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Ancient Egypt. Mr. Koch Forest Lake High School World History A. Nile River. Provides life to Egypt Supports animal life, irrigation/silt Flood cycle gave Egypt its seasons Flood time Planting time Harvesting time Flows north and prevailing winds blow south – aids transportation. Egypt.
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Ancient Egypt Mr. Koch Forest Lake High School World History A
Nile River • Provides life to Egypt • Supports animal life, irrigation/silt • Flood cycle gave Egypt its seasons • Flood time • Planting time • Harvesting time • Flows north and prevailing winds blow south – aids transportation
Egypt • Surrounded by deserts that isolate and protect • Cataracts • Waterfalls or rapids • Protected from invaders from south • Upper Egypt • Southern part of the Nile River • Ends at the last cataract • Lower Egypt • Delta region of the Nile • triangular marsh land that formed deposits of silt
Old Kingdom (2700 BC -2200 BC) • Pharaohs organized strong central govt • Claimed divine support • Absolute power, owned all land in the kingdom • Vizier = pharaoh’s chief advisors • Thousands of scribes carried out his instructions.
Old Kingdom (2700 BC -2200 BC) • “The Pyramid Age” • Eternal tombs • Built without tools or the wheel • Example of the strength of the empire • Only period they were built • Why did they stop?
Great Pyramid for Pharaoh Khufu at Giza • Base was size of 10 football fields • 480 feet tall • 2 million stone block • 2.5 tons each • Took 20 years to build
Middle Kingdom (2200 BC -1700 BC) • Armies occupy Nubia, export gold • Expand trade to Middle East, Crete • Many problems • Crop failures • Power struggles & corruption • Cost of pyramid building • Hyksos invade 1700 BC • Occupied Delta region • Used horse drawn chariots (awed Egyptians) • 100 years before new family rises and force Hyksos out of Egypt
New Kingdom (1600 BC -1000 BC) • Empire grows to peak of power/territory • Very powerful rulers • Hatshepsut • Female ruler (1503 BC – 1482 BC) • Expanded trade • Rule with same powers as men • Ramses II • Ruled as far north as Syria • Fought the Hittites of Asia Minor • Decline began after his rule
Tutankhamen1361-1352 BC • Becomes pharaoh at age 8. • He dies at age 18. • Buried with everything he would need in the afterlife • Chariots, weapons, toys, furniture, jewelry, games, and food • Solid gold coffin • His tomb and riches discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. • Why significant? • The only pharaoh to be found with all riches intact.
Egyptian Civilization • Polytheistic Religion • Amon-Re • Sun god • Chief god • Pharaoh • Viewed as a god • Closely linked to Amon-Re • Osiris = god of the afterlife • God of the Nile • Judged souls of the dead • Isis = wife of Osiris • Appealed to women • Taught women how to grind corn, raise children, and weave cloth
Egyptian Civilization • Belief in the afterlife • Dead souls ferried across lake of fire to Osiris to be judged • Heart weighed against feather of truth • Worthy souls entered Happy Field of Food to spend eternity • Sinners fed to the Eater of the Dead • Book of the Dead • Gave instructions on how to live your life in order to pass Osiris’ judgment • Gives us detailed values of Egyptians
Egyptian Civilization • Afterlife Cont’d • Mummification = preservation of the dead • Embalmers removed brain through nostrils and most internal organs • Cavities filled with spices • Body dried and wrapped in linens Anubis: god of embalming
Egyptian Civilization • Farmers • Vast majority of population • Had to serve Pharaoh in the off season • Building palaces, pyramids, and tombs • Women worked fields with men • Raised children • More rights then the rest of the ancient world
Egyptian Civilization • Written Records • Hieroglyphics = Egyptian picture writing • Kept important records • Ideograms = pictures that symbolize idea or action • Added later by scribes • Demotic = simple form of writing for everyday use • Developed by scribes • Papyrus = paper like writing material from plant that grew on the banks of the Nile • More convenient then carving hieroglyphics • Stone carvings still used for official records
Egyptian Civilization • Rosetta Stone • Black stone • Same message in three scripts • Hieroglyphs • Demotic • Greek • Deciphered by Jean Champollin in early 1800s