River Valley River Valley Civilizations: The Nile Civilizations: The Nile

and the Indusand the Indus

River Valley CivilizationsRiver Valley Civilizations•Nile Valley and Indus ValleyNile Valley and Indus Valley

•Each civilization has a Each civilization has a distinct pattern that is distinct pattern that is differentdifferent from Mesopotamia from Mesopotamia

•Nile Nile statestate more important more important than citiesthan cities

•Lack of evidence about Indus Lack of evidence about Indus valley civilizationvalley civilization

Egypt: The Gift of the NileEgypt: The Gift of the Nile

– Nile naturally irrigated cropland with Nile naturally irrigated cropland with predictable, annual floodingpredictable, annual flooding

– Adjacent deserts protected Egypt from Adjacent deserts protected Egypt from invasioninvasion

– Waterfalls hindered invasion from the Waterfalls hindered invasion from the southsouth

– Stability meant long-term indigenous Stability meant long-term indigenous governmentgovernment

Man-made Man-made irrigationirrigation

Ancient Egyptian History

Ancient Egyptian HistoryPeriods Time Frame

Nile Culture Begins

3900 B. C. E.

Archaic 3100 – 2650 B. C. E.

Old Kingdom 2650 – 2134 B. C. E.

Middle Kingdom 2040 – 1640 B. C. E.

New Kingdom 1550 – 1070 B. C. E.

Late Period 750 – 332 B. C. E.

Greek Ptolemaic Era

332 – 30 B. C. E.

Roman Period 30 B. C. E. – 395 C. E.

Earliest Egypt: Before Earliest Egypt: Before the Kingsthe Kings– Agriculture sustained lifeAgriculture sustained life– Saharan drought led to more Saharan drought led to more Nile settlementNile settlement

– String of villages along Nile String of villages along Nile by 3600 B.C.E.by 3600 B.C.E.

The Growth of Cities - c. 3300 The Growth of Cities - c. 3300 BCE BCE – Egypt had no independent city-Egypt had no independent city-statesstates

– Egyptians lived in network of Egyptians lived in network of riverbank villages interspersed riverbank villages interspersed with larger towns that may have with larger towns that may have become administrative cities become administrative cities ((nomesnomes))

Unification and Unification and the Rule of the Rule of KingsKings– 3100 B.C.E peoples 3100 B.C.E peoples along the Nile were along the Nile were unified unified

– Menes often seen as Menes often seen as first kingfirst king

– Kings came to be seen Kings came to be seen as divineas divine

– Kings balanced nature Kings balanced nature and invited Nile to and invited Nile to floodflood

I’m Menes.They call me

The Unifier!

Annual flooding of the NileAnnual flooding of the Nile

•PredictablePredictableLeft behind fertile soilLeft behind fertile soil

Gods and the Unification of Gods and the Unification of EgyptEgypt

– Osiris = the god of Osiris = the god of order and virtueorder and virtue

– Seth = the god of Seth = the god of disorder and evildisorder and evil

– Seth cut Osiris into Seth cut Osiris into fourteen pieces fourteen pieces and scattered him and scattered him across Egypt across Egypt

– Isis’s collection of Isis’s collection of pieces symbolizes pieces symbolizes unification of unification of Egypt Egypt

– Isis conceived son Horus Isis conceived son Horus with a briefly-revivified with a briefly-revivified OsirisOsiris

– Horus defeated Seth in Horus defeated Seth in battle and made father battle and made father Osiris divine and in Osiris divine and in charge of underworldcharge of underworld

– Horus was first Horus was first Egyptian god to be Egyptian god to be

worshipped worshipped nationallynationally

– Belief in afterlife led Belief in afterlife led to practice of to practice of

mummificationmummification

Scenes of Ancient EgyptianDaily Life

Scenes of Ancient EgyptianDaily Life

Making Ancient Egyptian Beer

Making Ancient Egyptian Beer

Making Ancient Egyptian WineMaking Ancient Egyptian Wine

An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-Haves”

An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-Haves”

PerfumePerfume

WhigsWhigs

MirrorMirror

Egyptian Social Hierarchy

Egyptian Social Hierarchy

Some Famous Egyptian Pharaohs

Some Famous Egyptian Pharaohs

Thutmose III

1504-1450 B. C. E.

Thutmose III

1504-1450 B. C. E. Ramses II

1279-1212 B. C. E.

Ramses II1279-1212 B.

C. E.

Tutankhamon

1336-1327 B. C. E.

Tutankhamon

1336-1327 B. C. E.

Egyptian NobilityEgyptian Nobility

•Pyramids and FortressesPyramids and Fortresses

– Large pyramids of Khufu, Khefren, and Large pyramids of Khufu, Khefren, and Menkaure in Fourth Dynasty (2575-2465 Menkaure in Fourth Dynasty (2575-2465 B.C.E.)B.C.E.)

– Pyramids reflected Egyptian strengthPyramids reflected Egyptian strength– Power extended to fortress at first Power extended to fortress at first

cataract of the Nilecataract of the Nile

Preparations for the Underworld

Preparations for the Underworld

Priests protected your KA, or soul-spirit

Priests protected your KA, or soul-spirit

Materials Used in Mummification

Materials Used in Mummification

1. Linen 6. Natron2. Sawdust 7. Onion3. Lichen 8. Nile Mud4. Beeswax 9. Linen Pads5. Resin 10. Frankinsense

1. Linen 6. Natron2. Sawdust 7. Onion3. Lichen 8. Nile Mud4. Beeswax 9. Linen Pads5. Resin 10. Frankinsense

Preparation for the

Afterlife

Preparation for the

Afterlife

Egyptian MummiesEgyptian Mummies

Seti I1291-1278 B.

C. E.

Seti I1291-1278 B.

C. E.

Queen Tiye, wife of

Amenhotep II1210-1200 B. C. E.

Queen Tiye, wife of

Amenhotep II1210-1200 B. C. E.

Ramses II1279-1212 B.

C. E.

Ramses II1279-1212 B.

C. E.

Stepped Pyramid at Saqqara

Stepped Pyramid at Saqqara

“Bent” Pyramid of King Sneferu

“Bent” Pyramid of King Sneferu

Giza Pyramid ComplexGiza Pyramid Complex

Plan of the Great Pyramid of Khufu

Plan of the Great Pyramid of Khufu

Egyptian Priestly ClassEgyptian Priestly Class

Egyptian ScribeEgyptian Scribe

Writing Writing emerged at emerged at

same time as same time as in Sumerin Sumer

Papyrus PaperPapyrus Paper

Papyrus PlantPapyrus Plant

Hieratic Scroll Piece

Hieratic Scroll Piece

Egyptian Math & Draftsmenship

Egyptian Math & Draftsmenship

11 1010 100100 10001000 10,00010,000 100,000100,000 1,000,0001,000,000

What number is this?

What number is this?

Hieroglyphic

“Cartouche”

Hieroglyphic

“Cartouche”

The Rosetta StoneThe Rosetta Stone

Indus Indus ValleyValley

Indus ValleyIndus Valley

• The Harappan culture existed along the The Harappan culture existed along the Indus River in what is present day Indus River in what is present day Pakistan. Pakistan.

• It was named after the city of Harappa. It was named after the city of Harappa. Harappa and the city of Mohenjo-Daro Harappa and the city of Mohenjo-Daro were important centers of the Indus valley were important centers of the Indus valley civilization. civilization.

• This Indus Valley “civilization” flourished This Indus Valley “civilization” flourished around 4000-1000 B.C.around 4000-1000 B.C.

HarappaHarappa

Harappan CivilizationHarappan Civilization•By 2500 BCE, communities had been By 2500 BCE, communities had been

turned into urban centers turned into urban centers (integration).(integration).

•So far, six such urban centers have So far, six such urban centers have been discovered, including: Harappa, been discovered, including: Harappa, Mohenjo Daro and Dicki in Pakistan, Mohenjo Daro and Dicki in Pakistan, along with three others in India. along with three others in India.

• Irrigation used to increase crop Irrigation used to increase crop production and mud brick structures.production and mud brick structures.

GeographyGeography• Mountains of the Himalaya Mountains of the Himalaya

and Hindu Kush provide a and Hindu Kush provide a continuous source of watercontinuous source of water

• These mountain ranges also These mountain ranges also provided important timber, provided important timber, animal products, and animal products, and minerals, gold, silver, tin and minerals, gold, silver, tin and semiprecious stones that semiprecious stones that were traded throughout the were traded throughout the Indus Valley. Indus Valley.

CoastCoast

• These coastal These coastal settlements were settlements were involved in fishing and involved in fishing and trading, using the trading, using the monsoon winds to travel monsoon winds to travel back and forth to Oman back and forth to Oman and the Persian Gulf and the Persian Gulf region. region.

Major Cities: Major Cities: Mohenjo-Daro and Mohenjo-Daro and HarappaHarappa

• The cities are well The cities are well known for their known for their impressive, impressive, organized and organized and regular layout.regular layout.

• They have well laid They have well laid our plumbing and our plumbing and drainage system, drainage system, including indoor including indoor toilets.toilets.

• Over one thousand Over one thousand other towns and other towns and villages also existed villages also existed in this region. in this region.

The similarities in The similarities in plan and plan and construction construction between Mohenjo-between Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa Daro and Harappa indicate that they indicate that they were part of a were part of a unified government unified government with extreme with extreme organization. organization.

Remains of palaces or temples Remains of palaces or temples in the cities have not been in the cities have not been found.found.

The Great BathThe Great Bath

•The "great The "great bath" is the bath" is the earliest earliest public water public water tank. tank.

StreetsStreets• At Mohenjo-Daro At Mohenjo-Daro

narrow streets and narrow streets and alleyways are off of the alleyways are off of the major streets, leading major streets, leading into more private into more private neighborhoods.neighborhoods.

• Many of the brick Many of the brick houses were two houses were two stories high, with thick stories high, with thick walls and high ceilings walls and high ceilings to keep the rooms cool to keep the rooms cool in the hot summer in the hot summer months. months.

Gateway Gateway

LanguageLanguage•The Indus (Harappan) The Indus (Harappan)

people used a people used a pictographic script. pictographic script.

•

•Some 3500 Some 3500 specimens of this specimens of this script survive script survive

•Writing has not Writing has not been deciphered been deciphered

Ancient IndusAncient Indus

Economy-TradeEconomy-Trade

•The Harappan civilization was The Harappan civilization was mainly urban and mercantile. mainly urban and mercantile.

• Inhabitants of the Indus valley Inhabitants of the Indus valley traded with Mesopotamia, traded with Mesopotamia, southern India, Afghanistan, and southern India, Afghanistan, and Persia for gold, silver, copper, Persia for gold, silver, copper, and turquoise. and turquoise.

• Irrigation; First to cultivate cottonIrrigation; First to cultivate cotton

CollapseCollapse

•Possible Possible Theories: Theories: – intense intense

floodingflooding– decrease in decrease in

precipitationprecipitation– decreased decreased

river flowriver flow– Aryan Aryan

invasion invasion (doubtful) (doubtful)

The Spread of Aryan The Spread of Aryan SettlementSettlement• Aryans are named for their use of Aryans are named for their use of

Sanskrit and other languages included Sanskrit and other languages included in the Indo-Aryan family of languagesin the Indo-Aryan family of languages

• Arrived in waves from either central Arrived in waves from either central Asia or the Iranian plateau, mixed with Asia or the Iranian plateau, mixed with local people and moved eastward to local people and moved eastward to the Ganges by 1000 B.C.E. the Ganges by 1000 B.C.E.

• MIGRATION AND DIFFUSIONMIGRATION AND DIFFUSION

Indus Valley and Its Indus Valley and Its MysteriesMysteries

•Legacies of the Harappan CivilizationLegacies of the Harappan Civilization– Was succeed by and blended with the Was succeed by and blended with the

Aryan civilizationAryan civilization– Aryans have extensive literary legacy but Aryans have extensive literary legacy but

virtually no artifactsvirtually no artifacts– Aryans learned farming from HarappansAryans learned farming from Harappans– Caste system used to control Harappans?Caste system used to control Harappans?

Civilization?Civilization?

• Criticism of calling it a civilization Criticism of calling it a civilization because even though the culture is because even though the culture is fairly homogenous, there is a lack of fairly homogenous, there is a lack of elite (such as high status burials).elite (such as high status burials).

• Thus, some researchers argue that it Thus, some researchers argue that it was actually more of a chiefdom, was actually more of a chiefdom, rather than a state-level society.rather than a state-level society.