Ancient Egypt

Egyptian Timeline Old Kingdom ( ) –Hieroglyphics and religion develop in Egypt –pyramids built Middle Kingdom ( ) –extension of Egyptian control into Nubia New Kingdom ( ) –militaristic - Hebrews enslaved –mummification perfected

Outline 1.Geography 2.Religion –Gods –Pyramids –Mummies 3.Government –The Pharaoh 4.Daily Life 5.Middle Kingdom 6.New Kingdom

I. Geography River dominates Egyptian world/thought Surrounded by desert with occasional oasis –Permits some trade –Defense from invasion Contributes to feeling of safety –preserves artifacts

“Egypt is the gift of the Nile” -Herodotus

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I. The Nile yearly flooding - no concern for soil depletion –Predictable –Irrigation systems Encourages –Trade –Communication –Political unity

I. The Nile

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Impact on religion –divided life - living and dying. East (sunrise) is land of the living - cities, temples West (sunset) is land of the dead - tombs

II. Religion Omnipresence of religion Polytheistic –interaction with the natural environment shows interrelated gods and goddesses yearly rebirth of Nile and daily rebirth of sun –over 2000 gods Pharaoh as living god Afterlife –Evolution of who has an afterlife Old vs. New Kingdom

II. Osiris God of the Dead - “rebirth” - and the weighing of the heart Evolution of Egyptian mythology –known as a ruler in the Nile delta - –a local god –regional god

II. Horus Horus, god of balance and harmony maintained the natural order: the flow of the Nile and the fertility of the soil

II. Early Pyramids Zozer’s stepped pyramid - similar to Babylonian ziggurats

Why build Pyramids? Belief in the afterlife demanded: 1.Bodies be interred whole 2.Material goods for use in afterlife be present The need to protect the bodies demands good burial tombs 1.First were mastabas 2.Then pyramids 3.Then later… hidden tombs

Mastaba

II. Great Pyramid Tomb for Khufu an almost perfect square (deviation.05%) Orientation is exactly North, South, East West 2,300,000 blocks, 500ft high 20 years to build Average block weighs 2.5 tons –Some weigh 9 tons!

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Pyramids of Menkaure, Khafre and Khufu Queen Pyramids in front

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II. Mummies Not known when it started in Egypt Perfected by time of New Kingdom How to make a mummy: 70 steps –1) Removal of the brain through the nostrils 2) Removal of the intestines through an incision in the side 3) Sterilization of the body and intestines 4) Treating, cleaning, dehydrating the intestines 5) Packing the body with natron (a natural dehydrating agent) and leaving for 40 days 6) Removal of the natron agent 7) Packing the limbs with clay or sand 8) Packing the body with linen (soaked in resin), myrrh and cinnamon 9) Treating the body with ointments and finally wrapping with a fine linen gauze, not less than 1000 square yards

Canopic Jars made of alabaster for storage of heart, stomach, intestines and liver which were also treated

Inner coffin Mummy

Second inner coffin lid Second inner coffin

Shawabti box Gift bearers Model boat Funerary Gifts

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III. The Pharaoh God-King - unlike Mesopotamia –Temporal power owns all the land and people and what people posses law vs. Pharaoh's will irrigation no city walls

III. The Pharaoh God-King - unlike Mesopotamia –Religious direct descendant of the Sun god controls access to the afterlife July-Sept, during floods life is controlled by the Pharaoh –365 day calendar

III. Role played by size in Egyptian Artwork

IV. Daily Life in Egypt Cosmetics, cleanliness (bathe 3 times a day), shaved bodies, wigs main food is beer and bread –Grow many crops: emmer, barley, flax, lentils, onion, beans, and millet common building made of sun-dried mud bricks - up to three stories in height Four social classes - slaves on the bottom Most common job … farming

IV. Farmers in Egypt

IV. Hieroglyphics Language is written without vowels Different pronunciations –MNFR as Memphis –SR as Osiris –TTMS as either Thutmose, Thutmosis, Tatmusa or Atithmese Who learns this writing style?

IV. Hieroglyphics Use in temples Rosetta Stone Napoleon and Egyptology

IV. Egyptian Artwork Egyptian Farmers & animals Stela (carved stone) Notice, all people drawn from the side – even when looking right at you!

V. Middle Kingdom BCE End of civil wars, farming and trade return move capital south to Upper Egypt (Thebes) public improvements –drain swamps, canal to Red Sea belief in afterlife expands to include common people tombs instead of pyramids –better protection for mummies

V. Middle Kingdom BCE

VI. New Kingdom BCE Ahmose I expelled the invading Hyksos and reunited Egypt Known as the Empire period development of “public” and “private” zones at temples

Ahmose I leading Egyptians against the Hyksos

VI. New Kingdom BCE Characterized by a more militaristic and imperialistic nature –incorporated chariot, bronze working, horses –development of a professional army became a slave based economy fueled by war and expansion

VI. Threats to Tradition Amenhotep IV (c B.C.) introduced the worship of Aton, god of the sun disk, as the chief god and pursued his worship with enthusiasm. Changed name to Akhenaten (“It is well with Aton”) He closed the temples of other gods and especially endeavored to lessen the power of Amon-Re and his priesthood at Thebes

VI. Threats to Tradition BCE Nefertiti –Wife of Akhenaton the only pharaoh to even partially reject polytheism –political move against priests of Amon-Re –moved capital to Amarna –worshipped Aton, the sun disk royal inbreeding

VI. Tutankhamen BCE (King Tut) child ruler ruled nine years, died at 18 young death meant burial in the tomb of a lesser person (noble) resulting in preservation

VI. Ramses II ( ) greatest New Kingdom ruler military leader of Egypt expanded into southern Turkey built many monuments to himself last gasp of Egyptian power

VI. Ramses II ( )

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