The Old Kingdom

Menes created the first royal dynasty A family of rulers where the right to rule is passed down genetically Menes unites upper and lower Egypt forming one civilization Menes is considered the first Pharaoh “great house or palace” He is the absolute ruler of all and everything

The Pharaoh and his government A Pharaoh could not be everywhere and do everything At first family members helped govern As the population grew more help was needed A bureaucracy was implemented to run the daily happenings of Egypt A bureaucracy is an organization of non elected officials that help run the government Egypt was divided up into 42 Nomes or Provinces for easier governing Each had its own governor

The head of the bureaucracy was the Vizier or “steward of the whole land” The Vizier held the most important position in the government He ran the government and therefore Egypt The Vizier made all decisions on the daily happenings concerning Egypt The Vizier only answered to the Pharaoh

The vizier was appointed by the Pharaoh, - He was not a heir to the throne, or a relative of the Pharaoh Blood Line - Throughout Egyptian history, the viziers were the Pharaoh's most trusted allies and consultants, but were not of Royal blood, - Royal family members, particularly those who might hold a claim to kingship, could often not be trusted. But viziers were trusted by the Pharaoh to carry out his will without the fear of revolt.Pharaoh

Duration of office - Viziers often held their office according to the will of the Pharaoh Sometimes they remained in office during the reign of more then one Pharaoh, particularly within a single Dynasty In few occasions they were elevated to Pharaohs, such as Ay, who succeeded King Tut King Tut

Responsibilities - The Egyptian Vizier was a very important position with a full range of powers - He was the chief minister of Egypt answerable only to the Pharaoh - They held the fabric of Egypt's administration system together - At various times, the vizier was also the High Priest - All government documents used in Egypt had to have the seal of the vizier in order to be considered authentic and binding - Viziers resolved all domestic territorial disputes, controlled the reservoirs, food supply and supervised industries. - Overseeing the daily functioning of Pharaoh's palace and the protection of Pharaohs - Young members of the royal family often served under the vizier to receive training in government affairs.PharaohHigh Priestgovernmentfood industries

Pyramids and Mummification Pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom They served as Tombs for the Pharaohs and their families Pyramids contained items that were necessary for the afterlife Ex – Food, weapons, artwork, household goods, pets and slaves

mummification

Egyptians believed in an afterlife Egyptians believed in an afterlife They believed that a person’s spiritual body could survive in the afterlife if the physical body was preserved through mummification They believed that a person’s spiritual body could survive in the afterlife if the physical body was preserved through mummification This was a seventy day process that took place in special workshops run by priests This was a seventy day process that took place in special workshops run by priests MUMMIFICATION

Mummification is the process of slowly drying out a body in order to keep it from rotting The bodies internal organs are removed and placed in Canopic Jars The brain was removed through the nostrils The heart was left in the body due to the belief that it was the center of understanding (soul) The first forty days of the process are spent drying the body with natron (salt) and preparing the skin with oils

 The body was stuffed with linen and sawdust  The materials helped the body remain dry and keep its form

The body was carefully bound with long narrow strips of linen. * The fingers, toes, arms, and legs were wrapped individually. * Linen shrouds were placed between the layers of binding. * Every few layers were glued together by resin. * After 20 layers of shrouds and binding, the mummy's body took its round shape

Mummy Song

The Egyptians believed that there were two bodies A physical body and a spiritual body or Ka When the physical body died the Ka would go to the afterlife In order for the Ka to recognize its physical body a portrait mask and sarcophagus (coffin) was made in the persons likeness How important the person was determined how many coffins they were buried in