River River Civilizations Civilizations

of Egyptof Egypt

Pyramids of the Nile

CulturaCultural l

Hearth: Hearth: Nile Nile

River River ValleyValley

Lower EgyptLower Egypt – –

land upstream land upstream

Upper EgyptUpper Egypt – –

land to the southland to the south

The Gifts of the The Gifts of the NileNile

1.1. Water - food Water - food

2.2. Transportation Transportation

3.3. Protection Protection

4.4. Sense of security Sense of security & & confidenceconfidence

Egypt’s HistoryEgypt’s History

Old Kingdom 2700-2200 B.C.Old Kingdom 2700-2200 B.C.Age of prosperity and splendorAge of prosperity and splendor

Middle Kingdom 2050-1652 Middle Kingdom 2050-1652 B.C.B.C.““golden age of stability”golden age of stability”

New Kingdom 1567-1085 B.C.New Kingdom 1567-1085 B.C.Egypt became and empireEgypt became and empire

1. Cities1. CitiesEstablished in the Nile Established in the Nile River Valley at the tip of River Valley at the tip of the the deltadelta – the point at – the point at which the Nile divideswhich the Nile divides CairoCairo GizaGiza SaqqaraSaqqara

2. Government2. Government

Theocracy – “God-Theocracy – “God-Kings”Kings”

Dynasty Dynasty

PharaohPharaohss

Famous PharaohsFamous PharaohsHatshepsutHatshepsut – first – first

woman pharaohwoman pharaohAkhenatonAkhenaton – –

worshiped only one worshiped only one god – Aton (god of god – Aton (god of the sun disk)the sun disk)

TutankhamenTutankhamen – – “King Tut” – “King Tut” – restored the restored the worship of multiple worship of multiple godsgods

King King TutTut

Only Only Pharaoh Pharaoh found with found with his treasurehis treasure

Ramses IIRamses IIRuled 60 yearsRuled 60 years

Put Egypt back on the offensivePut Egypt back on the offensive

Wars and building projects Wars and building projects weaken Egyptweaken Egypt

New Kingdom collapses 1085 BCNew Kingdom collapses 1085 BC

Ramses II

Cleopatra VIICleopatra VIITried to Tried to

reestablish Egypt’s reestablish Egypt’s independenceindependence

Involvement with Involvement with Rome led to Rome led to suicide & defeatsuicide & defeat

Egypt became part Egypt became part of Rome’s empireof Rome’s empire

3. Religion3. ReligionPolytheisticPolytheisticGods associated with Gods associated with

heavenly bodies & natural heavenly bodies & natural forces – sun gods & land forces – sun gods & land gods gods (p. 46, 47)(p. 46, 47)

No word for religion – No word for religion – inseparable from their worldinseparable from their world

MummificationAnubis, god of mummificationAnubis, god of mummification

Pyramids as tombs

4. Social Structure4. Social Structure

Upper classUpper class pharaoh, nobles, pharaoh, nobles,

priestspriests

Middle classMiddle class – merchants, – merchants, artisans, scribes, tax collectorsartisans, scribes, tax collectors

Lower classLower class – peasants who farmed the – peasants who farmed the land & military serviceland & military service

5. Writing5. WritingEmerged around 3000 BCEmerged around 3000 BCHieroglyphics – “priest Hieroglyphics – “priest carvings” or “sacred carvings” or “sacred writings”writings”

Hieratic scriptHieratic scriptpapyruspapyrus

Greek

The Rosetta Stone

Hieroglyphics

6. Art & Science6. Art & SciencePyramids, temples, Pyramids, temples, monumentsmonuments

Math and Math and engineeringengineering

Accurate calendarAccurate calendarEffective medicineEffective medicine

Abu SimbelAbu Simbel