Egypt

Foundations

• Evidence: graves, mummies, inscriptions, paintings

• About: individuals, events, social structures, religion, value system

Origins

• Cultural interaction, synthetic culture, influenced by Mesopotamia, Nubians, Phoenicians, Hebrews

• Settlements along river Nile since 4th millenium BC

• Reasons: climatic changes since 10000 BC, Sahara desiccates (dries out), migrations towards Nile region from Ethiopia, Sudan, also Mesopotamia

• Agriculture: relying on floodplains

• Formation of small city kingdoms

The Formation of Egypt

• From 3100 BC: beginning unification of Egypt

• 1st ruler: Menes/Narmer, expands control from Upper to Lower Egypt, divine ruler

• Following periods: Archaic Period (3100-2660 BC), Old Kingdom (2660-2160 BC), age of Pyramids

• Politics: tensions with Nubia, destruction of Ta-Seti kingdom, further south: Kingdom of Kush

Ancient Egypt

Further Developments

• 2160-2040 BC: years of turmoil, disintegration of Egypt due to growth of local powers

• 2040-1640 BC: reorganisation of Egypt, Middle Kingdom, under pressure by nomads (Hyksos), after 1640 BC foreign tribute supremacy

• 1550-1070: New Kingdom, expansion under Pharaoh Tutmosis III. (1479-1425 BC), after 1100 BC constant decline

Society

• Cities: Memphis, Thebes, Heliopolis (Nubian cities: Kerma, Napata, Meroe)

• Social classes: Pharaoh absolute divine ruler, no room for nobility, instead relative social mobility, evidenc: graves

• Gender: patriarchal society, some female rulers (Hatshepsut, 1473-1458 BC)

• Economy: growing specialisation, esp. in metallurgy, trade mainly along Nile, trade centers: Aswan

• Writing: pictographic, hieroglyphes• Religion: polytheistic, deities: e.g.

Amon, Re, Osiris, exception: monotheistic Aten cult under Amenhotep IV. (1353-1335 BC)