Ancient Egypt

Location: most of modern day Egypt – along the Nile River

Political Organization 3000 BC unification under King Narmer first Egyptian dynasty centered at Memphis where Upper and lower Egypt meet. pharaoh = pharaohs had absolute power and owned all land; however, they were expected to behave morally and were judged on good deeds. theocracy = pharaoh stood at center of religion, government, and army god-king (son of Horus), Thutmose III 1504-1450 B. C. E. government run by religious leaders Ramses II 1279-1212 B. C. E. Tutankhamon 1336-1327 B. C. E.

Unification of Upper and Lower Egypt Scorpion King or Narmer

Impact of Geography Limestone and granite: Nile River: long lasting buildings long lasting art Nile River: regular flooding = positive view of life and afterlife floods = great soil year round water for irrigation

Annual Flooding of Nile River Fertile Nile River Annual Flooding of Nile River

Nile Irrigation - Shaduf Impact of Climate large deserts = dry climate = Nile Irrigation - Shaduf obstacles to invaders must irrigate crops

Religion polytheistic Akhenaton forces Egyptians to worship one god (monotheism) temporarily Pharaoh believed to rule even after death through his/her ka; therefore, tomb more important than earthly palace belief in many gods

[reincarnation of dead] Egyptian Gods and Goddesses The Sacred Trinity Osiris Isis Horus God of the Dead [reincarnation of dead] Goddess of Marriage God of the Dead [transports the dead]

Preparations for the Underworld ANUBIS weighs the dead person’s heart against a feather. Priests protected your KA, or soul-spirit

Materials used in Mummification **all classes planned for their burials** 1. Linen 6. Natron 2. Sawdust 7. Onion 3. Lichen 8. Nile Mud 4. Beeswax 9. Linen Pads 5. Resin 10. Frankinsense

Preparation for Afterlife

Queen Tiye, wife of Amenhotep II 1210-1200 B. C. E. Egyptian Mummies Seti I 1291-1278 B. C. E. Ramses II 1279-1212 B. C. E. Queen Tiye, wife of Amenhotep II 1210-1200 B. C. E.

Journey to the Underworld The dead travel on the “Solar Bark.” A boat for the journey is provided for a dead pharaoh in his tomb.

Egyptian Book of the Dead

The Final Judgement Anubis Horus Osiris

Inventions / Innovations Hieroglyphics- originally pictographs, but eventually pictures represented words as well as sounds calendar developed (365 days and 12 months) Math: system of written numbers basic geometry (to measure floods) Science: Set broken bones Surgery checked pulse one of 3 writing systems developed by the Egyptians for economic, royal, and administrative info.

Hieroglyphics “Alphabet” 24 “letters” + 700 phonetic symbols

Egyptian Math & Draftsmenship 1 10 100 1000 10,000 100,000 1,000,000 What number is this?

Architecture Pyramids – tombs for pharaoh's afterlife built by peasants when Nile was flooded (not slaves)

Stepped Pyramid at Saqqara “Bent” Pyramid of King Sneferu Giza Pyramid Complex

Plan of the Great Pyramid of Khufu

The Valley of the Kings

Champollion & the Rosetta Stone

Archaeologist, Howard Carter (1922)

Entrance to King “Tut’s” Tomb

King Tutankhamon’s Death Mask 1336-1327 B. C. E.

King Tutankhamon

King Tutankhamun’s Tomb

Treasures From Tut’s Tomb

The Valley of the Queens Temple of Queen Hatshepsut 1473-1458 B. C. E.

The Ankh – The “Cross” of Life

Queen Nefertiti

Abu Simbel: Monument to Ramses II 1279-1213 B. C. E.

Hieratic Scroll Piece Papyrus Plant Papyrus a paper-like writing material created from the papyrus plant that grows on the banks of the Nile. Hieratic Scroll Piece Papyrus Plant

Other technological inventions include: - Make-up - Toothpaste - Medicine - Ships - Ramps, levers, and other engineering items needed to construct the pyramids

Economic System traded agricultural surplus: wheat barley (from Nile which provided silt) mining of large mineral deposits of copper which used for bronze tools. Gold and copper were mined by slaves which greatly enriched the royal treasury. had enough economic strength to support massive public works = Construction projects financed by the government for the benefit and use of its citizens

Egyptian Society – based on a strict class system Egyptian Society – based on a strict class system - Hierarchy: a system in which people or things are placed in a series of levels with different importance or status

Scenes of Ancient Egyptian Daily Life

Ancient Egyptian Housing Middle Class Homes Peasant Homes

Making Ancient Egyptian Beer

Making Ancient Egyptian Wine

An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-Haves” Mirror Perfume Whigs