Transcript Document 589947

1. Why was the Nile River so
important?
2. What role did pharaohs play in
Egyptian Kingdoms?
3. How was Egyptian society
organized?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
“Gift of the Nile”
• More than 5,000 years ago, a rich farming
civilization grew in the Valley of the Nile
• It was referred to as “The Gift of the Nile.”
• The Egyptians cooperated with mother nature:
they dug dikes, built reservoirs, irrigation
ditches, and specialized in trade.
Three Kingdoms
• Old Kingdom: 2575 – 2130 BCE
• Middle Kingdom: 1938 – 1630 BCE
• New Kingdom: 1539 – 1075 BCE
PHARAOHS
• Pharaoh = “Great House”
• EGYPTIAN RULERS!!! Seen as Gods.
• The harmony of the universe depended on
the pharaoh’s actions; they were believed to
control the annual flooding of the NILE.
• Had to keep the bloodlines pure; married
their relatives. NO OUTSIDERS!
• Great tombs were built to hold their bodies.
SOCIAL PYRAMID
1. Pharaohs
2. Government
Officials
3. Priests
4. Scribes
5. Craftsmen
6. Peasants/Slaves
MUMMIFICATION
• Mummification = The process of preserving
a dead body for the afterlife.
• Egyptians believed in eternal life; the body
was home for the soul in the after life.
Without a body, it was condemned to
eternal wandering.
• Only the rich could afford
Process of Mummification
• Drying the body – process took 35 days
• All organs besides the heart are removed and placed in
canopic jars. The lids of the jars represented the four “Sons of
Horus.”
• Gold toe and finger protectors are placed on the body
• The body is prepared and wrapped in linen and canvas.
• Charms and amulets are placed with the body for protection
and good luck
• Everyday objects that are needed in the afterlife are placed
with the body.
• The mummy is then placed in a large stone tomb known as a
SARCOPHAGUS.