Ancient Egypt

3100-1069 B.C.

The Pyramids of Giza

A river valley and its people

• The Nile Valley receives little rainfall.

• Egypt relied on predictable yearly floods.

• The Nile is the longest river in the world.

• It is unique because it flows north.

The Nile Valley was divided into Lower and Upper Egypt.

The Unification of ancient Egypt

Around 3000 B.C. King Menes of Upper Egypt invaded and conquered Lower Egypt

Historians have organized the dynasties to describe Ancient Egypt:

Old Kingdom

Middle Kingdom

New Kingdom

Timeline of Kingdoms Dates Significant Events

Construction of the pyramids begins

Old Kingdom 3100 - 2181

Middle Kingdom 2125 - 1650 Recovery and political stability

New Kingdom 1550 - 1069 Creation of the Egyptian Empire

The Old Kingdom (3100-2181)

• Upper and Lower Egypt became a strong national government.

• The Egyptian Government was a Theocracy.

• Pyramids were built to honor their god-kings and provide an eternal resting place.

• Power flowed from the king to a bureaucracy to control:

Trade/taxes/infrastructure

Pyramid Building:

•They were built on West side of the Nile.

•Quarried limestone was moved to each site.

•It sometimes took up to 25-30 years to build a pyramid.

•During same time temples and smaller pyramids for pharaoh's queens were built.

Pyramid of King Khufu

The Sphinx

It was built by King

Kaphre. The sphinx is

roughly 4,636 years old.

Mummification Process:

• It was a 70 day process.

• Disposal of brain occurred through the nose.

• Important body organs were removed and stored in canopic jars.

Liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines

Materials used in mummification: • linen • sawdust • lichen • beeswax • resin • natron • onion • Nile mud • linen pads • frankincense

Mummification tools:• Brain hooks (replicas )• Oil jar

(Royal Ontario Museum 948.1.17)• Funnel (replica)

Embalmer's knife(Smithsonian Institution 221.389)

• The heart was left in place.

• Natron salt was used to dry the body.

• The body was anointed with oils and honey.

• They were wrapped with linens and painted.

• The mummy was prepared for the ceremony of “opening the mouth” which was important in the next life.

The Middle Kingdom (2125-1650)

• This kingdom came into being due to a period of upheaval and violence in the city of Thebes.

• During the 1700’s, Theban kings faced problems of their own.

• These problems opened the door for an overthrow.

• The Middle Kingdom came to an end by invasion of people from Western Asia named Hyksos.

• The Hyksos were successful due to advances in weaponry.

• They ruled for a period of about 110 years.

The New Kingdom (1550-1069)

• The Egyptian prince Ahmose overthrew the Hyksos in about 1600 B.C.

• Around 1480 B.C. Queen Hatshepsut carried out an extensive building program.

• Thutmose III expanded the empire.

• The empire now reached as far as Syria and the Northern Euphrates.

• The empire grew rich from commerce, tribute, and cultural diffusion.

• King Tutankhamen ruled for a short time from 1333B.C.-1323B.C.

• Ramses II reigned by expressing power through statues of himself and building towers and tombs. Egyptian power reached its peak.

Life In Ancient Egypt - Social Classes

Life In Ancient Egypt

• Egyptian women enjoyed a dimension of freedom greater than any of their counterparts from other places in ancient times.

• Religion guided every aspect of Egyptian life. Egyptian religion was based on polytheism. The Egyptians had as many as 2000 gods and goddesses. Often gods and goddesses were represented as part human and part animal.

System of Writing – Hieroglyphics

Rosetta Stone was discovered in 1799 A.D.

The Rosetta Stone contained writing from 3 different writing systems. Hieroglyphics was decoded for the first time.

It is currently located in the British Museum.

Achievements in Science

• Board Game• Bronze• Decimal System• Copper tubing• Papyrus• Medical/Surgery• Surveying

• Large scale building• Beekeeping• Calendar• Beer• Alphabet• Glass making• Petroleum tar for

mummification