Ancient Egypt

1. Ancient Egypt

2. Ancient Kingdoms of The Nile

3. Objectives • To Review the Geography of the Nile River Basin • To understand the pre-history of the Nile River Basin • To discover the three Kingdoms of Ancient Egypt • To understand methods of ancient recordkeeping and communication.

4. The Nile River Basin • Oasis in the Desert • Civilization built up around the river • Natural barriers • Deserts • Seas • Fertile Soil • Sunny Warm Climate • Large Deposits of Stone • Building Materials

5. The Nile • Dominates the Geography • River flows from South to North • Wind blows from North to South • Most of River is smooth and Steady • Cataracts • Travel and Shipping • Sources • White Nile • Blue Nile

6. Flooding "When the Nile overflows, it floods both its banks to an average distance of forty miles. But why it does so I find it impossible to discover . . . I would particularly like to know why it starts flooding in mid-summer, of all times, and goes on doing so for over three months before sinking back to its original level. . . ." —Herodotus, from The Histories

7. Flooding • Annual Cycle • Mid-Summer • Caused by Heavy Rains near source • Farmers planned around the floods • Fertilization • Irrigation • 2-3 crops a year

8. Steps toward Civilization • Early groups of Hunter-gatherers as early as 12,000 B.C. • Eventually formed farming settlements • Early Neolithic culture formed around 6000 B.C. • Metallurgy and pottery believed to have begun by 3800 B.C. • Early Bronze Age

9. Language and Writing • Hieroglyphics • 3000 B.C. • Used pictures and symbols to represent words and sounds • More than 600 different symbols used • Initially carved into stone, later papyrus was used

10. Language and Writing • Papyrus • Early form of Paper • Created Ink from soot, water, and plant juice

11. The Rosetta Stone • Discovered by French Soldiers in 1799 • Passages in Greek, Hieroglyphics and Demotic (Egyptian writing style) • Scholars able to read Greek and thus break the Hieroglyphic code

12. Early Egyptian Kingdoms • Two distinct cultures and kingdoms • Lower • Upper • After 3200 B.C. Kingdoms united under Menes • Created a dynasty • Built an empire

13. Pharaohs • Rulers were both political, religious, and military leaders • People regarded them as gods • Temples and Tombs built to honor them • Rulers later took the title of Pharaoh • Means “Great House” • Had unlimited power

14. Later Egyptian Kingdoms • Following Menes almost 30 dynasties ruled Egypt • Scholars have divided these into three divisions. • The Old Kingdom • The Middle Kingdom • The New Kingdom

15. The Three Kingdoms of Egypt • Divide into groups of 4-5 • Each Group will be assigned to one of the three kingdoms • Read through the section of the book on your kingdom • Select 3 key points from the section and add them to the chart on the board. • In addition to the key points include: • the years of the kingdom • Pharaohs during the kingdom (if listed) • Choose a spokesperson to present your era to the class • Copy the chart to your notes

16. Egyptian Life and Culture

17. Objectives • To discuss the achievements of ancient Egyptian society • To learn about the education, religion and economy of ancient Egypt. • To learn how mummies are made • To learn about Egyptian society

18. Achievements of Ancient Egypt • Architecture and the Arts • The Sphinx • The Pyramids • Feats of Architecture and Engineering • Ramps and Levers • The Arts • Sculpture • Paintings • Medicine • Knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology • Combination of “Magic” and Herbal/Medicinal cures • Mummies • Science and Math • Lunar Calendar • Stellar Calendar • 12 months of 30 days • 5 extra days for holidays and feasting • Years counted by reign of the pharaohs • 10-based numeric system • Decimals • Fractions • Geometry

19. Education • Primarily used to pass knowledge between generations • Focused upon scribes or clerks • Curriculum included Three R’s • Reading • Writing • Religion • Many schools attached to Temples

20. The Gods • Early Villages often had their own god(s) • Often in Animal Form • Cat, Bull, crocodile, scarab beetle etc. • Over time some spread in influence throughout Egypt • Amon-Re- The Sun God • Osiris- The God of the Underworld and The Nile • Isis- Wife of Osiris and goddess of Royal Throne

21. Life after Death • Early beliefs in the afterlife only included Pharaoh • Later all people and animals included • Judgment • Osiris • Heart vs. Sacred Feather • Burial • Tomb stocked with necessities • Book of the Dead

22. Mummies

23. Egyptian Society • Divided Social Classes • Little to no room for changing classes • Women had legal rights • Equal legal status in social and business affairs • Could own property • Different than contemporary cultures

24. Farming "Let me set out for you the farmer's state—that other hard calling. . . . He spends the day cutting tools for cultivating barley and the night twisting ropes. His midday hour even he is in the habit of spending in farmer's work. He sets about equipping himself to sally forth in the field like any warrior [that is, the farmer is burdened with many heavy tools]. The field is parched . . .“ --Lansing Papyrus, from Pharaoh’s People

25. Farming • Farms divided into large estates • Owned and Controlled by Pharaoh • Worked by Peasants • Crude tools • Wheat, Barley, Flax, and Cotton • Only kept part of the crop

26. Trade • Exported food • Formed Caravans • Western Asia • Africa • Sailing • Mediterranean Sea • Red Sea • African Coast

27. Cartouche Activity • Create Your own Cartouche • Use a blank piece of paper • Draw the outline of the cartouche as shown • Write Your name in Hieroglyphics on the cartouche • Be Creative and Have Fun • Points for neatness, creativity, accuracy

28. Hieroglyphics