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From a global perspective
The reason Koptos was important in this period was because of the mining activities the Romans
performed in this area and its close proximity to the trade routes leading to the red sea port, an
important trading port in the Roman period.
Due to the increased connectivity in a globalised world trade became more important. New trading
routes could be established because of the increased connectivity in this globalised world. The
mining activities were related to a different result of globalisation. By being introduced to certain
new products in different regions an interest could be formed in the available resources of a
foreign territory. The expansion of the Roman empire allowed them to gain access to Egypt’s
resources. The reason for this expansion is therefore likely related to these resources as well.
The temple of Shenhur is most likely not so much related to ensuring the loyalty of the local
population, keeping control over the region or for political reasons. It was more likely an
unplanned reaction to the activities, trading and mining, that took place in this region and the
desert routes that were actively travelled because of it. It is therefore, much like the reason why
Koptos became popular, related to the increased connectivity.
The temple was probably mainly built because of the increasing popularity of this region in the
Roman period and to protect the travelers of the desert routes that became well traveled as well.
From a globalised perspective the reason behind the increasing popularity of Koptos and Shenhur
is most likely related to the increasing connectivity on a global level. The increasing connectivity
was partly caused by trade and the interest in foreign materials or cultures, but was also the
reason the trade and interest in foreign cultures or materials increased. These characteristics
caused the world to become seen as one place as different materials and cultural characteristics,
as well as people from different cultures, moved across the world. This process is described as “the
process by which the world increasingly becomes seen as one place” which is part of the definition
of globalisation made by Tamar Hodos (Hodos 2017, 4).