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Irrigated “Black Land”
Stretches 10 miles wide
Beyond that... “Red Land” desert
Grew wheat and flax for clothing
Spring- rains send water down streams that feed the Nile
Flood welcomedDeposited layer of silt- rich
soilBuilt dikes, reservoirs,
irrigation ditcheschannel river, store water
Upper Egypt in SouthLower Egypt in NorthFrom 1st cataract (waterfall) of Nile
North to within 100 miles of Mediterranean
Lower Egypt: Delta region- triangular area of marshland formed by deposits of silt at the mouth of a river
3100 BC- Menes (King of Upper Egypt) united 2 regions
Sent officials and armies on river
3 KingdomsOld: 2700-2200 BCMiddle: 2050-1800 BCNew: 1550-1100 BC
Power passed from one dynasty (ruling family) to the next
Ruler: PharaohOrganized strong state
Divine support for their rule
Pharaoh was a “god”
Owned and ruled all land
Vizier: chief minister, supervised businessDepartments- tax collection, farming, irrigation
systemThousands of scribesPtah-hotep- vizier that trained young officials,
wrote Instruction of Ptah-hotep
“If you are sitting at the table of one greater than you, take what he may give when it is set before you. Let your face be cast down until he addresses you, and you should speak only when he addresses you”
Built during old kingdom at Giza
Tombs for dead rulersSleds, ramps, pushed by hand
Took long to build…pharaohs would begin building tombs as soon as they took the throne
Power struggle, crop failures, and cost of pyramids collapsed Old KingdomCentury of disunity
New pharaoh united landsTurbulent- Nile not as dependable,
corruption and rebellionsDrainage project- increased farmland1700 BC- foreign invaders- Hyksos
Horse drawn chariotsCultural diffusion in both directionsNew leaders drove out Hyksos
Large empire to Euprhates River
Hatshepsut- woman who ruled as pharaoh from 1503-1482 BC
Most powerful- Ramses II from 1290-1224 BCTo SyriaPeace treaty with Hittites “shall be
at peace and in brotherhood forever”
Decline- Invading Assyrians and Persians conquered regionGreeks and Romans came from
North
Chief god was Amon-re (sun god)
Osiris and IsisOsiris rules over
underworld, and is god of NileControlled annual flood
Isis believed that she first taught women to grind corn, spin flax, weave cloth and care for childrenPromised life after death
1380 BC- young pharaoh challenged priests and Amon-ReWorshiped Aton- minor god of
Sun’s diskAkhenaton- he who serves AtonTried to sweep away all othersOrdered to worship AtonPriests resistedAkhenaton died, old religion
reestablished
From nobles to peasantsDead soul ferried across a lake of fire to OsirisWeigh dead person’s heart against feather of truth
Sinners fed to crocodile “Eater of the Dead”
Worthy souls enter “Happy Field of Food”
Spells, charms, formulas for afterlife
Negative Confession- “I have made no man to suffer hunger. I have made no one to weep. I have done no murder…I have not encroached upon the fields of another. I have not added to the weights of the scales to cheat the seller…I have not turned back water when it should flow…I am pure. I am pure. I am pure.” -Book of the Dead
Written on scrolls and placed in tombs
Afterlife much like earthBuried with needs for eternityMummification: preservation of
the deadEmbalmers extracted brain and
organs through nostrilsFilled body cavity with spicesDried and wrapped in linenMonths to completeStarted only for nobles, passed to
everyone
http://mummification.thomasjbradley.ca/stage2.html
Tombs of pharaohs a temptation for ancient robbers
Most tombs empty today because of this
1922: British Archaeologist unearthed King Tut’s TombBody of 18-year old King Tut in solid gold
coffinRichly decoratedTransferred to Egyptian Museum in Cairo
Chariots, weapons, furniture, jewelry, toys, games , food
Minor king…Ramses II probably had much more!
Day and night repairing dikes and working land
Off season- served pharaohBuilding tombs, pyramids
Women: raised children, collected water, prepared foodHigh status, independentInherit property, enter business deals, buy
and sell goods, go to court and obtain divorce
Not confined to homeCould enter priesthoodFew learned to read and write
ScribesRecordsServed Nobles, PharaohCould become rich
Hieroglyphics- picture writingCarved in stone
Long lastingIdeograms- pictures that symbolize an idea
or actionDemotic- simpler form of writing for everyday
usePapyrus- Paper-like writing material from
papyrus that grows on river
After New Kingdom, meaning of hieroglyphics forgotten
1800: French scholar deciphered Rosetta StoneMessage carved in Greek,
hieroglyphics, demoticUsed the 3 languages to
decipher meaningCould then read
thousands of writings
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