1. Egypt, the Indus Valley, and the Zhou Dynasty
Chapters 3-5

2. Unification of Egypt
Legendary conqueror Menes, ca. 3100, unifies Egyptian kingdom
Founder of Memphis, cultural and political center of ancient Egypt
Instituted the rule of the pharaoh
Claimed descent from the gods
Absolute rulers, had slaves buried with them from 2600 B.C.E.
Most powerful during Archaic Period ( B.C.E.) and Old Kingdom ( B.C.E.)

3. The Pyramids Symbols of the pharaoh’s authority and divine status
A testimony of the pharaohs’ ability to marshal Egypt’s resources
Largest Khufu (Cheops), 2.3 M limestone blocks, average weight 2.5 tons
Role: burial chambers for pharaohs

4. Relations with Nubia Competition over Nile trade
Military conflict between 3100 and 2600 B.C.E.
Drove Nubians to the south
Established kingdom of Kush, ca B.C.E.
Trade, cultural influences continue despite military conflict

5. The New Kingdom
Few pyramids, but major monumental architectural projects
Engaged in empire-building to protect against foreign invasion
After New Kingdom, local resistance drives Egypt out of Nubia
Kingdom of Kush revives ca B.C.E.
Invasions of Kushites, Assyrians destroy Egypt
mid-sixth century B.C.E.

6. Egyptian Urban Culture
Major cities along Nile River, especially at delta
Memphis ca B.C.E., Heliopolis ca B.C.E.
Nubian cities include Kerma, Napata, Meroë
Located at cataracts of the Nile
Well-defined social classes
Pharaohs to slaves
Archaeological discoveries in Nubia also support class-based society
Patriarchal societies
notable exceptions: female pharaoh Hatshepsut (r B.C.E.)

7. Economic Specialization
Bronze metallurgy introduced late, with Hyksos invasion
Development of iron early, ca. 900 B.C.E.
Trade along Nile River
More difficult in Nubia due to cataracts (white water rapids)
Sea trade in Mediterranean

8. Hieroglyphs “Holy inscriptions”
Writing appeared at least by 3200 B.C.E.
Pictographic, supplemented with symbols representing sounds and ideas
Survives on monuments, buildings, sheets of papyrus
Hieroglyphs for formal writing, hieratic script for everyday affairs used from 2600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.
Greek alphabet adopted
Meroitic writing: flexible system borrowed from hieroglyphs, represents sounds rather than ideas

10. Mummification and the Afterlife
Inspiration of the cycles of the Nile
Belief in revival of the dead
First: ruling classes only, later expanded to include lower classes
Cult of Osiris
Lord of the underworld
Power to determine who deserved immortality
Held out hope of eternal reward for those who lived moral lives
Show second clip from Ancient Egypt, Sphinx through mummification

11. Bantu Migrations, 3000-1000 B.C.E. Bantu: “people”
Migration throughout sub-Saharan regions
Population pressures
500+ variations of original Bantu language
90 million speakers
By 1000 B.C.E., occupied most of Africa south of the equator

12. Bantu Migrations, 2000 B.C.E.-1000 C.E.

13. The End of the Indus Valley

14. A Mysterious End Reasons for disappearance unclear
Excessive deforestation, loss of topsoil
Earthquakes?
Flooding?
Disappearance by 1500 B.C.E.
Indus traditions survived – agricultural practices, religious beliefs, and urban traditions

15. The Early Aryans Aryan – “noble people”
From Indo-European ranges
Pastoral economy: sheep, goats, horses, cattle
Cattle not sacred until many centuries later
Religious and literary works: the Vedas
Early Aryans did not use writing
Sanskrit: sacred tongue
Prakrit: everyday language, evolved into Hindi, Urdu, Bengali
Four Vedas (wisdom), most important Rig Veda
1028 hymns to Aryan gods

16. The Vedic Age (1500 BCE – 500 BCE)
Conflicts between Aryans and indigenous dasas (“enemies,” “subjects”)
Aryans fighting Dravidians (southern India)
Also Aryans fighting each other
Chiefdoms: rajas
Migrations further south
Development of iron metallurgy
Increasing reliance on agriculture
Tribal connections evolve into political structures

18. Varna: The Caste System
“People are different, and different people will fit well into different aspects of society”
Caste – hereditary classes of Hindu society
“ritual purity or pollution and social status”
Origins in Aryan domination of Dravidians
Brahmin, priest
Kshatriya, warrior
Vaishya, merchant
Shudra, serf
“Untouchables”

19. Patriarchy in Ancient Indian Society
Patriarchy - “Rule of the father”
A social order that stood alongside the caste system, and varna hierarchy
Enforced in the Lawbook of Manu
Guided moral behavior/social relationships
Women to be subject to fathers, husbands, sons
Women’s most important duties to bear children and maintain wholesome homes

20. Back to China

21. Zhou Dynasty, 1122-256 B.C.E. Longest lasting Chinese dynasty
No law codes: rule by decree (official orders)
“Mandate of heaven”
Gathering of villages opposed to Shang leadership
Decentralization of authority
Development of cheap iron weaponry ends Shang monopoly on bronze

22. Decline of the Zhou Dynasty
Decentralized leadership style allows for building of regional powers
Increasing local independence, refusal to pay Zhou taxes
Iron metallurgy allows for widespread creation of weaponry
Northern invaders weaken Zhou dynasty, beginning eighth century B.C.E.
Internal dissention: the Period of the Warring States ( B.C.E.)

23. China During the Period of the Warring States, 403-221 B.C.E.

24. Social Order Ruling classes great advantage
Palaces, luxurious lifestyle
Supported by agricultural surplus, tax revenues
Defended by monopoly on bronze weaponry
Hereditary privilege
Support class of artisans, craftsmen
Evidence of long-distance trade, merchant class
Large class of semi-servile peasants
Slave class

25. Family and Patriarchy Devotion to family, respect for ancestors
Connection of spirit world to physical world
Ritual sacrifices
Father ritual head of family rites
Earlier prominence of individual female leaders fades in later Shang, Zhou dynasties

26. Oracle Bones and Early Chinese Writing
Used for communicating with spirit world, determining future
Question written on animal bones, turtle shells
Then heated over fire; cracks examined for omens
Early archaeological evidence of Chinese writing
Evolution of Chinese script
Pictograph to ideograph

27. Oracle Bone from Shang Dynasty

28. Zhou Literature The reflections of Confucius Book of Changes
Manual for divination
Book of History
Book of Etiquette (Book of Rites)
Book of Songs
Little survived
Often written on perishable bamboo strips
Many destroyed by emperor of Qin dynasty in 221 B.C.E.