Transcript Slide 1 - Images

Egyptian Civilization
1.06 Examine the indicators of civilization, including writing, labor
specialization, cities, technology, trade, and political and cultural
institutions.
2.01 Trace the development and assess the achievements of early
river civilizations, including but not limited to those around the
Huang-He, Nile, Indus, and Tigris-Euphrates rivers
The Nile River
• Begins in the heart of Africa
• Runs northward for more
than 4,000 miles
• Longest river in the world
• Empties into the
Mediterranean Sea
• Splits into 2 major branches
forming the Nile Delta
– Delta = Lower Egypt
– Land upstream = Upper
Egypt
Nile Floods
• Flooded yearly
• Referred to as the
“miracle of the Nile”
• Left a deposit of mud
that created rich
farming soil
• Called the area of rich
soil “Black Land”
– Called the deserts
beyond “Red Land”
Benefits of the Nile
• Allowed farmers to
grow a surplus of food
• Made transportation
faster
• Made communication
easier
Natural Barriers
• These natural barriers
kept the Ancient
Egyptians relatively
safe from invasions
– Deserts
– Red Sea
– Cataracts (rapids)
– Mediterranean Sea
Religion
• Polytheistic
• Two groups of gods
came to have
special meaning
– Sun gods
– Land/water gods
Sun Gods
• Sun seen as the source of life
• Sun god took different forms
and names based on his role
• Egyptian rulers took the title
“Son of Re”
– Re was one of the sun god’s
names
River & Land Gods
• Myth of Osiris and Isis
– Osiris – brought civilization to Egypt
– Seth – Osiris’s evil brother cut him into
pieces and threw him in the Nile
– Isis – Osiris’s wife found him and with the
help of other gods put his body back
together and brought him back to life
• Story became a symbol of
resurrection/rebirth
• Dead began to be placed in tombs (kings
in pyramids)
• http://www.egyptianmyths.net/mythisis.h
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King Menes
• United Egypt around 3100
BC
• Created the first royal
dynasty
– Family of rulers whose
right to rule is passed on
within the family
• King of Egypt called the
“King of Upper & Lower
Egypt”
• Crown was a double crown
Egyptian Timeline
• The Old Kingdom
– 2700 BC – 2200 BC
– Age of prosperity & splendor
– Pharaohs possessed absolute
power
– Pyramids & Sphinx built
• The Middle Kingdom
– 2055 BC – 1650 BC
– Nubia conquered
– Pharaohs more concerned for the
people
Egyptian Timeline
• Middle Kingdom
– Ended with invasion of Hyksos
• Used horse drawn chariots
• Ruled Egypt for 100 years
• The New Kingdom
– 1550 BC – 1070 BC
– Became the most powerful state in
Southwest Asia
– Hatshepsut became one of most
powerful women pharaohs
– Other important pharaohs
•
•
•
•
Akhenaten (tried rule under one sun god)
Tutanankahmen
Ramses II
Cleopatra VII
Mummification
• Goal was to preserve
the physical body after
death
• Dried the body to keep
it from rotting
• Performed in
workshops run by
priests
• Mainly for wealthy who
could afford it
The Mummification Process
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Removed liver, lungs, stomach &
intestines – placed them in special jars
Removed brain through the nose
Covered the body with salt to absorb
water
Filled the body with spices
Wrapped the body with layer of linen
soaked in resin
Placed a lifelike mask over the head and
shoulders
Sealed the mummy in a cask and placed
it in the tomb
**Entire process took about 70 days
Egyptian Society
Pharaoh
• God King
Nobles &
Priests
Merchants, Artisans,
Scribes, & Tax
Collectors
Peasant Farmers
• Upper Class – Had their own landed estates and
provided much of their own wealth
• Middle Class – Some were involved in
international trade must most lived in
comfortable city homes
• Lower Class – Farmed the land
for the upper class. Paid taxes in
the form of crops, lived in small
villages and provided forced
labor/military service
Family Life in Ancient Egypt
• Married young (12-14)
• Husband could have more
than 1 wife if his first wife
was childless
• Husband was master of the
house
• Wives were in charge of
the household and
children’s education
• Women kept their property
& inheritance
• Divorce was okay
Egyptian Writing
• Hieroglyphics
– Emerged around 3000 BC
– Used pictures & abstract
forms
– Used on temple walls & in
tombs
• Hieratic Script
– Drawings simplified suing
dashes, strokes & curves
– Used for the general needs
of daily life
– Written on papyrus
Art & Science
• Architecture
– Pyramids
– Temples
– Monuments
• Art
– Followed a particular
style
– Gave Egyptian art a
distinctive look
Art & Science
• Mathematics
– Helped in building projects
– Able to calculate area &
volume
– Used geometry to survey
flooded land
• Astrology
– Developed a 365 day calendar
• Medical
– Embalming led to vast
knowledge about the body