Egyptian Civilization:Egyptian Civilization:“The Gift of the Nile”“The Gift of the Nile”

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

•DynastyDynasty•PharaohPharaoh•BureaucracyBureaucracy•VizierVizier•MummificationMummification•HieroglyphicsHieroglyphics•Hieratic scriptHieratic script

The Impact of GeographyThe Impact of GeographyThe Impact of GeographyThe Impact of Geography

• The Nile Delta is The Nile Delta is called Lower Egyptcalled Lower Egypt

• The land upstream, to The land upstream, to the south, is called the south, is called Upper EgyptUpper Egypt

• Egypt’s important Egypt’s important cities developed at cities developed at the tip of the delta, the tip of the delta, the point at which the the point at which the Nile divides into two Nile divides into two major branches major branches forming the deltaforming the delta

The Impact of GeographyThe Impact of GeographyThe Impact of GeographyThe Impact of Geography

• The most important The most important feature of the river was feature of the river was its yearly floodingits yearly flooding

• The Nile reached highest The Nile reached highest point in Sept. and Oct., point in Sept. and Oct., and left behind a deposit and left behind a deposit of mud that created an of mud that created an area of rich, fertile soil area of rich, fertile soil several miles wide on several miles wide on both sides of the river both sides of the river called the “Black Land”called the “Black Land”

• The deserts were called The deserts were called the “Red Land”the “Red Land”

• The Nile = The Nile = transportation, transportation, communication, natural communication, natural defensedefense

The Importance of The Importance of ReligionReligion

The Importance of The Importance of ReligionReligion

• Egyptians were Egyptians were polytheistic (Ra, polytheistic (Ra, Osiris, Isis, Set, Osiris, Isis, Set, Horus)Horus)

• Major gods were Major gods were sun and land sun and land gods (the natural gods (the natural world)world)

• Had no word for Had no word for religion – just a religion – just a part of the entire part of the entire world orderworld order

Egyptian Government – The Egyptian Government – The BeginningsBeginnings

Egyptian Government – The Egyptian Government – The BeginningsBeginnings

• Menes – first Menes – first leader – united leader – united upper and lower upper and lower Egypt - founded Egypt - founded the first dynastythe first dynasty

• Around 3100 BCAround 3100 BC

• Double crown Double crown symbolizing both symbolizing both kingdomskingdoms

Crown of Upper and Lower Crown of Upper and Lower EgyptEgypt

The Old KingdomThe Old KingdomThe Old KingdomThe Old Kingdom

• 2700 – 2200 BC2700 – 2200 BC

• Title of Pharaoh is Title of Pharaoh is usedused

• Develop a Develop a government government administrationadministration

• MummificationMummification

• PyramidsPyramids

Pyramids – the Old Pyramids – the Old KingdomKingdom

Pyramids – the Old Pyramids – the Old KingdomKingdom

• Burial place for Burial place for pharaohpharaoh

• Rooms with Rooms with supplies for supplies for afterlifeafterlife

• Largest pyramid is Largest pyramid is at Gizaat Giza

• Pyramid is the Pyramid is the symbol of the Old symbol of the Old Kingdom Kingdom

The Middle KingdomThe Middle KingdomThe Middle KingdomThe Middle Kingdom

• Period of Stability Period of Stability between 2050 to between 2050 to 1652 BC1652 BC

• Conquered Nubia – Conquered Nubia – land of goldland of gold

• Pharaohs take on Pharaohs take on building projects such building projects such as draining as draining swamplandswampland

• Ends with the Ends with the invasion of Egypt by invasion of Egypt by the Hyksos (people the Hyksos (people from Western Asia)from Western Asia)

The New KingdomThe New KingdomThe New KingdomThe New Kingdom

• Hyksos teach Egyptians to Hyksos teach Egyptians to use bronze in farming tools use bronze in farming tools and weapons, and horse-and weapons, and horse-drawn chariotsdrawn chariots

• New Kingdom was 1567 to New Kingdom was 1567 to 1085 BC1085 BC

• Buildings and military Buildings and military campaignscampaigns

• Conquer and occupy Conquer and occupy Palestine and SyriaPalestine and Syria

• This is the kingdom of This is the kingdom of Hatshepsut, Akhenaton, Hatshepsut, Akhenaton, Tutankhamen, and Ramses IITutankhamen, and Ramses II

• Collapses in 1085 BCCollapses in 1085 BC

Building Projects Building Projects of Ramses IIof Ramses II

The End of EgyptThe End of EgyptThe End of EgyptThe End of Egypt

• Dominated by Libyans, Dominated by Libyans, Persian, Nubians, and Persian, Nubians, and Macedonians (after Macedonians (after Alexander the Great)Alexander the Great)

• Cleopatra tried to Cleopatra tried to reestablish reestablish independence in the 1independence in the 1stst century BC but her century BC but her involvement with Rome involvement with Rome and her suicide end and her suicide end with Egypt becoming with Egypt becoming simply another province simply another province of Romeof Rome

CitiesCities

• Egyptian Cities: Egyptian Cities: Memphis, Thebes, Memphis, Thebes, AkhetatenAkhetaten

• Homes built of mud Homes built of mud bricksbricks

• Main temples built of Main temples built of stone to important stone to important gods and goddessesgods and goddesses

• Towns often named Towns often named for the important godfor the important god

WritingWritingWritingWriting

• Writing emerged Writing emerged around 3000 BCaround 3000 BC

• HieroglyphicsHieroglyphics

• Hieratic scriptHieratic script

• First carved in First carved in stone and later stone and later written on papyruswritten on papyrus

Art, and ScienceArt, and ScienceArt, and ScienceArt, and Science

• Stylized form in Stylized form in sculptingsculpting

• Advances in math in Advances in math in order to build, and order to build, and geometrygeometry

• 365-day calendar 365-day calendar (based on the (based on the movement of the movement of the moon and the star moon and the star SiriusSirius

• Embalming Embalming • Medicine: splints, Medicine: splints,

bandages, bandages, compressescompresses

Social StructureSocial StructureSocial StructureSocial Structure

• Society in a simple structure = a Society in a simple structure = a pyramidpyramid

PharaohPharaoh

nobles & priests nobles & priests

Middle class, and merchantsMiddle class, and merchants

Lower class: farmers, peasants, forced Lower class: farmers, peasants, forced laborlabor