Dynastic Race Theory

The Dynastic Race Theory was the earliest thesis to attempt to explain how predynastic Egypt developed into the Pharonic monarchy. It argued that the presence of many Mesopotamian influences in Egypt during the late predynastic period and the apparently foreign graves in the Naqada II burials indicated an invasion of Mesopotamians into Upper Egypt. It further argued that the Mesopotamians then conquered both Upper and Lower Egypt and founded the First Dynasty.

The Dynastic Race Theory is no longer the dominant thesis in the field of Predynastic Archaeology. It has been largely replaced by the theory that Egypt was a hydraulic empire, on the grounds that such contacts are much older than the Naqada II period, [Redford, Donald B., "Egypt, Israel, and Canaan in Ancient Times" (Princeton: University Press, 1992), p. 13.] the Naqada II period had a large degree of continuity with the Naqada I period, [Gardiner, Alan. "Egypt of the Pharaohs" (Oxford: University Press, 1961), p. 392.] and the changes which did happen during the Naqada periods happened over significant amounts of time. [Shaw, Ian. and Nicholson, Paul, "The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt" (London: British Museum Press, 1995), p. 228.]

Some scholars still note that while the Dynastic Race Theory is probably flawed, the evidence upon which it was based does indicate significant predynastic Mesopotamian influence. [Redford, "Egypt, Israel," p. 17.] Recent anthropological studies have reported biological continuity from the early predynastic into the dynastic era. This suggests that state formation was a predominantly indigenous process. [Sonia R. Zakrzewski: [http://wysinger.homestead.com/zakrzewski_2007.pdf Population continuity or population change: Formation of the ancient Egyptian state] - Department of Archaeology, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton (2003)]

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