Uncovering Old Kingdom society arrangement : Detection of powerful dignitaries using complex network analysis
Abstract
The sophisticated administration in the age of the pyramid builders offers a remarkable time span for research and a unique opportunity to analyse the dynamics of a complex society in a diachronic perspective. Contrary to traditional approaches relying on statistics and logic, we will present an overview of our achievements in society development reconstruction covering structural aspects using complex network analysis (CNA).
Our research is based on diachronic occurrences of titles held by officials of various social status. The presence of a social stratification structure can be demonstrated by specialized bipartite (people - titles) network visualizations.
Results aimed at reconstructing the structure of Old Kingdom top-level society and at the detection of powerful dignitaries using CNA and particularly community detection methods are also discussed. The approaches are exemplified by selected case studies on influential persons from the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties.