Transcript Egypt II
Egypt The Nile River • Named after Greek word neilos • Egyptians called Aur/Ar • Longest river in world • Flows South to North – Southern Egypt = Upper Egypt/”Valley” – Northern Egypt = Lower Egypt/”Delta” • “Egypt was the Gift of the Nile” – Flood/Inundation June-Oct. – Plant, Harvest Feb-June Manipulating the Nile Egypt’s 5 Natural Barriers 5 Natural Barriers: 1. Red Sea (East) 2. Desert (West) 3. Mediterranean Sea (North) 4. Ethiopian Mts. (South) 5. River Cataracts Cataracts of Egypt First Cataract Modern Manipulations of the Nile: The Aswan Dam abul Simbel The Egyptian Dynasties: the Pre, Old, Middle and Intermediate Eras Pre-Dynastic Old Kingdom 1st Intermediate Middle Kingdom 2nd Intermediate New Kingdom Pre-Dynastic Era • Organized into confederacies called Nomes – Led by Nomarchs • Eventually Nomes org. into 2 large Kingdoms – Lower and Upper Egypt Unification of Egypt • Scorpion I and II – 1st attempts to unify • Narmer/Menes – Successfully unified – Made Memphis capital • Symbol Unification – Combined red & white crowns Death in Pre-Dynastic Egypt • No Afterlife or Pyramids • But did Bury Dead – Shallow pits – Mastabas The Old Kingdom • Role of Pharaoh expanded – Absolute power – A living God – Practiced Polygamy • Great Royal Daughter • Ra most imp. God • “Era of the Pyramids” – Djoser’s Stepp Pyramid • 1st Pyramid – Snefru’s Red Pyramid • 1st True Pyramid 1st Intermediate Era • Remembered as time of misery & chaos • Causes – Econ. & Environmental Prob. – Believed Pharaoh lost Ma’at • Invaded & Ruled by outsiders – Asiatic People? Middle Kingdom • Egypt re-united by Pharaoh Mentuhotep II • A Return to Peace – Focus… • Trade, Agriculture, Security – Made #1 God Amun-Ra – Moved capital more central location – Co-regency Second Intermediate • Again, ruled by outsiders – Hyksos • Era remembered as curse, but a blessing in disguise – Gained new strategies & technologies • Chariot, composite bow New Kingdom • Re-united by Pharaoh Kamose from Thebes • Egypt’s “Age of Empire” – Nubia to Euphrates • Pharaoh Hatshepsut – Female pharaoh depicted as man – Rich Trade Land of Punt – Capital Thebes • Era of religious revolution – Armana Revolution • Akhenaten’s Aten • New capital Tell-el-Amarna – Valley of Kings and Queens – Book of the Dead – Exodus • Ramses II • Ended w/ invasion of Sea People Nubian Pharaohs of Kush Hieroglyphics Egyptian Writing • Hieroglyphics- “Sacred Writings” • Proper Egyptian Writing • Hieroglyphics • Used for official inscriptions carved on stele and temple walls • Egyptian “Slang” • Hieratic “Priestly Script” - cursive script, used for less formal events – Ex: Temple accounts • Demotic “Business Script”- shorthand writing used by merchants and traders Rosetta Stone • 1799 found by Napoleon’s troops • 3 inscriptions – Hieroglyphic – Demotic – Greek • Deciphered by Jean Francois Champollion Writing and Reading Hieroglyphics • Can write and read: – Left to right – Right to left – Columns • Used same symbols for letters articulated similarly – Ex: I and E • Ignored vowels, shortened words using consonants – Ex: Freight = FRT – Problem: FRT could be Fort, Ferret, Fart? Religion “[The Egyptians] are religious to a higher degree than any other people." ~Herodotus Egyptian Religion • Religion guided EVERY aspect of Egyptian life! • Trends in Egyptian Mythology/Religion – Polytheistic • o/ 2000 Gods! – Gods were Anthropomorphic • Strongly influenced by tradition! NUN (Watery Chaos) ATUM SHU (Air) GEB (Earth) ISIS (Protective Goddess of living) OSIRIS (Underworld) TEFNUT (Moisture) NUT (Sky) NEPHTHYS (Protective Goddess of Dead) Horus Anubis (Protector of Reigning Pharaoh) (God of Mummification) SETH (Chaos) Egyptian Religion Continued… • The Horus King – Pharaohs considered living form of Horus – Job to maintain order (Ma’at) on earth by issuing laws of Gods Belief in the Afterlife • Focused on afterlife more than any other ancient society. • To achieve rebirth needed to unite souls with body • Egyptians believed the soul had 3 parts – “ka” body – “ba” soul/spirit/conscience – “akh” represented the person’s spirit in next world; when ba and ka united hall of Judgement Mummification Crucial for the Afterlife! Early Mummification Mummification as we know it today The Steps… Canopic Jars Hapy Duamutef Qebehsenuef Imsety Lungs Stomach Intestines Liver Wow , What a Great Job!! Recreating the Ancient Mummification Process Animal Mummies Mummies Around the World Bogs Bog Bodies Bog Bodies Bog Bodies Reconstructed Bog Bodies Yde Girl Inca Child Mummies Qilakitsoq Mummies Otzi “Iceman” Mummy Chinchorro Mummies Italian Catacomb Mummies Pompeii Mummies Lady Dai Japan: Sokushinbutsu Looks that Last Modern Mummification: Plastination Modern Mummification: Plastination Continued… Modern Mummification: Plastination Continued… Egyptian Funeral Opening the Mouth Ceremony The Field of Reeds