{"id":181202,"date":"2025-12-12T17:40:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T17:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/181202\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T17:40:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T17:40:09","slug":"radiocarbon-study-redraws-the-timeline-of-ancient-egypts-first-pharaohs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/181202\/","title":{"rendered":"Radiocarbon Study Redraws the Timeline of Ancient Egypt\u2019s First Pharaohs"},"content":{"rendered":"

For decades, archaeologists<\/a> have sought to determine the true beginning of Egypt\u2019s<\/a> 18th Dynasty<\/a> and to clarify how the Thera volcanic eruption<\/a> fits into that timeline. <\/p>\n

A recent radiocarbon study<\/a> published in PLOS One<\/a> by researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev<\/a> and the University of Groningen<\/a> provides a more precise reference point than any previous research. By carbon-dating artifacts linked to the first ruler of the New Kingdom, the study shifts both the dynasty\u2019s founding and the timing of the volcanic eruption<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The new findings do not overturn the established history of Egypt, but they bring additional clarity to a previously uncertain timeline. The timeline of Egyptian<\/a> history is often used as a reference for various neighboring cultures. Therefore, even a minor adjustment could also shift the historical timeline for other ancient<\/a> civilizations.<\/p>\n

Revisiting a Volcanic Mystery<\/p>\n

The Thera volcanic eruption<\/a> stands out as one of the most violent natural events of the Bronze Age<\/a>. Its ash traveled across the Aegean, dusted the eastern Mediterranean<\/a>, and left a geological fingerprint that archaeologists still trace today. However, many historians disagree about when the eruption occurred. Written records from Egypt don\u2019t align neatly with the physical evidence.<\/p>\n

This uncertainty has made the Thera eruption difficult to place within the broader historical record. Despite its scale, insufficient evidence has been available to determine the exact date of this event.<\/p>\n

The research team used a new approach to solve this mystery. Instead of focusing on the volcanic record, they analyzed the event\u2019s connection to specific Egyptian rulers. The British Museum<\/a> and the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology<\/a> in London granted the team supervised access to artifacts linked to the first ruler of the New Kingdom, King Ahmose, and his contemporaries from the end of the Second Intermediate Period.<\/p>\n

The artifacts included a mudbrick stamped with Ahmose\u2019s royal name, Nebpehtire, a linen burial cloth associated with Queen Satdjehuty, and several small wooden funerary figurines from Thebes. Each of these objects provided carbon-rich material suitable for radiocarbon<\/a> dating.<\/p>\n

A Later Start for the New Kingdom<\/p>\n

The radiocarbon results were consistent across the samples. The dates for Ahmose and his officials were more recent than the radiocarbon evidence for the Thera eruption. This places the eruption within the Second Intermediate Period, much earlier than previously believed.<\/p>\n

That shift reinforces the \u201clow chronology\u201d model, which places the rise of the 18th Dynasty slightly later than traditional historical reconstructions. As lead author Hendrik J. Bruins puts it, \u201cOur findings indicate that the Second Intermediate Period lasted considerably longer than traditional assessments, and the New Kingdom started later.\u201d<\/p>\n

This represents a small but significant adjustment. Since Ahmose\u2019s reunification of Egypt is a major historical turning point, shifting its date changes the context for understanding Egypt\u2019s<\/a> political transformation.<\/p>\n

Repercussions Across the Eastern Mediterranean<\/p>\n

Egypt\u2019s history was directly connected to events across the region, including the effects of the Thera eruption. The ash layer from Thera has served as a chronological marker for archaeologists studying sites in the Aegean, the Levant, and inland trade centers. A shift in the marker\u2019s date forces researchers to adjust the timelines for these sites.<\/p>\n

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Dating the eruption earlier could change how researchers interpret the destruction on Crete and the timing of rebuilding in Aegean settlements. It may also affect how scholars view trade routes disrupted by the eruption and the cultural changes that followed. These adjustments influence the understanding of some of the most thoroughly studied archaeological regions.<\/p>\n

The findings are also significant to Egypt\u2019s overall history. If the Second Intermediate Period lasted longer than previously thought, the reunification under Ahmose and the subsequent reforms may have occurred over a shorter, more concentrated period than earlier chronologies indicated.<\/p>\n

A Better Understanding of the Bronze Age<\/p>\n

With these new reference points, the early New Kingdom can be aligned more closely with radiocarbon evidence from across the region. Researchers now place the Thera eruption earlier and identify the 18th Dynasty as beginning slightly later, creating a more precise chronology for the eastern Mediterranean. While the main outline of history remains the same, the intervals between key events can be better understood.<\/p>\n

Although discussions of Egyptian chronology will continue, this study reduces some uncertainty about the dates of key events. It also provides additional context for comparing political changes, environmental events, and cultural interactions during a dynamic period in ancient history.<\/p>\n

Austin Burgess is a writer and researcher with a background in sales, marketing, and data analytics. He holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, as well as a certification in Data Analytics. His work combines analytical training with a focus on emerging science, aerospace, and astronomical research.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For decades, archaeologists have sought to determine the true beginning of Egypt\u2019s 18th Dynasty and to clarify how…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":181203,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[44398,75000,5543,85,46,17515,105568,105569,141,105570],"class_list":{"0":"post-181202","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-science","8":"tag-ancient-egypt","9":"tag-bronze-age","10":"tag-egypt","11":"tag-il","12":"tag-israel","13":"tag-mediterranean","14":"tag-pharaoh","15":"tag-radiocarbon-dating","16":"tag-science","17":"tag-volcanic-eruption"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=181202"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181202\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/181203"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=181202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=181202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=181202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}