Egypt: How does a traditional society deal with change? CHW3M Feb glued-back-on-with-epoxy.html

Main Theme #1 Conservativeness, Stability –Prefer tradition over change –Like things to remain generally the same However, changes do happen –HTC = continuity and change (they are not opposites; they can occur at the same time) Social hierarchy reflects conservativeness – little mobility (ability to move up)

Social Hierarchy Social Class Pyramid Review, Oct. 2012, _Review (Feb. 12, 2013). _Review Government officials Artisans

Main Theme #2 Religion is everything –Polytheistic like Mesopotamia (British Museum gods and goddesses list) (British Museum, creation story) HTC = historical perspectivehttp:// –State religion –Afterlife central

Weighing of the Heart During the Ka Recitation Adam Gabbatt, “British Museum to Recreate Egyptian Journey to the Afterlife”, The Guardian, June 17, 2010, afterlife-exhibition (Feb. 12, 2013). afterlife-exhibition

Weighing of the Heart Osiris = Judge of the Dead Maat = balancer of the scale If heart weighs true  afterlife If heart too heavy  devourer tears you to shreds

Ka Recitation Homage to thee, O great God, Lord of Maati! I have come unto thee, O my Lord, and I have brought myself hither that I may behold thy beauties. I know thee, I know thy name, I know the names of the forty-two Gods who live with thee in the Hall of Maati...I have not committed sins against men. I have not opposed my family and kinfolk. I have not acted fraudently in the Seat of Truth. I have not known men who were of no account. I have not defrauded the humble man of his property. I have not done what the gods abominate. I have not vilified a slave to his master. I have not inflicted pain. I have not caused anyone to go hungry. I have not made any man to weep. I have not committed murder....I have not encroached on the fields (of others). I have not added to the weights of the scales...I have not driven the cattle away from their pastures. I have not snared the geese in the goose-pens of the gods. I have not caught fish with bait made of the bodies of the same kind of fish. I have not stopped water when it should flow...I am pure, I am pure. I am pure... Exploring Ancient World Cultures, Essays on Ancient Egypt, Deborah Howard, “The Egyptian Culture Reflected in Worship”, 1996, (Feb. 12, 2013). HTC = primary source evidence

Ka Recitation Format Opening dedicated to gods Negative confession of bad things you have not done in your: –Relationship with gods –Relationship with humans –Relationship with nature Respectful closing

Main Theme #3 Centralized state –Unified for most of its history Unlike Mesopotamia –Problems unifying because the land away from the levees was not productive and this divided people and kingdoms Pharaoh ???? Lower Egypt Upper Egypt

Geography Using pages in the textbook, take notes under these headings and in this chart format: Title = How geography affected Egyptian life Page #Heading / Point Details, examples Nile River valley Nile Delta Deserts Flooding Mediterranean Sea

Geography Comparison MesopotamiaEgypt Centred on riversCentred on river Soil needs a lot of work to be farmed; land between rivers was desert Deserts on both sides of the river isolated it to a certain extent and provided resources Catastrophic floodingRelatively predictable flooding made the land fertile (July – October = the inundation) Levees on Euphrates R. were fertile but needed to be drained and irrigated Trade through Mediterranean

British Museum, Ancient Egypt Geography, N.d. (Feb. 12, 2013); Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, Bag of Natron from Tutankhamun’s Embalming Cache, Oct. 2010, (Feb. 12, 2013). DesertNile River Valley Bag of embalmer’s natron

Homework 1 Take notes on political –Old kingdom, –Middle kingdom, –New kingdom, Answer “Egyptian Beliefs” questions 1-6 in booklet.

Homework Quiz – Old Kingdom What made Egypt wealthy during the Old Kingdom? How did they display their wealth? Name a famous architect and builder. What did he build?

Middle Kingdom Were these happy times? How long did the civil war last? What became the national god? Who invaded and ruled for 150 years? What did they have in terms of superior technology? How did the Egyptians regain control?

New Kingdom Why is this time considered a golden age? Who helped make Egypt wealthy during this time? What was Ramses II famous for? Foreign rule: –Greeks –Romans –Nubians –Assyrians –Persians

Bibliographic Format – Chicago Style Last, First. Title of Book. City: Publishing Co., Year. Notes: –Goes at the top of each source of info (don’t mix up your sources). –Title underlined or italicized. –Second (and third and so on) line indented. –City, not country. –See “Documentation for History Essays” in writing package.

Homework Quiz on Beliefs KaForm of the dead that exists in the afterworld AkhUnique character of each person BahLike the best times on earth MaatConcept of order, truth and justice – harmony with gods AfterlifeSpiritual duplicate (returns via preserved body) Mummification video:

Homework 2 Finish “Egyptian Beliefs” questions from booklet. Choose your top 3 essay questions (part of writing package).Be prepared to choose soon.