1. EGYPT: The Gift of Nile Land of Pharaohs and Pyramids

2. The Nile River
Fed by two tributaries: The Blue Nile and the Atbara or the White Nile
Flooding begins late July reaching its peak in August September
Flood waters recede in October-November
Why is this a big deal???
Makes Farming a breeze!
River flows to the North, winds blow to the South!
Transportation EASY!
Source of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia (above), and the source of the White Nile, Lake Victoria (below)
Annual fertilization!
Easy Irrigation!

3. NILE: the Great Highway
Lower
Egypt
The Nile Delta
Upper
Egypt
NILE: the Great Highway

4. Egypt: Chronology Predynastic period (5000-2700 B.C.)
Old Kingdom ( B.C.)
1st Intermediate Period
Middle Kingdom ( B.C.)
2nd Intermediate Period
New Kingdom ( B.C.)
Third Intermediate Period

5. Gebel al-Arak Knife theme of hero subduing 2 wild animals
parallels with Uruk period Mesopotamia

6. Abydos
Naqada Region and Royal Tombs at Abydos

7. Hedjet Deshret Pschent White Red Combined Upper Egypt Lower Egypt Upper and Lower Egypt

8. Earliest Writing earliest evidence c. 3400 BC
difficulties in translation
appear on labels and jars to identify goods commodities and on royal
commemorative art
Earliest known ivory labels, Tomb of King Scorpion, Abydos, BC

9. Hieroglyphics “sacred images” Old, Middle and Late Egyptian
pictographs and phonetic signs totaling about 700

10. Ma’at Meant “truth” “right behavior “ “ correct balance”
Pharaoh had absolute power and rule according to ma’at
justice, moral righteousness
responsibility of the King that order prevailed in the universe
responsible for changes in seasons and most importantly, annual flooding of the Nile
symbolized as a feather

11. Old Kingdom long, unbroken period of prosperity – 432 years
“The Pyramid Age”
Egypt at its cultural Zenith
Cultural/ Religious source of Kings power fully established
“Divine Right Mandate”

12. First Pyramid: Step Pyramid of Djoser
King Djoser had access to a vast workforce
Evolution from the regular tomb – seen in the various stages of construction
It was one big experiment
tons of stone used
to make addition tiers
Final facing of limestone

13. Imhotep (The real one) Egyptian Leonardo da Vinci - genius inventor
"the one that comes in peace"
“Treasurer of the King of Lower Egypt”
“First After the King of Upper Egypt”
“Administrator of the Great Palace”
“High Priest of Heliopolis”

14. Pyramid experimentation
King Sneferu built 3 pyramids
popular, good-natured king
deified by later rulers
Maidum Pyramid
Bent Pyramid
Red Pyramid

15. The GREAT PYRAMID OF CHEOPS
blocks of stone
Height of m would weigh approx tons

16. Estimated 36 000 workmen to build the Pyramid taking 20 years

17. Giza’s Workman’s Village
We have texts that talk of the workers who built the pyramids (sorry people, not aliens!)
Paperwork discussing salaries paid
Food subsidies etc
WE HAVE THE VILLAGES WHERE THEY LIVED WHILE THEY WORKED!!!!!

18. The First Intermediate Period
Short period of political breakdown in Egypt (c. 100years)
Followed by Middle Kingdom
Structurally not much difference between Old Kingdom & Middle Kingdom
Lack of change probably led to second breakdown known as the Second Intermediate Period
Instead of building Pyramids
Kings of the Mid King spent
their time and $$ building
large forts in Nubia

19. Second Intermediate Period
Period is longer than the first – c. 200 years
Period where parts of Egypt are ruled by ‘foreign’ kings
The Hyksos Dynasty
Capital Avaris in the Delta
Period of political breakdown, but still a prosperous and international period

20. New Kingdom Egypt at its most powerful Lasts for close to 500 years
Egypt in control of a great deal of the N.E.

21. Luxor Temple and Obelisk New Kingdom Period

22. Hypostyle

24. New Kingdom tombs
Valley of the Kings

25. Egypt: Afterlife and burial ritualsba

26. Canopic jars & Mummies

27. Pyramid Texts & Book of the Dead
Old Kingdom pyramids have best collection of Pyramid texts
288 magical spells to help soul of dead king on the journey into the next world
Will eventually get codified in the Book of the Dead

28. Anemhotep IV - Akhenaten
Drastic changes to Egyptian state and religion
Changes his name to Akhenaten – “the glory of Aten”
Erases names of other gods
Removed the plural ‘gods’ from the Egyptian language
Move from Polytheism to Monotheism
Changes in art, more realistic depictions
More depictions of the King and his Family

29. Akhenaten

30. Ramesside era

31. End of the NK
Whatever happened, all major NE civ. Come to an end c.1200 in a period of turmoil
With the exception of Egypt who did survive the catastrophe, but in a greatly weakened state
Becomes more loosely structured state, just like any other Mediterranean state
A rich state, but never again an important player on the world stage