Egypt

Pharaohs Rule as Gods The role of the king in Egypt was quite different from that of Mesopotamia In Mesopotamia, Kings were representatives of the Gods In Egypt, the Kings WERE Gods These “God-kings” were called pharaohs The type of government in Egypt is called a theocracy

Theocracy: A form of government in which religious and political authority derive from the same source

Pharaoh's Responsibilities Center of Egyptian religion Center of Egyptian government Had full responsibility for the kingdom’s well being Promoted truth and justice

Pyramids Egyptians believed that their kings ruled even after their death Because of this, their tombs were very important Their resting place was called a pyramid

Construction of Pyramids Remarkable for this time since these people had little technology Made completely of granite, limestone, and quartz Each block of stone weighed 2 ½ tons 2 million blocks were stacked to heights of 481 feet !

Culture Egyptians were polytheistic 3 most important Gods were Re - the sun god Osiris – god of the dead Isis – represented the values of mothers and wives Egyptians had over 2000 different Gods/Goddesses

Religion Unlike the Mesopotamians, the Egyptians believed in an afterlife They believed that they would be judged for their deeds Upon death, their hearts would be weighed. The heart could be no heavier than a feather. If it tipped the scale, that meant it was heavy with sin… The royal and elite would mummify their bodies.