Medjehu Project. Investigating Woodcraft along the Nile

The economic routes and the social actors linked to the craft and trade of wood are still unknown in the Ancient Near East because of the scarcity or even absence of archaeological material, its poor conservation and, consequently, the lack of studies on the subject. In contrast to other regions of the Near East, Egypt offers two ideal conditions that explain the abundance of wooden material: a high population density, which generated a continuous production and use of wood, and above all arid climatic conditions that favoured its excellent conservation. Local species play a central role in Egyptian woodwork, in particular the sycamore fig tree (Ficus sycomorus L.). In addition, Egypt’s openness to the outside world and its position at a major commercial crossroads give it access to materials that it lacks. This was the case for coniferous woods such as cedar (Cedrus libani), which had been imported into Egypt since the first dynasties (around 3000 BC) for its physical and aesthetic qualities. By extension, this strategic position allows us to enrich our knowledge of the economic and artistic exchanges of wood with the Mediterranean world and the Levant as well as with Sudan and the Horn of Africa, from where several imported species originate. Finally, the existence of a corpus of economic and funerary texts that mention wood and its functions offers a rare opportunity to cross-reference different sources in order to carry out an archaeological, economic and historical analysis of wood in Egypt.

Wood, used since the protodynastic period (around 3000 BC) for everyday objects, funerary furniture, and naval and architectural construction, has never before been the subject of a systematic and interdisciplinary study that combines an exhaustive analysis of the corpus (materials, manufacturing techniques, styles) with historical questions about Egyptian society over a long period of time. In fact, until recently, wooden furniture was studied only from an art-historical perspective, leaving aside many of the economic and social questions that are now being examined in this research project.
The Medjehu project is based on the idea that wood, from the management of the natural landscape to its implementation, is a powerful indicator of the functioning of Egyptian society and its evolution. The economic, political, religious and social dimensions determine the supply of raw materials, but also the modes of production and use of wooden furniture. Throughout Egypt’s history, despite political and social crises, the production of wood by craftsmen has continued and imports of foreign wood species have been maintained; moreover, the know-how of Egyptian craftsmen is exported beyond the country’s borders. By bringing together the expertise of an international team of specialists and disseminating our research, Medjehu proposes to redraw the economic and social history of woodcraft along the Nile from 3rd to 1st Millenium BC.