A new scientific discovery means that the chronology of Egypt’s early dynasties will have to be rewritten, as a group of researchers dates the emergence of the New Empire almost a century later than previously thought. The research was carried out by scientists from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the University of Groningen and published in Science Daily. The New Kingdom, which existed from 1550 to 1070 BC, was a period of peak power, wealth and territorial expansion for Egypt, the era of famous pharaohs such as Tutankhamun.
It began with the 18th dynasty, founded by Pharaoh Amosis I, who reunified Egypt and expelled the Hessian invaders, restoring central power after a period of fragmentation. Now, scientists have confirmed that the massive volcanic eruption on the Greek island of Santorini (Fera) occurred before the reign of Amosis, which means that the 18th dynasty and the New Empire itself emerged later than previously thought. Until now, historians often assumed that the eruption could coincide with the beginning of the New Empire, and some researchers even attempted to link it to specific pharaohs, including Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, or Amosis I. The discovery is related to the radiocarbon dating of Egyptian artefacts from the 17th and early 18th dynasties. Researchers studied clay bricks bearing the name of Amosis, a linen burial sheet, and wooden funerary figures called shabti, all directly related to known pharaohs and their temples.
As these objects are linked to specific historical contexts, their antiquity provides a reliable insight into this period. The research shows that the eruption occurred before the emergence of these artefacts, which redefines historians’ understanding of the heyday of Egypt’s most powerful period. The Santorini volcano is surrounded by the small islands of Fera, Ferasia and Aspronisi. Over time, there have been numerous large and explosive eruptions, but the best known occurred at the end of the Minoan period, approximately between 1600 and 1480 BC. This eruption buried the city of Akrotiri, in southern Thera, under thick layers of volcanic ash. The fine ash was carried by the wind and deposited in eastern Crete, attesting to the enormous regional impact of the eruption.
Traditionally, the Thera eruption has been associated with the 18th dynasty of Egypt, and scientists use it as an approximate reference for dating the early events of the New Kingdom. However, a new radiocarbon analysis shows that the eruption actually occurred earlier, during the Second Intermediate Period, the era that preceded the complete reunification of Egypt under the rule of Amosis. This means that previous assumptions, which linked the eruption directly to the beginning of the New Kingdom, were wrong. ‘This study provides the first direct comparison of radiocarbon analysis between the Thera eruption and Egyptian artefacts from this transitional period,’ say the researchers. ‘It allows us, for the first time, to relate one of the most dramatic natural events in the eastern Mediterranean to Egypt’s own historical chronology,’ they add. These findings have broader implications for our understanding of the ancient world. By proving that the eruption occurred earlier than previously thought, historians and archaeologists can now reassess the cultural and commercial interactions between Egypt, Crete, and other regions of the Mediterranean.
This includes everything from the circulation of goods and ideas to migrations caused by natural disasters. The research also demonstrated the ability of modern science to rethink what we know about ancient history. Even civilisations studied over millennia, such as Ancient Egypt, can refine their timelines with the help of new methods and careful analysis. The results confirm the “low chronology” model, which places the beginning of the 18th dynasty slightly later than previously thought. “Our findings indicate that the Second Intermediate Period lasted much longer than assumed in traditional assessments, and that the New Kingdom began later,” says the study’s lead author, Hendrik J. Bruins.