1. Chapter 8: The Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs

2. Introduction Rulers of Egypt were called Pharaohs
1922 King Tut’s tomb was found. Within it was many treasures with his mummy (preserved body): golden coffin, golden mask, jewelry, etc- all artifacts to tell us about the past
Three important time periods:
Old Kingdom
Middle Kingdom
New Kingdom

3. Ancient Egypt and Its Rulers
Ancient Egypt had three long stable periods- Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms
Old Kingdom ( B.C.E) aka Age of the Pyramids
Build pyramids (tombs for pharaohs)& set up strong central governments
Middle Kingdom ( B.C.E) aka Period of Reunification
Achievements in art, architecture, & literature

4. 8.2 Continued New Kingdom (1600-1100 B.C.E) aka Egypt’s Golden Age
Peace and stability, built great monuments and increased trade
Religion very important- Pharaohs were believed to be gods- Kings, religious leaders, and army generals all at the same time
Believed to enter an everlasting afterlife upon death

5. Pharaoh Khufu: The Pyramid Builder
Ruled B.C.E during the Old Kingdom
Known as famous pyramid builder
Some people say he was cruel & harsh, others say he was powerful & kind
Established central authority of Pharaohs- examples: strict food supply, control over govt. officials
Declared himself a “God”
Build many pyramids as tombs
Responsible for building the Great Pyramid of Giza- one of the ancient wonders (No one knows how it was built- took 20 years)

7. Pharaoh Senuset I: Patron of the Arts
Ruled from B.C.E. during the Middle Kingdom
Stable, unified Egypt- accomplishments in art, literature, and architecture during his reign
Craftspeople thrived in making jewelry from various metals and gemstones
Controlled mines of gold, copper, and gem
Greatest literature- “The Story of Sinuhe”
Greatest architecture- “The White Chapel”
Wanted to be remembered through his monuments

8. The Ankh
Symbolizes immortality, or eternal life

9. Pharaoh Hatshepsut: Promoter of Egyptian Trade
Ruled from B.C.E
First female pharaoh- art & architecture flourished, encouraged trade along the Nile into the Middle East
Greatest trade mission was to the African Kingdom of Punt
Gained and kept power by having loyal advisors, demanded respect
Sometimes represented herself as a male and spread stories her father was a god
Stunning monument of her reign- great temple at Dayr al-Bahri, temble flanked by obelisks, and the entrance lined with 2000 sphinx statues

10. Pharaoh Ramses II: Military Leader and Master Builder
Ruled from B.C.E. during the New Kingdom
Known as Ramses the Great- one of the most famous pharaohs, ruled for over 60 years
Military leadership and numerous monuments
Over 100 wives and more than 100 children
Build hundreds of statues of himself, some more than 60 feet tall
Fearless solider, led as a captain at the age of 10
Famous campaigns against the Hittites
Was a peacemaker- signed first peace treaty with the Hittites

11. 8.6 Continued
Temple Complex of Abu Simbel was most impressive project- four giant statues of Ramses framed the entrance (some of the finest examples of Egyptian art)
Inside the temple were 3 large rooms, called Halls, alter contained statues of Ramses and Gods
Built so once a year beams of sunlight would shine and light up the halls and statues
Built more temples and monuments than any other pharaoh in history
He is one of the best preserved mummies ever found