Askut (also known in ancient Egypt as Djer-Setiu) was an ancient Egyptian island fortress in the Middle Kingdom on the Nile, which was built for the purpose of securing the border to Nubia. Since the completion of the Aswan High Dam, the island has been flooded with Lake Nubia.
The fort, about 351 kilometers south of Aswan was built by Sesostris III. It measured 77 × 87 meters. The protective wall had a thickness of 5.3 meters and had spur-like bastions. The highly fortified entrance protected a temple and warehouses along the harbor. Inside the castle were a commander's house and barracks. Pottery has been unearthed at the site dated to the early 13th Dynasty.
Introduction
Askut was an ancient Egyptian fortress located on an island on the Nile during the Middle Kingdom. Its intention was to seal the border to Nubia. It was excavated by Alexander Badawy during the Aswan High Damage Salvage Campaign which aimed to preserve sites threatened by the building of the Aswan Dam. Fortresses such as this one were typically home to a large community of diverse geographical origin and ethnicity. Different roles were taken on by all members of the community, however men typically dominated the roles associated with military, politics, and economics. An important part of uncovering this site included understanding the social context associated with the environment and material culture.
Type of research
An important method when studying fortress societies is to look on a smaller scale rather than a larger scale. It may seem easier to understand the society just through a macro historical approach since the state creates them for specific purposes, however looking more closely at individual decisions during specific circumstances is a better way of understanding social dynamics. When exploring this site, a multi scalar approach is used to integrate both large scale societal actions and individual actions to come as close to the reality of this fortress society as possible. This method is important when studying the architecture of Askut. It helped archaeologists to understand a change from a society that was centrally planned (a society where a central authority such a government, makes major choices economically) and consisted of military garrisons, to a more casual and changeable organization that was more intimate and family oriented. This helps archaeologists see a shift that led to permanent settlement.
Demography, gender, and ethnicity
Layout
As Askut began to transform to a more settlement style pattern, old three-room barracks indicating a military like set up began to shift and individualize. Many floor plants and spaces were rebuilt, and domestic spaces turned into a layout that was more diverse and fit the needs of different types of families. The Southeastern part of this site gives evidence that these changes were implemented in the New Kingdom but could have begun at the end of the Middle Kingdom. Important areas of the fortress were left behind and filled with trash, such as the granary complex. In the New Kingdom, a large area of Askut was transformed into a fundamental house with a central courtyard, encircled by rooms. Only an old barrack remains from the Middle Kingdom and these changes could represent a response to significant events unfolding during the Second Intermediate Period after a period of warfare with the reconquest of Lower Nubia. This new organization of the community came about as a desire for comfortable access to the riverbank.
Gender and children
The role of women and children were extremely important to the Askut society. Nubian and Egyptian women appear very rarely in textual records and they are always almost considered subordinate to the men of the society. However, there were an array of Nubian cookpots and cuisine that represent the large role and influence that Nubian women had on the community's foodways, which became increasingly important for Nubian identity and dominated a large amount of their social context.