Egypt, Part 1Egypt, Part 1

Kingdom Along the Nile, Kingdom Along the Nile, OnlineOnline

Egypt: IntroductionEgypt: Introduction

• A much more stable and hierarchical A much more stable and hierarchical entity than Mesopotamia, as we will entity than Mesopotamia, as we will see.see.

• After the unification of Upper and After the unification of Upper and Lower EgyptLower Egypt

• The empire lasted 2500-3000 years, The empire lasted 2500-3000 years, depending on interpretationdepending on interpretation

• Only one major episode of political Only one major episode of political fragmentation (2200-2000 BC)fragmentation (2200-2000 BC)

Location and Map of EgyptLocation and Map of Egypt

• Lower Egypt comprises Lower Egypt comprises the Nile deltathe Nile delta

• Upper Egypt comprises Upper Egypt comprises the Nile below the deltathe Nile below the delta

• The Nile is constantThe Nile is constant

• There is a predictable There is a predictable flood every springflood every spring

• Desert on either side Desert on either side contributed to its contributed to its isolationisolation

Ecology of the Nile Ecology of the Nile ValleyValley• The Nile has a regular pattern of rainfall, The Nile has a regular pattern of rainfall,

which floods the banks of the river regularly which floods the banks of the river regularly every spring and summer from the rainy every spring and summer from the rainy season further south in the Sudan and East season further south in the Sudan and East AfricaAfrica

• Flooding was more regular and predictable Flooding was more regular and predictable than the Tigris and Euphrates in than the Tigris and Euphrates in MesopotamiaMesopotamia

• Soil at either side was fertile because of the Soil at either side was fertile because of the floodingflooding

• Egypt also had precious metals, stone that Egypt also had precious metals, stone that was useful both for tools and constructionwas useful both for tools and construction

Demographics of the NileDemographics of the Nile

• The population itself was uniform, with the The population itself was uniform, with the same language and similar, if not the same language and similar, if not the same, culturesame, culture

• Stability was facilitated by its relative Stability was facilitated by its relative isolation, an advantage that Mesopotamia isolation, an advantage that Mesopotamia lacked.lacked.

• Thus, for 3,000 years, the political, Thus, for 3,000 years, the political, religious, and cultural areas was uniform religious, and cultural areas was uniform from the south to the delta. from the south to the delta.

Egyptian Neolithic: Egyptian Neolithic: OverviewOverview

• Domesticated PlantsDomesticated Plants

• Food plants: wheat and barleyFood plants: wheat and barley

• Fiber plants: flaxFiber plants: flax

• Domesticated animals: sheep, goats, Domesticated animals: sheep, goats, cattle, pigscattle, pigs

• Small villages formed along both Small villages formed along both banks of the Nilebanks of the Nile

Egyptian Neolithic: Egyptian Neolithic: MerimbeMerimbe• Merimbe, near Nile Delta (4900)Merimbe, near Nile Delta (4900)

• Subterranean oval houses with roofs Subterranean oval houses with roofs of sticks and mudof sticks and mud

• Tools: stone axes, knives, Tools: stone axes, knives, arrowheadsarrowheads

• Grains stored in ceramic jars, pits, Grains stored in ceramic jars, pits, basketsbaskets

• Circular clay-lined threshing floorCircular clay-lined threshing floor

Egyptian Neolithic: Egyptian Neolithic: BadariBadari• Clusters of huts or skin tentsClusters of huts or skin tents• Burial sites precursors of later burial customsBurial sites precursors of later burial customs

• Bodies lowered into circular or Bodies lowered into circular or rectangular pits after faces painted rectangular pits after faces painted with green coloringwith green coloring

• Grave goods included utensils, food, Grave goods included utensils, food, ivory spoons, and vases of ivory or ivory spoons, and vases of ivory or stonestone

• Possibly the root of Egyptian burial customsPossibly the root of Egyptian burial customs

Pre-Dynastic Egypt: Central Pre-Dynastic Egypt: Central PlacesPlaces

• Nagada (Naqada)Nagada (Naqada)

• Early evidence of stratification: sumptuous Early evidence of stratification: sumptuous burialsburials

• Control of large hinterland by 5500 BPControl of large hinterland by 5500 BP

• Hierkonopolis (Nehken)Hierkonopolis (Nehken)

• Center of pottery manufacture, whose design Center of pottery manufacture, whose design appears throughout Egyptappears throughout Egypt

• Center of a necropolis, or “city of the dead,” Center of a necropolis, or “city of the dead,” evidence by tombsevidence by tombs