Ancient Egypt:an Overview

Powerful pharaohs created a large empire that reached the Euphrates River.

Hatshepsut encouraged trade.

Ramses II expanded Egyptian rule to Syria.

Egyptian power declined.

Large drainage project created arable farmland.

Traders had contacts with Middle East and Crete.

Corruption and rebellions were common.

Pharaohs organized a strong central state, were absolute rulers, and were considered gods.

Egyptians built pyramids at Giza.

Power struggles, crop failures, and cost of pyramids contributed to the collapse of the Old Kingdom.

NEW KINGDOM

MIDDLE

KINGDOM

OLD KINGDOM

Three Kingdoms of Ancient Egypt1

Geography• Egypt is located in

northeastern Africa • The Nile River runs the

length of the country flowing south to north

• The river begins in the mountains of Africa and empties into the Mediterranean Sea

• The climate is hot and dry, part of the Sahara Desert

http://www.worldcountries.info/Maps/GoogleMap-Egypt.phphttp://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/geography/explore/ter.html

Bordered on the south, east and west by the Sahara Desert, and on the north by the sea, ancient Egypt was protected from outside influences.

Present Day Egypt

Religion

• Belief that many gods and goddesses ruled the world and the afterlife Amon-Re: sun god Osiris: god of the underworld and of the Nile

• The pharaoh was believed to be a god as well as a ruler

Falcon Headed Sun God

Religion

• Belief in eternal life after death. Relied on the Book of the Dead to help them through the afterworld.

• Practiced mummification, the preservation of the body for use in the next life.

Canopic Jars made of alabaster for storage of heart, stomach, intestines and liver. The only organ that the Ancient Egyptians did not preserve was the Brain?

Inner coffin

Mummy

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Second inner coffin lid

Second inner coffin

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4000 Year Old Mummy of a Pharaoh

Mummification

Book of the Dead

Collection of spells, hymns, and prayers intended to secure a safe passage to the underworld for the deceased

Writing

Making paper from papyrus

Hieroglyphics

• A formal writing system used by the ancient Egyptians. Egyptians used cursive hieroglyphs for religious literature on papyrus and wood.

Pyramids

Present day Pyramids

II. Great Pyramid

• Tomb for Khufu• an almost perfect square (deviation .05%) • Orientation is exactly North, South, East West • 2,300,000 blocks, 500ft high • 20 years to build• Average block weighs 2.5 tons

– Some weigh 9 tons!

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Sophisticated Civilisation

(A) RAISING STONE BLOCKSOne of the hardest jobs was moving the heavy stone blocks into place. The builders made huge ramps of earth and dragged the stones up the ramps with ropes.

(B) SUPERVISORSOfficials, who were probably priests, directed the gangs of workmen.

(C) SHAPING THE STONEEach stone was carefully measured and shaped to fit into place.

(D) ACCIDENTSMany workmen were killed or injured, crushed by the heavy stone blocks.

• Large Scale projects were now feasible– Planning– Writing and Mathematics– New Tools

• Public Works projects

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The Great Sphinx

The Great Sphinx of Giza

Photograph by Henri Bechard, 1887

VI. Ramses II (1279-1213)

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HIGH PRIESTS AND PRIESTESSESServed gods and goddesses

PHARAOHEarthly leader; considered a god

NOBLESFought pharaoh’s wars

MERCHANTS, SCRIBES, AND ARTISANSMade furniture, jewelry, and fabrics for

pharaohs and nobles, and provided for other needs

PEASANT FARMERS AND SLAVESWorked in the fields and served the pharaoh

Social Classes2

Most Egyptian art is found underground or in the pyramids.

IV. Egyptian Artwork

Egyptian Farmers & animals

Stela (carved stone)

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Notice, all people drawn from the side – even when looking right at you!

Egyptian Proportion

The Egyptians did not understand how to draw a person from the side perspective. When they drew a person’s side perspective they

would draw the person’s body facing the front and the feet and head facing the side.

Egyptian painting and

inside an Egyptian tomb

Various Art works for Ancient Egypt

Nefertiti

King Tutankhamun “Tut”

• Took the throne when he was only 9.

• Died when he was 19

• Most famous pharoh.

• Tomb was discovered in 1922

Meet a King and Queen of Egypt. They were discovered in 1910.

King Mycerinus and Wife.