Adaïma (Upper Egypt), the stages of the state development from the point of view of a “village community"

Abstract

International audienceThe site of Adaïma, located in Upper Egypt, 25 km north of Hierakonpolis, was excavated from 1989 to 2005. Based on the study of the pottery and an analysis of the structural transformations of the settlement and its cemeteries, this paper re-evaluates the stages of state development from the view point of a ‘village’ community’. The settlement at Adaïma was at its maximum extent from Naqada I until Naqada IIC. Later, from Naqada IID onwards, a decrease in settlement size and the gradual abandonment of several sectors of the cemeteries were observed. Re-examination of the data gathered from the Armant region reveals the same phenomena as seen at Adaïma, which may reflect an ‘exodus’ of the population towards major cities such as Hierakonpolis