followed and the creation of new forms of material culture
• The people on the move along said routes and the contact with new realities
• The various types of exchanges (cultural, economic, expertise, etc…)
• The commodities traded and their administration

The event will be held at the University of Pisa (Palazzo della Sapienza, via Curtatone e Montanara 15, Pisa) on Tuesday October 29, 2024.

The conference is funded by the student association VOLO – Viaggiando Oltre L’Orizzonte with contributions from the University of Pisa.