Pyramids on the Nile

1. Pyramids on the Nile

2. Geography of Egypt • Nile River • 4,100 miles • Longest in World • Gift of Nile • Yearly flooding • July • Rains • Snow melting

3. Nile’s Gifts • After floods • Plow • Plant • Harvest • Everything revolved around Nile • Worshiped Nile

4. Lower Nile Last 750 miles Only part known for a while Ended at cataract Delta Northern Upper Egypt South of 1st cataract Southern Upper vs. Lower Egypt

5. Transportation • North bound boats drift • South bound boats raise sails • Winds blow North to South

6. Environmental Challenges • Floods unpredictable • Problem • Too little water = not enough silt (thousands die) • Too much water = villages flooding & destruction • Desert • Natural barriers • No invaders

7. Movement of Goods & Ideas • 3200 B.C. had contact w/ Mesopotamia • Caravans trade • 2000 B.C. trading to Upper Egypt • Gold • Ivory • Cattle • Granite Blocks

8. Land of Multiplicity • Multicultural • Multiethnic • Influences from Fertile Crescent & Africa • 3000 year history

9. Egypt Unites into Kingdom • 5000 B.C. lived in villages • Each had their own gods • Each had their own rituals • Chieftains • 3200 B.C. = 2 different kingdoms • Upper Egypt • Lower Egypt

10. United Kingdom cont. • 3100 B.C. • Menes unites 2 Kingdoms • From Upper Egypt • 1st Dynasty • Establish capital near 2 meeting points • 2,600 years w/ 31 dynasties • 1st two dynasties shady • 3rd dynasties had better record keeping • 2660-2180 B.C. – Old Kingdom (3rd dynasty)

11. Pharaohs rule as gods • Pharaoh was god • Responsible for well-being of people • Nile to flood • Sun to raise • Promote truth & justice • Theocracy • Divine ruler • Head of government & religion • Mesopotamia king was reprehensive of gods

12. Builders of Pyramids • Pharaohs rule after death • Ka = eternal spirit • Tombs more important than palaces

13. Old Kingdom = Golden Age • Built w/o wheel • Supply of rock • Granite • Limestone • Quarried 400 miles up river • Weighed between 2 ½ - 15 tons • 2 million stones stacked @ height of 481’ • 13 acres

14. What did this Represent? • Economic strength • Massive public works project • Leadership • Government organization

15. Religion • Polytheistic • Worship many gods • Ra: sun god • Horus: god of light • Isis: goddess, ideal mother & women • 2,000 gods & goddess • After life • Judged on deeds after they die • Osiris: god of death judged • Heart had to be light • Meant no sin • Devourer of souls to the impure hearts • Why were Egyptians happier than Fertile Crescent?

16. Social Classes

17. Social Classes • Could move up in social classes • Marriage • Success in jobs • To be high • Read • Write • Careers • Army • Royal treasury • Priesthood • Kings court • Women • Own/trade land • Propose marriage/divorce • Divorce entitled 1/3 of couples property

18. Egyptian Writing • Started as drawing • Moved to hieroglyphics • Picture stood for idea • Picture then stood for sounds • 1st written on stone • Moved on papyrus • Reeds dried • Glued strips together • Make paper

19. Science & Technology • Collected taxes • System of written #’s • Counting • (+) & (-) • Early form of geometry • Survey • Reset property boundaries after floods • Math • Help architects • Engineers • Stone columns

20. Science cont. • Medicine • Feel for pulse • Splints • Calendar • Time between floods • Growing season • Used star Sirius • 12 months/30 days • 5 days for holidays & feasting • W/in 6 hours of solar year

21. Chariots Invade Egypt • Power of pharaohs decline • 2180 B.C. • End of Old Kingdom • 1st Intermediate period • Weakness • Turmoil • Middle Kingdom 2080-1640 B.C. • Improve trade & transportation • Canal dug from Nile to Red Sea • Dikes built • Capture flood waters • Irrigation • 1,000’s acres of new farmlands by draining swamps in Lower Egypt

22. 1640 B.C. • Asian nomads • Cross Isthmus of Suez on Chariots • Hyksos, “Rulers of Uplands” • Ruled 1640-1570 B.C. • 2nd intermediate period