Ancient Egyptian sea power and the origin of maritime forces

179 Pages·2008·3.366 MB·English

by  Gregory P Gilbert, Australia. Sea Power Centre

FOuNDATIONS OF INTERNATIONAl THINKING ON SEA POWER
No. 1
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN
Ancient egyptiAn SeA power a
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this important work provides an overview of Ancient egyptian sea power. Se THE ORIGIN OF MARITIME FORCES
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by considering the written and archaeological evidence, an explanation for P
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beliefs, changes in maritime technologies, and the maritime operations of the d
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egyptian maritime forces. the information is then used to form an interpretive e
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model for the origin of maritime forces in Ancient egypt. this book is the first r
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in a series intended to bring international thinking on sea power to the fore, in
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SEA POWER CENTRE - A uSTRAlIA
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AN CI ENT EGYPTIAN SEA
POWER
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THE ORIGIN OF MARITIME FORCES
© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2008
This work is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of study, research,
criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, and with standard
source credit included, no part may be reproduced without written permission.
Enquiries should be addressed to the Director, Sea Power Centre — Australia,
Department of Defence, Canberra ACT 2600.
National Library of Australian Cataloguing-in-Publication entry
Ancient Egyptian Sea Power and the Origin of Maritime Forces
Gilbert, G.P. (Gregory Phillip), 1962-.
ISSN 1835-7679
ISBN 978-0-642-29680-1
AN CIENT EGYPTIA N
SEA POWER
AND
THE ORIGIN OF MARITIME FORCES
by
Gregory P. Gilbert
Sea Power Centre – Australia
Disclaimer
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official
policy or position of the Government of Australia, the Department of Defence and the
Royal Australian Navy. The Commonwealth of Australia will not be legally responsible
in contract, tort or otherwise for any statement made in this publication.
Sea Power Centre – Australia
The Sea Power Centre — Australia (SPC-A), was established to undertake activities to
promote the study, discussion and awareness of maritime issues and strategy within the
RAN and the Defence and civil communities at large. The mission of the SPC-A is:
• to promote understanding of sea power and its application to the security of
Australia’s national interests
• to manage the development of RAN doctrine and facilitate its incorporation into
ADF joint doctrine
• to contribute to regional engagement
• within the higher Defence organisation, contribute to the development of maritime
strategic concepts and strategic and operational level doctrine, and facilitate
informed force structure decisions
• to preserve, develop, and promote Australian naval history.
Comment on this Paper or any enquiry related to the activities of the Sea Power Centre
– Australia should be directed to:
Director Sea Power Centre – Australia
Department of Defence Telephone: [phone]
Canberra ACT 2600 Facsimile: [phone]
Australia Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.navy.gov.au/spc
iv
FOuNDATIONS OF INTERNATIONAl
THINkING ON SEA POWER
The Foundations of International Thinking on Sea Power series is a refereed publication
that reflects original research, both historical and contemporary, on how various
States perceive the necessity for, and the use of, seas power. The series re-examines
the fundamental understanding of sea power in a variety of cultural traditions from
ancient times to the present day.
Modern concepts of sea power are largely based upon the Anglo-American tradition,
and subsequently many navies have had difficulty identifying and applying alternative
maritime traditions. By examining the broadest aspects of maritime strategy, this
series aims to highlight the assumptions that underpin our modern perceptions of
sea power.
No. 1 Ancient Egyptian Sea Power and the Origin of Maritime Forces
by Gregory P. Gilbert
v
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CONTENTS
Abbreviations and Acronyms viii
Picture Credits and Acknowledgements ix
About the Author x
Preface xi
Foreword xii
1. Introduction 1
2. Sea Power and the Egyptian State 7
3. A Deeper Understanding of Maritime Egypt 17
4. Changing Ship Technologies in Ancient Egypt 27
5. Ancient Egyptian Maritime Operations 39
6. Operations in Home Waters — The Egyptian Nile 43
7. Operations in the South — The Nubian Nile 63
8. Operations in the South — The Red Sea 73
9. Operations in the North — The Mediterranean Sea 85
10. An Overview of Ancient Egyptian Maritime Forces 103
11. The Origin of Maritime Forces 107
Appendix 1:
Table of Ancient Egyptian Maritime Operations (3700 to 1069 BCE) 111
Appendix 2:
Defining Maritime Operations 135
Endnotes 139
Bibliography 157
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AbbREvIATIONS AND A CRONYMS
BCE Before the Common Era
CE Common Era
CIA Central Intelligence Agency
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Agency
RAN Royal Australian Navy
SPC-A Sea Power Centre – Australia
AbbREvIATED SOuRCES
AEL Lichtheim, M., Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol. I: The Old and Middle
Kingdoms, and vol. II: The New Kingdom, University of California Press,
Berkeley, 1973 and 1976.
BAR Breasted, J.H., Ancient Records of Egypt, 5 Vols, University of Chicago Press,
Chicago, 1906.
PM Porter, B., and Moss, R.L.B., Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian
Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings. VII. Nubia, Deserts and Outside
Egypt, Griffith Institute, Oxford, 1951 (reprinted 1995).
Urk I Sethe, K., Urkunden des ägyptischen Altertums. Abt I, Urkunden des alten
Reiches, 2nd edn, Leipzig, 1932-1933.
Urk IV Sethe, K., Urkunden des ägyptischen Altertums. Abt IV, Urkunden der 18.
Dynastie, Leipzig and Berlin, 1905-1958.
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PICTuRE CREDITS AND
ACkNOWlEDGEMENTS
I wish to thank the following organisations for their kind permission to use the
photographs, diagrams and maps reproduced within this publication. Pages refer to
images within this publication.
Laurina Dowling, pp. 18 and 26; Kathleen Gilbert, pp. 31, 42 and 52; Michelle Lovi, pp.
xiv, 56, 64, 72, 78, 84, 89 and 95; the Central Investigation Agency, p. 138; iStock Photo,
Cover; National Aeronautics and Space Agency, pp. 1 and 5; and the Royal Australian
Navy, pp. 135 and 137.
The following sources of line drawings are acknowledged:
L. Borchardt, Das Grabdenkmal des Königs Sah-ure, 1913, p. 33; N. de G. Davies, The
Tomb of Rekh-Mi-Re, 1943, p. 93; N. de G. Davies and R.O. Faulkner, Journal of Egyptian
Archaeology, vol. 33, 1947, p. 62; A.H. Gardner, Egyptian Grammar, 1957, p. 28; H. Junker,
Gîza II, 1934, p. 75; A. Mariette, Deir el-Bahari, 1877, p. 35; H.H. Nelson, et al, Earlier
Records of Rameses III. Medinat Habu, 1930, pp. 37 and 55; W.M.F. Petrie and J.E.
Quibell, Naqada and Ballas, 1896, p. 8; J.E. Quibell, Hierakonpolis I, 1900, p. 12; and
J.E. Quibell and F.W. Green, Hierakonpolis II, 1902, p. 11. The drawing on p. 56 is based
on B.J. Kemp, Ancient Egypt, Anatomy of a Civilization, 2006, p. 238.
I would also like to acknowledge the use of translations and hieroglyphic texts from:
M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol. I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms, 1973,
and vol. II: The New Kingdom, 1976; J.H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, 5 Vols,
1906; K. Sethe, Urkunden des ägyptischen Altertums. Abt I, Urkunden des alten Reiches,
1932-1933; and K. Sethe, Urkunden des ägyptischen Altertums. Abt IV, Urkunden der 18.
Dynastie, 1905-1958.
The images on pages 24, 69 and 106 are the authors.
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