Ancient Egypt Culture & Society

1. Ancient EgyptCulture & Society The Daily Life of Ancient Egypt GNED002 - Ancient Empires

2. Overview • Population • Language • Social structure • Divine kingship • Arts and leisure • Cosmology Skiffs in Nile Swamps Saqqara Mastaba 6th Dynasty, 2300 BC GNED002 - Ancient Empires

3. Population • Numbers • Old Kingdom • 1 - 2 million • Roman Empire • 7 million • Immigration • Nubians, Asiatics, Greeks • Small numbers, acculturated easily Nubian tribute GNED002 - Ancient Empires

4. Language papyrus • Afro-Asiatic Egyptian language • Five Ancient Language Periods • Old Egyptian (Predynastic Old Kingdom) • Middle Egyptian (Middle Kingdom) • Late Egyptian (New Kingdom) • Demotic (Ptolemy to Middle Ages) • Coptic Egyptian (Middle Ages to 1600’s) • replaced by Arabic • Hieroglyphic (picture writing) • evolved into demotic (cursive writing) • Literacy • Grew with growth of central administration GNED002 - Ancient Empires “doctor” scribe

5. Writing • Hallmark of administrative class • Hieroglyphic: picture writing • From Old Kingdom • Rosetta Stone: same text in Egyptian hieroglyphic, Egyptian demotic, and Greek • Cursive script 2500 BC • Records, literature, hymns & prayers, technical manuals • Papyrus workshops in temples: copying traditional texts Rosetta Stone scribe GNED002 - Ancient Empires

6. Social Structure • Upper • pharaoh & court • high-level officials • Middle • lower-level officials • local leaders, wealthy farmers • priests & professionals • artisans • Lower • common folk (majority) • Slaves • Limited to captives, criminals Royal couple Sulptors GNED002 - Ancient Empires

7. Divine Kingship • Pharaoh son of Sun God - Re • Sent to maintain ma’at: divinely authorized order of universe • People’s link with gods • Rule ensured security, prosperity • Source of law, authority • Centralized Power • All Egypt belongs to Pharaoh • Strong monarchy = strong central government • Capital Cities • Old Kingdom: Memphis (near Cairo) • Middle & New Kingdom: Thebes (Luxor) GNED002 - Ancient Empires

8. Nomes and Cities 1st nome - Saqqara • Nomes • Provinces of Ancient Egypt • Lower Egypt: 20, Upper Egypt: 22 • Nomarchs • provincial governors • supervised irrigation & dams, dispensed justice • Cities • Pharaonic capitals • No archaeology: still occupied • Essential wealth in land & products • Provincial capitals • Religious and economic centres for region, frontier fortresses • Nubia ruled directly by viceroy of pharaoh GNED002 - Ancient Empires

9. Royal Bureaucracy • Writing records • Land, labour, products, people • Taxes up to 50% • Administration • Palace, bureaucracy, army • Built & maintained temples, monuments to pharaoh • Simple geography of Nile lands easy to administer • State monopoly over key sectors of economy • Some local private enterprise GNED002 - Ancient Empires

10. Bedouins The Imperial Military • Old & Middle Kingdoms • Limited contact with other civilizations • Defense against desert raiders • Small standing army of professional soldiers • Local militia when needed • New Kingdom • Expanded Empire • Nubia, Middle East • Trade, not territory • Access to resources e.g. Lebanese cedar GNED002 - Ancient Empires Egypt’s Kingdoms

11. The Army of Egypt • Weapons • Striking weapons • club, mace, axe, sword, spear • Throwing weapons • javelin, bow, slingshot • Shield, helmet, armour • chariot after Hyksos invasion • New Kingdom Army • Mercenaries • Nobility as officers • Use of specialized forces: sappers (military engineers), trenchers, shock troops • Rewards for excellence: land, slaves, social position GNED002 - Ancient Empires

12. Shipping and Trade • Ships • River boats • Seafaring traders • Naval vessels • Trade Routes • Nubia: gold • Sinai: copper, gems • Canaan: cedar • Punt: ostrich eggs, ivory GNED002 - Ancient Empires

13. Artisans • Carpenters • cabinet making, furniture • Sculptors • Stonemasons • tomb & temple complexes • Goldsmiths • jewellry, funeral masks • Weavers • linens • Potters Chair for King Tut Funeral mask of Psusennes 21st dynasty GNED002 - Ancient Empires

14. Nefertari playing Senet Leisure garden with fish pond • Zoos & parks • gardens in house courtyard • animals & birds • Hunting & fishing • royal leopard hunts • Games • ball, board • sports • toys • Banquets • games, music, dancing GNED002 - Ancient Empires

15. Music • Strings • Harps, lyres, lutes • Percussion • Drums, rattles, cymbals • Wind • Flutes, trumpets, oboes • Vocal music GNED002 - Ancient Empires

16. Cosmology • Religion rooted in landscape of Nile • Vision of cosmic order • Recurrent cycles, periodic renewal • Pharaoh as Chief Priest • Temples, gifts to gods, tomb monuments • Required great wealth • Continuity of divine kingship • Ensure renewal of life Menkaure and goddesses GNED002 - Ancient Empires

17. Amen Gods of Ancient Egypt • Amen (Amon) • Creation deity of Thebes • Anubis • Jackal head, conductor of souls • Isis • Mother goddess of fertility & nature • Re (Ra) • creator, sun god • Osiris • god of dead, underworld Anubis Isis Osiris Re GNED002 - Ancient Empires

18. Temple of Amon - Luxor Ritual • Temple Cults • God statue in inner room • Priests serve daily needs • Festivals • Boat litter carried god statue in public • Household Altars • Offerings to • Bes, god of marriage & family • Local gods • Family ancestors • Magic • Amulets : An amulet (Latinamuletum) can be any object whose most important characteristic is its alleged power to protect its owner from danger or harm. Bes GNED002 - Ancient Empires

19. Obsession with Afterlife canopic jar • Death as hazardous journey to afterlife • Book of the Dead: ritual & prayer to protect soul • Weighing of deceased’s heart • Shabti: figurine servant as companion (also ushabti) • Mummification • Organs removed to canopic jars • Body dried in natron • Naturally occurring • Salt & sodium carbonate • Sarcophagus: decorated casket in tomb Sarcophagus of Tutankhamen GNED002 - Ancient Empires shabti