1. Chapter 3: Nile Civilizations

2. Section 2 - Egyptian Culture

3. Section 2 - Egyptian Culture
Main Idea
The ancient Egyptians are famous for their religion, their burial practices, and their advances in art, writing and science.
Reading Focus
What were the main principles of Egyptian religion?
Why did Egyptians practice mummification and burial?
What was daily life like in ancient Egypt?
What advances did Egyptians make in art, writing and science?

4. Section 2 - Egyptian Culture
Imhotep lived during the Third Dynasty and became the vizier of King Zoser (Djoser) and high priest of the sun god Re. Imhotep was a scribe, chief lector, priest, architect, astronomer and magician (medicine and magic were used together.) For 3000 years he was worshipped as a god in Greece and Rome. One of his best-known sayings is: "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we shall die.”

5. I. Egyptian Religion
Egyptians worshipped hundreds of gods; believed gods controlled all natural events
The council of Ra with the nine members: Osiris, Nut, Geb, Shu, Atum, Tefnut, Nephyhys, Isis and Set. Sometimes Horus and Thoth were added.

6. A. Chief gods and goddesses
Sun god: Re in Old Kingdom, later linked to sky god, Amon, and became Amon-Re
In one of his many forms, Ra has the head of a falcon and the sun-disk of Wadjet resting on his head.

7. A. Chief gods and goddesses
Anubis: Protector of the dead
This scene portrays the weighing of the royal scribe’s heart against a feather representing truth

8. A. Chief gods and goddesses
Osiris - king of the underworld, god of the dead

9. Egyptian goddess Isis, tomb painting, ca. 1360 BC
A. Chief gods and goddesses
Isis - wife and sister of Osiris, mother of Horus
Egyptian goddess Isis, tomb painting, ca BC

10. A. Chief gods and goddesses
Horus - god of the sky, protector of the pharaohs

11. A. Chief gods and goddesses
Seth – god of chaos, storms, the desert; brother of Osiris and Isis

12. B. Temples and Religious Practices
Temples built to honor and provide homes for gods
Hall of Columns at Karnak

13. B. Temples and Religious Practices
Obelisks - made from a single piece of stone, carved with designs
Unfinished obelisk at Aswan
Obelisk of Ramses II, Luxor Temple

14. B. Temples and Religious Practices
Priests performed rituals to keep the gods alive

15. B. Temples and Religious Practices
Commoners only worshiped gods at annual festivals

16. II. Mummification and Burial
Belief in afterlife led to rituals for death and burial

17. II. Mummification and Burial
When physical body died, it released ka; ka vanished if body decomposed
Ka is the life force or spiritual double of the person. Ba is represented as a human-headed bird that leaves the body when a person dies. The face of Ba was the exact likeness of that of the deceased person.

18. II. Mummification and Burial
Mummification - process to prevent breakdown of body; only for royalty at first

19. II. Mummification and Burial
Internal organs (except heart) removed; body wrapped with linen strips
The liver, the lungs, the stomach, and the intestines were each placed in a separate Canopic Jars

20. II. Mummification and Burial
Dead buried with possessions needed for afterlife
Tut’s Tomb

21. II. Mummification and Burial
Tombs painted with scenes from person’s life; Book of the Dead guided ka on journey to afterlife
Book of the Dead from Thebes Late 18th Dynasty, BC

22. III. Daily Life

23. A. Social Structure
Highly stratified society – pharaoh, religious and military leaders at top

24. A. Social Structure
Artisans and merchants next; 90% were peasant farmers or laborers

25. B. Home and Family Life
Lifestyle varied between classes; pharaohs had several wives, often married sisters

26. B. Home and Family Life
Women equal to husbands; children learned from parents
Granite sphinx of Hatshepsut,
15th Century BC

27. B. Home and Family Life
Egyptians concerned with appearance; free time occupied with sports and games
The large collection of grooming items – combs, shaving tools and different kinds of oils that were used as make-up – found in Egyptian tombs and coffins bears testament to their interest in beauty. Wigs were also very popular and could be found in a variety of colors such as blue, green, yellow and gold. Moreover, in spite of their dark skin, many Egyptian women liked to use gold and yellow wigs to beautify themselves.

28. IV. Art, Writing, and Science
King Tutankhamen and Queen Ankhesenamun (fromTut’s throne)

29. Murals in the Tomb of Sennedjem
A. Egyptian Art
Paintings were distinctive, detailed and colorful; variety of subjects
Murals in the Tomb of Sennedjem

30. A. Egyptian Art
Statues large and imposing - most depicted gods or pharaohs
Monuments of Pharaoh Amenhotep III guard the entrance of a long-vanished temple

31. B. Egyptian Writing
Hieroglyphics - main writing system; picture symbols represented objects

32. B. Egyptian Writing
Two other systems: hieratic for religious texts; demotic for legal and literary writings
Demotic script (meaning 'writing for documents') developed by the year 660 BC and was used until about 425 AD

33. B. Egyptian Writing
Used the papyrus plant to make paper-like sheets

34. Egypt is important for papyrus in two respects
Egypt is important for papyrus in two respects. First, papyrus plants grew almost exclusively in the region of the Nile delta. Secondly, the dry climate of Egypt made it possible for papyri to endure, in many cases, for over 2 millennia. Paper is made from the papyrus plant by separating it with a needle point into very thin strips as broad as possible. The choice quality comes from the center, and thence in the order of slicing. The first use of papyrus paper is believed to have been 4000 BC.

35. B. Egyptian Writing
Discovery of Rosetta Stone unlocked Egyptian writing: writing was the same text in hieroglyphic, demotic and Greek

36. C. Math and Science
Had thorough understanding of arithmetic, geometry, and engineering principles

37. C. Math and Science
Great scientific advances in medicine; became masters of human anatomy