The transmission of courtly lifestyles in the Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean
This thesis offers and applies a new theoretical and methodological framework for understanding the diplomatic relationships between the ancient court societies in the Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Upper Nubia, Levant, Anatolia, and the Aegean) with particular focus on the Middle Bronze Age covering first half of the 2nd millennium BC. Previous scholarship on diplomacy has largely concentrated on the philological analyses of Late Bronze Age diplomatic texts and the artistic styles of luxury visual arts, attempting to identify the origins of specific artistic styles and correlate gift lists with actual material objects. This thesis departs from these prior studies by adopting a more firmly sociological and anthropological approach, focusing on the social and ceremonial contexts of diplomatic activity. In particular, the role of etiquette (ritualized and codified forms of behavior) in diplomacy is the primary focus. Via a holistic analysis incorporating material culture, texts, and art, the thesis discusses how forms of etiquette can be reconstructed from the archaeological record, if forms of etiquette transmission can be identified, and the extent to which these transmissions can be used to reconstruct
Walsh, C. R.
The transmission of courtly lifestyles in the Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean. This thesis offers and applies a new theoretical and methodological framework for understanding the diplomatic relationships between the ancient court societies in the Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Upper Nubia, Levant, Anatolia, and the Aegean) with particular focus on the Middle Bronze Age covering first half of the 2nd millennium BC. Previous scholarship on diplomacy has largely concentrated on the philological analyses of Late Bronze Age diplomatic texts and the artistic styles of luxury visual arts, attempting to identify the origins of specific artistic styles and correlate gift lists with actual material objects. This thesis departs from these prior studies by adopting a more firmly sociological and anthropological approach, focusing on the social and ceremonial contexts of diplomatic activity. In particular, the role of etiquette (ritualized and codified forms of behavior) in diplomacy is the primary focus. Via a holistic analysis incorporating material culture, texts, and art, the thesis discusses how forms of etiquette can be reconstructed from the archaeological record, if forms of etiquette transmission can be identified, and the extent to which these transmissions can be used to reconstruct
transmission courtly lifestyles bronze age eastern_mediterranean offer apply new theoretical_methodological framework diplomatic relationship ancient court society bronze age eastern_mediterranean egypt upper nubia levant anatolia aegean particular_focus middle_bronze_age cover first_half millennium previous_scholarship diplomacy largely concentrated philological analysis late_bronze_age diplomatic text artistic_style luxury visual_art attempt_identify origin specific artistic_style correlate gift list actual material_object departs prior study adopt firmly sociological anthropological focus social ceremonial contexts diplomatic activity particular_role etiquette ritualize codify form behavior diplomacy primary_focus via holistic analysis incorporate material_culture text art discuss form etiquette reconstruct archaeological_record form etiquette transmission identify extent transmission use reconstruct