1. The Nile River Valley Civilization
Egypt: The Kingdoms
The Nile River Valley Civilization

2. The Old Kingdom (2700 – 2200 BCE) Egyptian Culture
Unthreatened by outside invaders
Although Egypt was in contact with lands as far away as Afghanistan and Mesopotamia

3. The Old Kingdom (2700 – 2200 BCE) Nile River
In Egypt, the Nile creates a fertile green valley across the desert.
Using a calendar, its floods were predictable
The ancient Egyptians lived and farmed along the Nile, using the soil to produce food for themselves and their animals.

4. Djoser, pharaoh of the third dynasty
The Old Kingdom (2700 – 2200 BCE)
The Pharaoh
The rulers of Egypt had various titles
Pharaoh originally referred to the royal palace
The ruler was worshipped by a cult
The ruler was deemed a living god during this period
Had absolute power during the Old Kingdom
Djoser, pharaoh of the third dynasty

5. The Old Kingdom (2700 – 2200 BCE) Pyramids
Pyramids were only built during the Old Kingdom
First pyramids were step-like
The pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara designed by vizier and polymath, Imhotep

6. The Old Kingdom (2700 – 2200 BCE) Pyramids
Under Khufu pyramid building took on form you most associate with Egyptian pyramids
Pyramids were costly and very visible
Easy targets for robbers

8. The Middle Kingdom (2050 – 1652 BCE)
Egypt’s Golden Age
Trade, arts, literature flourished at this time
Egypt built up its army to protect itself from invaders
Pharaoh
Near the end of the Old Kingdom, the pharaoh Pepi II gave away pharaonic power
The pharaoh of the Middle Kingdom wasn’t as powerful, but was expected to be a wise and good ruler

9. The Middle Kingdom (2050 – 1652 BCE)
Tombs
The rising cost of pyramids and increased robbery led to the development of a new resting place for Egypt’s kings
The Valley of the Kings
Series of hidden tombs to avoid robbery located in Thebes

11. The Valley of the Kings (discovered tombs)

12. The Middle Kingdom (2050 – 1652 BCE)
Hyksos Invasion
Marks the end of the Middle Kingdom
Benefits
Improved Egyptian bronze casting
Future pharaohs borrow Hyksos chariot fighting technique
Hyksos preserved papyri of Egyptian medical texts

13. The New Kingdom (1567 – 1085 BCE) Reunification
Under Ahmose, the Hyksos were defeated and Upper and Lower Egypt were reunified

14. Hatshepsut’s Mortuary Temple
The New Kingdom (1567 – 1085 BCE)
Hatshepsut’s Mortuary Temple

15. The New Kingdom (1567 – 1085 BCE) Period of Chaos
The Reign of Akhenaten (King Tut’s father)
Changed the Egyptian religion to worship one god, Aten

16. The New Kingdom (1567 – 1085 BCE)
Invasion of the Hittites, Assyrians and “Sea Peoples”
Constant state of war led to the depletion of the treasury
For the next thousand years Egypt was dominated by
Libyans
Nubians
Persians
Macedonians