Irrigated “Black Land” Stretches 10 miles wide Beyond that... “Red Land” desert Grew wheat and flax for clothing

Spring- rains send water down streams that feed the Nile Flood welcomed Deposited layer of silt- rich soil Built dikes, reservoirs, irrigation ditches channel river, store water

Upper Egypt in South Lower Egypt in North From 1 st cataract (waterfall) of Nile North to within 100 miles of Mediterranean Lower Egypt: Delta region- triangular area of marshland formed by deposits of silt at the mouth of a river 3100 BC- Menes (King of Upper Egypt) united 2 regions Sent officials and armies on river

Merchants traveled in sailboats and barges Exchanged products with: Africa Middle East Mediterranean

3 Kingdoms Old: BC Middle: BC New: BC Power passed from one dynasty (ruling family) to the next

Ruler: Pharaoh Organized strong state Divine support for their rule Pharaoh was a “god” Owned and ruled all land

Vizier: chief minister, supervised business Departments- tax collection, farming, irrigation system Thousands of scribes Ptah-hotep- vizier that trained young officials, wrote Instruction of Ptah-hotep “If you are sitting at the table of one greater than you, take what he may give when it is set before you. Let your face be cast down until he addresses you, and you should speak only when he addresses you”

Built during old kingdom at Giza Tombs for dead rulers Sleds, ramps, pushed by hand Took long to build…pharaohs would begin building tombs as soon as they took the throne

Power struggle, crop failures, and cost of pyramids collapsed Old Kingdom Century of disunity New pharaoh united lands Turbulent- Nile not as dependable, corruption and rebellions Drainage project- increased farmland 1700 BC- foreign invaders- Hyksos Horse drawn chariots Cultural diffusion in both directions New leaders drove out Hyksos

Large empire to Euprhates River Hatshepsut- woman who ruled as pharaoh from BC Most powerful- Ramses II from BC To Syria Peace treaty with Hittites “shall be at peace and in brotherhood forever” Decline- Invading Assyrians and Persians conquered region Greeks and Romans came from North

Chief god was Amon-re (sun god) Osiris and Isis Osiris rules over underworld, and is god of Nile Controlled annual flood Isis believed that she first taught women to grind corn, spin flax, weave cloth and care for children Promised life after death

1380 BC- young pharaoh challenged priests and Amon-Re Worshiped Aton- minor god of Sun’s disk Akhenaton- he who serves Aton Tried to sweep away all others Ordered to worship Aton Priests resisted Akhenaton died, old religion reestablished

From nobles to peasants Dead soul ferried across a lake of fire to Osiris Weigh dead person’s heart against feather of truth Sinners fed to crocodile “Eater of the Dead” Worthy souls enter “Happy Field of Food”

Spells, charms, formulas for afterlife Negative Confession- “I have made no man to suffer hunger. I have made no one to weep. I have done no murder…I have not encroached upon the fields of another. I have not added to the weights of the scales to cheat the seller…I have not turned back water when it should flow…I am pure. I am pure. I am pure.” - Book of the Dead Written on scrolls and placed in tombs

Afterlife much like earth Buried with needs for eternity Mummification: preservation of the dead Embalmers extracted brain and organs through nostrils Filled body cavity with spices Dried and wrapped in linen Months to complete Started only for nobles, passed to everyone

age2.html

Tombs of pharaohs a temptation for ancient robbers Most tombs empty today because of this 1922: British Archaeologist unearthed King Tut’s Tomb Body of 18-year old King Tut in solid gold coffin Richly decorated Transferred to Egyptian Museum in Cairo Chariots, weapons, furniture, jewelry, toys, games, food Minor king…Ramses II probably had much more!

Pharaoh Priests Nobles Merchants Peasant Farmers Slaves

Day and night repairing dikes and working land Off season- served pharaoh Building tombs, pyramids Women: raised children, collected water, prepared food High status, independent Inherit property, enter business deals, buy and sell goods, go to court and obtain divorce Not confined to home Could enter priesthood Few learned to read and write

Scribes Records Served Nobles, Pharaoh Could become rich Hieroglyphics- picture writing Carved in stone Long lasting Ideograms- pictures that symbolize an idea or action Demotic- simpler form of writing for everyday use Papyrus- Paper-like writing material from papyrus that grows on river

After New Kingdom, meaning of hieroglyphics forgotten 1800: French scholar deciphered Rosetta Stone Message carved in Greek, hieroglyphics, demotic Used the 3 languages to decipher meaning Could then read thousands of writings

Medicine-through mummification Observed symptoms, found cures, diagnosed symptoms Performed surgery Medicines still used Astronomy Mapped constellations Charted planets 12 month calendar Basis for modern calendar Mathematics Geometry to survey land Calculate stones for pyramids Irrigation systems