Egypt BCE

Geography North Africa on Mediterranean Sea – modern Egypt Nile River in North Africa Bounded by desert – Libyan Desert to west, Sinai and Arabian to East

Geography Cataract: rapids on the Nile River Boats could not pass beyond this point Delta - accumulation of sediment where a river enters a lake or ocean Flooding of the Nile was predictable

Government Monarchy – rule by a king Theocracy – government by religious leaders Pharaoh – king of Egypt, considered god on earth

Religion polytheism – belief in many gods human-like deities – gods Mummification: embalming and drying the corpse to prevent it from decaying built elaborate temples – shrines or holy places built tombs including pyramids

Amon - The creator god. Anubis - God of mummification. Isis - Mistress of Magic. Also the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus. Osiris - God of farming and ruler of the underworld. Horus - The sky god. Son of Osiris and Isis. Set - God of disorder. An enemy of Horus. Sobek - The crocodile god. Ra - The sun god.

Pyramids Resting place after death

Social Structure Pharaoh Government officials Priests Scribes Artisans Peasants

Social Structure Pyramid was rigid Family was cherished Men & Women – Men: head of household – Women: managed the home

Writing Hieroglyphics – Egyptian pictograms Papyrus – reeds from the delta to create a paper like sheet Rosetta Stone - artifact that allowed archeologists to translate hieroglyphics

Science/Technical Innovations geometric principles – volume, area architecture/engineering – pyramids, irrigation 365 day calendar – based on Dog Star medicine – anatomy, splints, bandages, compresses papyrus paper