Draft:Mnemohistory
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Mnemohistory is a term credited to Egyptologist and historian of religion Jan Assmann.[1]
Unlike traditional historiography, which aims to reconstruct the past "as it really happened"—i.e., objective factuality—mnemohistory is concerned with the past as it is remembered and the cultural significance attributed to it in the present....recognizing that this understanding is constantly reinterpreted from the perspective of current concerns.[1]
While the practice and approach of mnemohistory have expanded beyond Assmann's initial Egyptological focus, many primary concepts originated with him. Because of this, this article will frequently reference examples related to Egypt.[1]
Development of the concept
[edit]Marek Tamm explains that a recent shift in historical thinking—what he calls a "regime change of historicity"—has expanded the focus of historiography from simply reconstructing past events to also examining their later reception, impact, and meaning. This shift has given rise to a new approach in historical research known as mnemohistory (or Gedächtnisgeschichte in German), a concept introduced by Jan Assmann within the broader field of cultural memory studies. Assmann first developed the term in his 1997 book Moses the Egyptian, where he defines it in relation to how the past is continually reinterpreted through the lens of collective memory.[2]
Mnemohistory, as defined by Assmann, differs from traditional history in that it is not concerned with the past itself, but with the past as it is remembered and reinterpreted over time. It focuses on the narrative traditions, intertextual references, and the evolving patterns of how the past is read and understood across different periods. Rather than seeking objective accounts, mnemohistory examines the meanings and relevance that emerge only through later acts of remembrance and reinterpretation—emphasizing how significance is shaped by memory rather than by original context.[2]
References
[edit]Bibliography/Works cited
[edit]Ebeling, Florian (2018). "Jan Assmann's transformation of reception studies to cultural history" (PDF). Aegyptiaca. Journal of the History of Reception of Ancient Egypt (3): 5–8. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
Tamm, Marek, ed. (2015). Afterlife of Events: Perspectives on Mnemohistory. Basingstoke, Hampshire; New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781137470171. Retrieved 13 June 2025.