Transcript Chapter 2:
Ancient Civilization Egypt Egyptian Empire About 1450 B.C. Civilization: Nile River –Located in Africa –Flows North –The Nile cycle• Flood • plant • harvest Specialized Workers • Artisans specialized in various jobs, such as: • • • • Bricklayers Blacksmiths Mummifiers Doctors - Potters - Architects Job Specialization • • • • • • Created great architecture and art monumental architecture pyramids, ziggurats, big cities huge temples and associated structures to fill the needs of a god-oriented state under the control of the priestly class Complex Institutions Political • Theocracy –system in which the ruler is a divine figure. - Power was passed from one dynasty to another and land remained united. Menes • - united the two regions. He is believed to have been the –1st pharaoh of Egypt – start the 1st national government –1st Egyptian Dynasty. 3 different Kingdoms (old, middle and new) • Old Kingdom 2700- 2200 BCE • Old Kingdom- 3rd dynasty- pharaohs (Egyptian rulers) were believed to be gods. – Viziers- chief ministers • Viziers also collected taxes, farming, etc. – During this time the pyramids (tombs for eternity) were built. They believed in life after death. **Sphinx and pyramids Middle Kingdom 2050- 1800 BCE • Middle Kingdomcorruption and rebellions, but still was able to dig canals for irrigation New Kingdom1550-1100 BCE New Kingdom- regained power and created a larger empire. King Tutankhamen • 18 year old ruler found in 1922, he was a minor ruler. What made him so famous was that his tomb was found completely intact. • Tomb found completely intact http://ambassadors.net/archives/images/King_Tut_fa Complex Institutions: Religion • Polytheistic - believed divine forces ruled this world and the afterlife. • • • • Amon-Re- chief god, sun god Osiris- god of the underworld and the Nile (controlled annual floods) Isis- goddess taught women skills Akhenation- tried to sweep away all gods except Aton, he failed. Due to others being afraid to abandon their gods. • Egyptians believed that gods promised eternal life after death. Book of the Dead • Test- souls had to pass a test in order to win eternal life. –Book of the Dead- contains, spells, charms for dead to use in the afterlife. It was placed in the tombs. Valley of the Kings • pharaohs were buried here Advanced Cities Memphis • Thebes • Planned and usually walled cities • Centers of worship and trade • Advanced Technology • • • • • • • • Irrigation, levees – control of the Nile Mummification-preservation of the dead Pulleys Levers Architecture Calendar Numbers – geometry Medicine Record Keeping • Papyrus- paper like material, use reed pens and ink – Paper was not invented until AD 100 in China Hieroglyphics • Scribes- kept records on all going- on • Hieroglyphics- pictograms that depicted objects Rosetta Stone: The stone was found written in 3 languages: Hieroglyphics, simple hieroglyphics, and ancient Greek. The Greek could be translated and allowed us to translate the hieroglyphics.