Donald B. Redford
Encyclopedia
Donald B. Redford is a Canadian
Egyptologist and archaeologist, currently Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Pennsylvania State University
. He is married to Susan Redford, who is also an Egyptologist currently teaching classes at the university. Professor Redford has directed a number of important excavations in Egypt
, notably at Karnak
and Mendes
. Along with his wife Susan Redford, he is the director of the Akhenaten Temple Project
.
, and was an Assistant/Associate Professor (1962 - 1969) and full Professor (1969 - 1998) at the same university. He moved to Pennsylvania State University
in 1998.
Redford was the winner of the 1993 "Best Scholarly Book in Archaeology" awarded by the Biblical Archaeological Society for his work "Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times". In this book he argues that the experiences of the Hyksos
in Egypt
became a central foundation of myth
s in Canaan
ite culture, leading to the story of Moses
. He further argues that many of the details in the Exodus
story are more consistent with the 7th century BC
, long after the time of King David, rather than the era when the event is described as having taken place. This view was expounded upon in The Bible Unearthed
by Israel Finkelstein
and Neil Silberman.
Redford's work in editing The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt
, published in 2001, earned the American Library Association's Dartmouth Medal
for a reference work of outstanding quality and significance. Since 2006 he is also in the editorial board of RIHAO
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Egyptologist and archaeologist, currently Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
. He is married to Susan Redford, who is also an Egyptologist currently teaching classes at the university. Professor Redford has directed a number of important excavations in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, notably at Karnak
Karnak
The Karnak Temple Complex—usually called Karnak—comprises a vast mix of decayed temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings, notably the Great Temple of Amun and a massive structure begun by Pharaoh Ramses II . Sacred Lake is part of the site as well. It is located near Luxor, some...
and Mendes
Mendes
Mendes , the Greek name of the Ancient Egyptian city of Djedet, also known in Ancient Egypt as Per-Banebdjedet and Anpet, is known today as Tell El-Ruba ....
. Along with his wife Susan Redford, he is the director of the Akhenaten Temple Project
Akhenaten Temple Project
The Akhenaten Temple Project is a project encompassing four archaeological expeditions to Egypt and north-east Africa. It has been in operation since 1972. The project is directed by Donald B...
.
Biography
Redford received his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D all from the University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, and was an Assistant/Associate Professor (1962 - 1969) and full Professor (1969 - 1998) at the same university. He moved to Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
in 1998.
Redford was the winner of the 1993 "Best Scholarly Book in Archaeology" awarded by the Biblical Archaeological Society for his work "Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times". In this book he argues that the experiences of the Hyksos
Hyksos
The Hyksos were an Asiatic people who took over the eastern Nile Delta during the twelfth dynasty, initiating the Second Intermediate Period of ancient Egypt....
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
became a central foundation of myth
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
s in Canaan
Canaan
Canaan is a historical region roughly corresponding to modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and the western parts of Jordan...
ite culture, leading to the story of Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
. He further argues that many of the details in the Exodus
The Exodus
The Exodus is the story of the departure of the Israelites from ancient Egypt described in the Hebrew Bible.Narrowly defined, the term refers only to the departure from Egypt described in the Book of Exodus; more widely, it takes in the subsequent law-givings and wanderings in the wilderness...
story are more consistent with the 7th century BC
7th century BC
The 7th century BC started the first day of 700 BC and ended the last day of 601 BC.The Assyrian Empire continued to dominate the Near East during this century, exercising formidable power over neighbors like Babylon and Egypt. In the last two decades of the century, however, the empire began to...
, long after the time of King David, rather than the era when the event is described as having taken place. This view was expounded upon in The Bible Unearthed
The Bible Unearthed
The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts is a 2001 book about the archaeology of Israel and its relationship to the origins of the Hebrew Bible...
by Israel Finkelstein
Israel Finkelstein
Israel Finkelstein is an Israeli archaeologist and academic. He is currently the Jacob M. Alkow Professor of the Archaeology of Israel in the Bronze Age and Iron Ages at Tel Aviv University and is also the co-director of excavations at Megiddo in northern Israel...
and Neil Silberman.
Redford's work in editing The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt
Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, edited by Donald B. Redford and published in three volumes by Oxford University Press in 2001 contains 600 articles that cover the 5,000 years of the history of Ancient Egypt, from the predynastic era to the seventh century CE...
, published in 2001, earned the American Library Association's Dartmouth Medal
Dartmouth Medal
The Dartmouth Medal of the American Library Association is awarded annually to a reference work of outstanding quality and significance, published during the previous calendar year.-History:...
for a reference work of outstanding quality and significance. Since 2006 he is also in the editorial board of RIHAO
RIHAO
The Revista del Instituto de Historia Antigua Oriental is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the "Instituto de Historia Antigua Oriental Dr. Abraham Rosenvasser" , Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, University of Buenos Aires...
.
Publications
- History and Chronology of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt: Seven Studies. Toronto University Press, 1967.
- AkhenatenAkhenatenAkhenaten also spelled Echnaton,Ikhnaton,and Khuenaten;meaning "living spirit of Aten") known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV , was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
: the Heretic King. Princeton University Press, 1984. ISBN 0-691-03567-9 - Pharaonic King-Lists, Annals, and Day-Books: a Contribution to the Study of the Egyptian Sense of History. (SSEA Publication IV) Mississauga, Ontario: Benben Publications, 1986. ISBN 0920168086
- Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times. Princeton University Press, 1992. ISBN 0-691-00086-7
- The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient EgyptOxford Encyclopedia of Ancient EgyptThe Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, edited by Donald B. Redford and published in three volumes by Oxford University Press in 2001 contains 600 articles that cover the 5,000 years of the history of Ancient Egypt, from the predynastic era to the seventh century CE...
. Oxford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-19-510234-7 - The Wars in Syria and Palestine of Thutmose III. (Culture and History of the Ancient Near East 16) Leiden: Brill, 2003. ISBN 90-04-12989-8
- Slave to Pharaoh: the Black Experience of Ancient Egypt. Johns Hopkins University PressJohns Hopkins University PressThe Johns Hopkins University Press is the publishing division of the Johns Hopkins University. It was founded in 1878 and holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously running university press in the United States. The Press publishes books, journals, and electronic databases...
, 2004. ISBN 0801878144 - City of the Ram-Man: the Story of Ancient Mendes. Princeton University Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0-691-14226-5
External links
- Professor Donald B. Redford - Penn State University department page