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Cited by 4Ancient Egypt and ArchaeologyForensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology StudiesPaleopathology and ancient diseases

Who Were the Hyksos?

Maaranen, Nina, Zakrzewski, Sonia, Schutkowski, Holger·2022·Current Anthropology
DOI 10.1086/723141
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Abstract

The term “Hyksos” commonly refers to the foreign dynasty that inhabited and held power in Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period, ca. 1650–1550 BCE. The later historian Manetho described the Hyksos as invading foreigners, and this view persisted until the modern period. Recent research has integrated archaeological, artistic, and textual evidence revealing the Hyksos origin and presence in Egypt to be more complex than previously envisioned. To investigate the provenance of the so-called Hyksos, human remains from Tell el-Dab’a, the ancient Hyksos capital of Avaris, were analyzed using Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System dental nonmetric traits. An intra- and intersite biodistance analysis of individuals from Tell el-Dab’a (n = 92) and other contemporary sites in the Near East (n = 285) was conducted. Two statistical tests, mean measure of divergence and Gower distance analysis, were selected. The archaeological and biological evidence suggests continued occupation spanning from the end of the Middle Kingdom through the Hyksos dynasty, offering further evidence contra Manetho, who described a sudden invasion. The intersite analysis supports the archaeological finds from Tell el-Dab’a, suggesting that not only commodities but also people made their way to Tell el-Dab’a.

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Authors
Maaranen, N., Zakrzewski, S., & Schutkowski, H.
ORCID
Venue
Current Anthropology
Publisher
University of Chicago Press
Published
2022-12-02
Volume
63
Issue
6
Pages
660-690
ISSN
  • 0011-3204 (ISSN-L)
  • 1537-5382
DOI
10.1086/723141
OpenAlex
W4311648186
Semantic Scholar
e6f6dc316360d00de9d1a9f706cd3d1e28efc714
Cited by
4
References
101
Citations by year
2025: 3 · 2023: 1
FWCI
5.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Current Anthropology (publishedVersion)
  • ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (acceptedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Ancient Egypt and Archaeology
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Paleopathology and ancient diseases
Keywords
Hyksos, Second Intermediate Period, Tell el-Dab'a, Avaris, human remains, Manetho, invasion theory, population continuity, Middle Kingdom, Near East, ancient Egypt

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