1. The Ancient
Egyptians

2. Ancient Egypt: Why so stable?
Ancient Egypt lasted for 3500 years due to factors in:
Geography
Politics
Social structure
Education
Economy
Religion
Stability was goal and change slow and cautious

3. What was the “SOUL” of Ancient Egypt?
THE NILE was considered the SOUL as it was the source of life and path to immortality
Egyptians lived on Eastern side but were buried on Western side
River was symbol of passage of one life to next (eternity)
Creation story began in swirling waters of the Nile when god Horus gave power to Pharaohs
Click here for Creation Story

4. A View of Egypt by Satellite

5. The Fertile Nile Valley

6. The Annual Flooding of the Nile

7. Nile Irrigation-the Shaduf
Irrigation means to bring water to farm lands.

9. Egypt and the Nile

10. Farming in the Nile floodplain
Felucca boats

11. What determined Egypt’s economic prosperity?
Wealth
Agriculture made up most of Egypt’s wealth – grain, vegetables, fruit, cattle, goats, pigs, and fowl
Economy
Simple economy based on agriculture and minerals from desert
Access to the Mediterranean allowed for trade
Trading was done by bartering goods (grain, oil, wheat)
Extensive trading made Egypt a powerful influence on culture, art, ideas and technology
Trade eventually grew and expanded, bringing new ideas and goods into Egyptian society

12. Geography: Populated Areas
1. The Nile Valley
Sole source of water for Egypt
Predictable flooding provided rich fertile soil
Both revered and feared (too much flooding or droughts)
The Nile Delta
Area where Nile empties into Mediterranean Sea
Largest piece of fertile land
Encompassed major centers of Egypt
Faiyum
Lake Moeris lies at end of branch of Nile is centerof oasis called Faiyum
Irrigation from Nile made Faiyum the third most populated land

13. Geographic Effects on Egypt’s stability and history
Fertile soil
deserts provided protection and shelter from outside influences
Access to Mediterranean increased and expanded trade and culture
culture was one of stability and not rapid change
Deserts were an important source of minerals and building supplies (copper, tin, gold and natron, the drying agent used in mummification)
Video
Geographic Effects on Egypt’s stability and history

15. Menes: Unifier of Upper & Lower Egypt
c B. C. E. ?
UNIFICATION OF EGYPT: King Menes unites Upper and Lower Egypt and wears double crown in 3100 BCE. Following Menes came 31 dynasties over 3000 years. Video

16. A mural of Narmer or Menes conquering Lower Egypt (c.a. 3100 B.C.)

17. The End of the Old Kingdom
Relief showing men, women, and children suffering from the effects of severe famine
The End of the Old Kingdom
Professor Fekri Hassan examining ancient hieroglyphs which tell of appalling suffering. A third of the population died and the most ordered of empires was brought to chaos. This marked the end of the Old Kingdom. 

18. Pyramids These are the Giza pyramids, the most famous.
Pyramids were tombs for the kings.
These were built in 3500 B.C.E.
How old are they?

19. Stepped Pyramid at Saqqara

20. The first pyramid built by Zoser, which exists even today, in Sakkarah, the necropolis of Memphis.
Built in the year 2650 BC by the architect Imhotep,
It is the oldest monumental work in stone known to man.
Exterior walls of white limestone.
The wall has 14 doors, 13 of them false.
In its interior lies the chamber of the Pharaoh Sneferu with pink granite and sealed with a block of stone weighing three tons

21. “Bent” Pyramid of King Sneferu

22. Plan of the Great Pyramid of Khufu

24. The burial of the king, as well as his passage from this world to the next, was of great importance to everyone.
The ritual cycle by which the living pharaoh, the god Horus, became Osiris, Lord of the Underworld, guaranteed the survival of Egypt itself.
By building the pyramids all Egyptians believed in a single religion of ancestor worship in which the pyramids served as reminders.
Video about Pyramids
Video- Journals
Through History

25. Education
All children, regardless of social class, received some education
Goal for education was to ensure youth exhibited self control and good manners
At 14, young boys followed fathers in jobs, and girls learned from mothers in the household
Children of priests were schooled more formally
Literacy was stressed for government jobs
Education respected for creating a well rounded individual

26. Hieroglyphics

27. Papyrus  Paper
Hieratic Scroll Piece
Papyrus Plant

28. Egyptian Math 1 10
100
1000
10,000
100,000
1,000,000
What number is this?

29. Hieroglyphic “Cartouche”

30. Hieroglyphics “Alphabet” 24 “letters” + 700 phonetic symbols

31. History of Writing: 1) pictograms (sun= sun) 2) ideograms (sun = sun, daylight, warmth, light) 3) phonograms: symbols that suggest a particular sound; related ideas and also sound (Sun = sun, son, Sunday)
Each hieroglyph found in pyramids and tombs often symbolized more than one consonant. Not only that, but actual Egyptian hieroglyphs were a combination of sound-signs, pictograms, and ideograms. No wonder it was so hard to decode them!
Hmmm. Some birds, a half moon, a feather, and a oval. Or maybe that half moon is a stone sticking out of the ground. And maybe the oval is really a hole in the ground. Maybe what it means is that two birds standing by a rock have a hole to jump in if trouble happens by. That might make sense, but it's not quite right. The pictures simply mean "water." Say what? How could that possibly mean water, you ask? Good question. Want to know more? Look at more hieroglyphs and see if you can crack the code.

32. New Kingdom= 700 hieroglyphs in common usage, while rest were phonograms
100 were strictly visual, while rest were phonograms
Eventually scribes adapted hieroglyphic symbols
By 700 BCE, script was used for secular matters such as letters, accounts and record keeping
Video

33. Rosetta Stone
A stone with writing on it in Egyptian and Greek. It was carved in 196 BCE.
Written in three scripts (hieroglyphs for religious documents; demotic- common script of Egypt; Greek- language of the rulers of Egypt at that time)
Written so that the priests, government officials and rulers of Egypt could read what it said.
Found in 1799
Written by a group of priests in Egypt to honor the Egyptian pharaoh. It lists all of the things that the pharaoh had done that were good for the priests and the people of Egypt.

34. PHARAOHS CROWNED WITH SHEPHERD’S CROOK AND FLAIL
The Middle Kingdom ( B.C.) was characterized by a new concern of the pharaohs for the people. In the Old Kingdom, the pharaoh had been viewed as an inaccessible god-king. Now he was portrayed as the shepherd of his people.

35. The Hyksos were a neighboring group that had new horse-drawn war-chariots. This invention, never seen before in Egypt, allowed the Hyksos to control this region.
They utilized superior bronze weapons and chariots to help them take control of Egypt.
Within 50 years, they had also managed to take control of the important Egyptian city of Memphis. This was the end of the Middle Kingdom.

36. Ahmose and his army driving out the Hyksos.
Starting in 1567 B.C., the pharaoh Ahmose I eventually managed to defeat and expel the Hyksos from Egypt, reuniting Egypt and establishing the New Kingdom (c B.C.). The New Kingdom was characterized by a new militaristic and imperialistic path. A more professional army was developed.
Ahmose and his army driving out the Hyksos.

37. Queen Hatshepsut Ruled from 1503-1482 B.C. Married to Thutmose II
After her husband died, Hatshepsut dressed like a man and ruled as a pharaoh.
She became the first female pharaoh in Egyptian history.

38. Hatshepsut’s Accomplishments
Worked hard to increase Egyptian trade through trade routes.
As a result:
trade expanded
Increase of wealth in the economy

39. Results of Hatshepsut’s Accomplishments
She used the money that was gained from trade to support the arts as well as architecture.
A temple near Thebes was built to honor Queen Hatshepsut for the many great temples and monuments that were built during her reign.

40. Honoring Queen Hatshepsut
Queen Hatshepsut died after ruling for 15 years.
After her death, Queen Hatshepsut’s step-son, Tuthmosis III, took the throne and vandalized Hatshepsut’s monuments.

41. Ramses II
1297 BCE - Reign of Ramses II. He had over 200 wives and girlfriends, approximately 90 sons and 60 daughters and reigned over 67 years!
His reign saw massive building projects in Egypt. The Exodus of Jews from Egypt also may have occurred during his reign.
Ramses II B. C.

42. King Ramses’ Accomplishments
Although known for being one of Egypt’s greatest warriors, he was also known as a peace-maker, by being the first king in history to ever sign a peace treaty with his enemies, the Hittites.

43. King Ramses’ Death King Ramses died in the early 1200’s BC.
His mummy is known to be one of the best preserved.

44. Abu Simbel: Monument to Ramses II
B. C.

45. Ankhenaton: First Monotheist?
Amenhotep IV (c B.C.) introduced the worship of Aton, god of the sun disk, as the chief god and pursued his worship with enthusiasm.
Changing his own name to Akhenaten (“It is well with Aton”), the pharaoh closed the temples of other gods.
B. C.

46. The Ankh – The “Cross” of Life

47. Queen Nefertiti
Nefertiti (ca BC – ca BC) was the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. Nefertiti and her husband were known for the worship of only one god.

48. Invasion of the “Sea Peoples” around 1200 B.C.
The days of Egyptian empire were ended, and the New Kingdom expired with the end of the twentieth dynasty in 1085 B.C. For the next thousand years, despite periodic revivals of strength, Egypt was dominated by Libyans, Nubians, Persians, and Macedonians.
Egyptian Drawings of Two Different Tribes of Sea People

49. Egyptian Social Classes

50. Shabtis: The Pharaoh’s Servants in the Afterlife

51. Social Roles
Role of Men
Head of the family
Men could have numerous wives but economically men had only 1 wife
Laborers, craftsmen
Jobs were hereditary
Jobs
Labor required for construction projects and was mostly filled by poor serfs
Stability of Egypt thrived as skilled trades were passed from father to son
Children always learned the trade from parents; seldom could choose occupation
Role of Women
Well treated and had considerable legal rights compared to other civilizations
Same legal rights as men (land, property, divorce)
Left women to be economically independent
Primary role was in domestic life
Bear and raise children

52. Scenes of Ancient Egyptian Daily Life

53. Ancient Egyptian Housing
Middle Class Homes
Peasant Homes

54. An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-Haves”
Mirror
Perfume
Whigs

55. Egyptian Scribe
Scribes kept records of everything. Armed with the knowledge of writing and reading, they were highly regarded and considered themselves a superior class of men. Their high standard of living reflected their exalted status.

56. Egypt was divided up into provinces, or nomes.
A governor, or nomarch, was at the head of each nome and was responsible to the pharaoh.
These governors tended to amass large holding of land and power within their nomes, creating a potential rivalry with the pharaohs.

57. Egyptian Nobility

58. Egyptian Priestly Class

59. Pharaohs Egyptians were led by Pharaohs. They were priest-kings
There were at least four female kings. (Hatsheput is pictured)
Pharaohs ruled for over 3500 years in Egypt.
31 dynasties in all

60. Politics How did Pharaoh's rule? Absolute rulers of the land
Believed to be the earthly embodiment of the god Horus. Therefore they had the divine right to rule. People followed their orders because they believed they were from god
No one would challenge the King’s authority and he could rule in peace
Pharaohs owned all the land
Second to the Pharaohs were the scribes who would record the doings of the Pharaoh
Politics

61. The Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings is a place where many pharaohs were buried.

62. Archaeologist, Howard Carter (1922)
Howard Carter is the archaeologist who finally discovered King Tut’s tomb. It is so famous because it was untouched by grave robbers.

63. Entrance to King “Tut’s” Tomb

64. Death Mask
Using computers, this image was reconstructed using his remains
B. C.

65. King Tutankhamon
Tutankhamen was the son of Akhenaten. He ascended to the throne in 1333 BC, at the age of nine or ten, taking the reign name of Tutankhamen.
What caused Tutankhamen 's death has been the subject of considerable debate.

66. King Tutankhamun’s Tomb

67. Treasures From Tut’s Tomb

68. The Valley of the Queens Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
B. C.

69. End of the Pharaohs
Darius III was the past Egyptian pharaoh. Egypt was then taken over by Alexander the Great.
After this, Egypt was ruled as a province of the Roman Empire.

70. Life and Death Death viewed as a new beginning MA’AT
Afterlife common to all, regardless of social status
2 Common Principles: 1) body preservation in a lifelike form 2) the deceased must have items necessary for life in the afterworld
Personal belongings were usually placed in the tomb to assist the dead in their journey into the afterlife.
Text was read from the 'Book of the Dead' which was a collection of spells, charms, passwords, numbers and magical formulas for the use of the deceased in the afterlife.
MA’AT
Ka (one’s own spiritual duplicate; stored in heart and at death was separated from body. The ka would inhabit the tomb to be near the body)
Ba (non physical element unique to each person such as one’s personality)
Akh (form that the mummy takes to exist in afterworld)
Ma’at (truth, order and justice- essential to achieve harmony with gods and entry to the aftelife)
Book of Dead was intended to guide the dead through the various trials that they would encounter before reaching the underworld. Knowledge of the appropriate spells was considered essential to achieving happiness after death

71. Egyptian Book of the Dead

72. Weighing of the heart vs Ma’at Judgment of scale record of the outcome
This scene depicts what occurs after a person has died, according to the ancient Egyptians.
panel of 14 judges
Ka (soul /spiritual duplicate), ba (personality) ankh (form mummy took in afterlife / the key of life)
Weighing of the heart vs Ma’at
Judgment of scale
record of the outcome
This scene depicts what occurs after a person has died, according to the ancient Egyptians.
Beginning with the upper left-hand corner, the deceased appears before a panel of 14 judges to make an accounting for his deeds during life. The ankh, the key of life, appears in the hands of some of the judges.
Next, below, the jackal god Anubis who represents the underworld and mummification leads the deceased before the scale. In his hand, Anubis holds the ankh.
Anubis then weighs the heart of the deceased (left tray) against the feather of Ma'at, goddess of truth and justice (right tray). In some drawings, the full goddess Ma'at, not just her feather, is shown seated on the tray. Note that Ma'at's head, crowned by the feather, also appears atop the fulcrum of the scale. If the heart of the deceased outweighs the feather, then the deceased has a heart which has been made heavy with evil deeds. In that event, Ammit the god with the crocodile head and hippopotamus legs will devour the heart, condemning the deceased to oblivion for eternity. But if the feather outweighs the heart, and then the deceased has led a righteous life and may be presented before Osiris to join the afterlife. Thoth, the ibis-headed god of wisdom stands at the ready to record the outcome.
Horus, the god with the falcon head, then leads the deceased to Osiris. Note the ankh in Horus' hand. Horus represents the personification of the Pharaoh during life, and his father Osiris represents the personification of the Pharaoh after death.
Osiris, lord of the underworld, sits on his throne, represented as a mummy. On his head is the white crown of Lower Egypt (the north). He holds the symbols of Egyptian kingship in his hands: the shepherd's crook to symbolize his role as shepherd of mankind, and the flail, to represent his ability to separate the wheat from the chaff. Behind him stand his wife Isis and her sister Nephthys. Isis is the one in red, and Nephthys is the one in green. Together, Osiris, Isis, and Nephthys welcome the deceased to the underworld.
The tomb-owner would continue after death the occupations of this life and so everything required was packed in the tomb along with the body. Writing materials were often supplied along with clothing, wigs, and hairdressing supplies and assorted tools, depending on the occupation of the deceased.
Often model tools rather than full size ones would be placed in the tomb; models were cheaper and took up less space and in the after-life would be magically transformed into the real thing.
Things might include a headrest, glass vessels which may have contained perfume and a slate palette for grinding make-up.
Food was provided for the deceased and should the expected regular offerings of the descendants cease, food depicted on the walls of the tomb would be magically transformed to supply the needs of the dead.
Images on tombs might include a triangular shaped piece of bread (part of the food offerings from a tomb). Other images might represent food items that the tomb owner would have eaten in his lifetime and hoped to eat in the after-life.
Life was dominated by Ma'at, or the concept of justice and order. Egyptians believed there were different levels of goodness and evil. Egyptians believed that part of the personality, called the Ka, remained in the tomb. Thus elaborate and complex burial practices developed.
The removed internal organs were separately treated and, during much of Egyptian history, placed in jars of clay or stone. These so-called Canopic Jars were closed with stoppers fashioned in the shape of four heads -- human, baboon, falcon, and jackal - representing the four protective spirits called the Four Sons of Horus.

73. Mummification
Egyptians who could afford to do so would have themselves mummified.
They believed in a better afterlife if their body was preserved.
Afterlife would be spent enjoying best of life experiences
Body wrapped in linen coated with resins and oils
Middle Kingdom became customary to place a mask over the face

74. Mummification Process
Took out internal organs (lungs, stomach, intestines, liver), except the heart.
Removed organs were put in canopic jars, that were put in the tomb with the mummy.
Jars were closed with stoppers in the shape of a human, baboon, falcon, and jackal - representing the four protective spirits called the Four Sons of Horus.

75. Mummification Process
Did not take out the heart because it was believed to be the intelligence and emotion of the person.
Thought the brain was worthless, so they took it out through the nose and threw it away.
The body was packed and covered with natron (a salty drying agent). After this the body was left for days. 

76. Materials Used in Mummification
1. Linen Natron 2. Sawdust Onion 3. Lichen Nile Mud 4. Beeswax Linen Pads 5. Resin Frankinsense

77. Preparation for the Afterlife

78. Queen Tiye, wife of Amenhotep II 1210-1200 B. C. E.
Egyptian Mummies
Seti I B. C. E.
Ramses II B. C. E.
Queen Tiye, wife of Amenhotep II B. C. E.

79. Preparations for the Underworld
ANUBIS weighs the dead person’s heart against a feather.
Priests protected your KA, or soul-spirit

80. Journey to the Underworld
The dead travel on the “Solar Bark.”
A boat for the journey is provided for a dead pharaoh in his tomb.

81. Gods and Goddesses Creation Story GEB NUT TEFNUT ATUM NUT MA’AT HORUS
SHU
ANUBIS
ISIS
Website: Gods and Goddesses
ATUM

82. Religion: How did it contribute to stability?
Atum
Religion: How did it contribute to stability?
Deeply religious people
Religious roots were in the worship of nature deities – their first gods were in animal forms
Those responsible for creation were the most important gods (Atum is the creator God)
They later developed national gods around the Middle Kingdom (Amon- local god of Thebes; gods of Dead: Osiris, Anubis, Horus and Thoth)
Religion was instrumental to stability of Egypt (life, social structure, education, laws, rule of Pharaoh, economy, death, afterlife)

83. What were the legal traditions?
Law was governed by religious principle of Ma’at
Laws were applied equally to all classes specifically protected the family (children and wives)
Punishments could be quite severe- (Examples: minor crimes had 100 lashes; corrupt officials had their hands amputated; crimes resulted in a death sentence could choose: devoured by a crocodile, suicide, burning alive)

84. Egyptian Inventions Glass and Linen Paper and ink
Calendar- 365 day calendar
Clock
Jewelry and metalwork

85. Egyptian Contributions
Medicine- including casts, amputation, stitches
Architecture- fluted columns, obelisk
Mathematics-geometry, algebra, calculations, fractions
Writing- symbols to represent sounds
Video- Journals through History