Ch. 3 - Egypt

ANCIENT WORLD HISTORY NOTES

Chapter 3: First Civilization - Egypt (6000 B.C. - 587 B.C.)

Geography of the Nile Civilization

1. Nile River

-where one of the world’s first civilizations began

-river flows north

-delta region

-longest river in the world

-provides complete existence for Egyptians

-early calendar centered around it

-White and Blue Nile

2. Nile Valley

-narrow area of fertile land surrounded by desert

3. Upper Egypt-

-refers to the southern (up stream) region of Nile

-characterized by narrow river and agricultural land

-extends from the delta to the first cataracts

-also includes what is sometimes referred to as Middle Egypt

4. Lower Egypt-

-refers to the northern (down stream) region of Nile River

-characterized by lush, wide delta region

5. Nile Delta-

-fanned shaped region of very good soil around the mouth of the river

6. Cataracts-

-a blockage of transportation within a river

-falls, shallows, rocks, etc.

7. Inundation Period

-time when Nile River flooded

-usually lasted 3 months

-very predictable flood

-farmers needed something to do during this time

-caused by rainy season in central Africa

-ancient Egyptians believed the flood came from the Gods

8. Irrigation-

-moving water from a distance source to where it can be used to grow crops

9. Papyrus-

-reed which grows wild along the Nile

-used for may things by the ancient Egyptians

-paper scrolls

10. Hieroglyphics-

-system of picture writing developed in ancient

Egypt

-because of complexity, only a few Egyptians actually understood this writing

11. Rosetta Stone-

-uncovered in Rosetta, Egypt

-had a story written in three different languages

-key to understanding hieroglyphics

Political Structure in Ancient Egypt

12. Dynasty

-long period of rule by a single family

-political (and religious) control is passed from one generation to the next

-ends when family is forcibly replaced or not heir exists

13. Pharaohs

-literal translation is “the royal place”

-god-king of ancient Egypt

-absolute power

-ascended to the thrown through matrilineal succession

-thought to be a reincarnation of the god Horus

14. Bureaucracy-

-refers to the divisions of government, necessary to effectively execute and enforce government

15. Old Kingdom

-2680 B.C. to 2180 B.C.

-reached its height during the first thru sixth Egyptian dynasties

-period remembered for its great wealth and massive building projects

-pharaohs were revered as gods

-internal strength allowed Egypt to expand to areas outside the Nile Valley

-intellectual, artistic, and architectural development was highly encouraged

-reasons for decline: 1) internal struggles for power 2) revolts and invasions by outsiders

3) overspending on constructions and war

-seventh thru twelfth dynasties mark a period called the Intermediate Period (first and second)

16. King Narmer-

-king of the first Egyptian dynasty

-united Lower and Upper Egypt through war establishing the Old Kingdom

-used the united crown of the two kingdoms

-his tomb was discovered at Abydos in 1897, identifying him as Menes “the founder”

17. Memphis

-trading city located along the Nile River

-built by Menes as his administrative capital of Upper and Lower Egypt

-little Egyptian artifacts remain from the ancient city

18. Pyramids

-geometric monuments serving as tombs for Pharaohs and other important ancient Egyptians

-the most prominent building of a vast temple complex

-demonstrates a remarkable level of ancient knowledge and technology

-also demonstrates the great power held by Old Kingdom Pharaohs

-huge expense and an increasing need for soldiers ended pyramid building in Egypt

-recently proven to be built by Egyptian citizens during the inundation period and not slaves

-most were quickly broken into and the pharaoh and his riches were removed

19. Saqqara

-burial place for the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis

-earliest example of pyramid architecturally

-characterized by the six layer Step Pyramid of King Zoser

-designed by Imhotep, considered a god for his ability

20. Giza

-located on the west bank of the Nile across from modern Cairo

-most elaborate ancient temple complex

-pyramids of Kings Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren), and Menkaure (Mycerinus) lie in close proximity to each here

-the pyramids smooth outer limestone facing was used for building material when Cairo was built during the 10th century AD

21. Great Pyramid-

-Giza pyramid built for King Khufu

-the largest pyramid ever built, measuring 756 ft. on each side of it’s base and originally measuring 482 ft. high

22. Sphinx

-ancient Egyptian monument combing a lion's body with a human face, probably Khafre

-designed to guard the pyramids of Giza

-images of similar sphinx appear in various other areas and cultures

-still one of Egypt’s most recognizable artifacts despite Turkish invaders attempts to destroy it’s pagan worship in the 1600’s and its use for target practice by French soldiers under Napoleon in the 1800’s

23. Middle Kingdom (Intermediate Period)

-2050 B.C. to 1800 B.C.

-not as wealthy and powerful as Old Kingdom

-nobles and priests began to weaken the power of the Pharaoh

-several problems began to weaken Egypt

24. New Kingdom

-1550 B.C. - 1100 B.C.

-time of great Egyptian expansion

-split was made between pharaohs and gods

25. Valley of the Kings

-royal burial sites of the 18th dynasty and 19th dynasties of the New Kingdom

-located along the Nile Rive at Thebes

-more than 60 tombs are known, but more probably exist here

-tombs are underground burial chambers rather than huge pyramids

26. Hatshepsut

-only woman to rule Egypt as pharaoh

-assumed power as regent for her son Thutmose III

-she encouraged commercial expansion and sponsored a major building projects

-toward the end of her reign she lost influence to Thutmose III

27. Thutmose III-

-the greatest of Egypt's warrior kings, leading many victorious military campaigns

-was young when he preceded his father and jointly ruled with Hatshepsut

-used wealth of gained from conquered territories for building and erasing Egypt’s memory of Hatshepsut

-his son Amenhotep II succeeded him

28. Ramses II-

-remembered for his military campaigns against the Hittites and his extensive building project at Abu Simbel

-reigned Egypt for 67 years, had more than 100 children (outliving 11), and lived into his 80’s

29. Akhenaton-

-actual name was Amenhotep IV

-made monotheistic reforms in Egypt by transferring all religious power to Aten, the Sun God

-his reform was unpopular and after his death polytheistic beliefs were restored but dissension continued

30. Tutankhamen-

-also called the Boy King or King Tut

-most famous because his rich tomb survived almost completely intact

-his tomb was hidden by rock chips dumped from cutting the tomb of later kings

-became Pharaoh at age nine and under the guidance of the vizier Ay, restored the polytheistic religion

-died mysteriously at the age of 18 and was succeeded by Ay who had married Tut’s mother

31. Howard Carter-

-English Egyptologist responsible for the discovery of the tomb of King Tutankhamen 1922

-worked with and was funded by Lord Carnarvon

Ancient Egyptian Religious Beliefs

32. Amon-Re-

-the supreme god of the Egyptian religion

-originally two separate gods

-responsible for driving the chariot which carried the sun around the world

-represented by a man's body and a falcon's head surrounded by a solar disk

-his temple at Karnak is one of the chief architectural monuments of ancient Egypt.

-believed to be the father of the Pharaoh

33. Mummification-

-specific ritual performed to embalm and preserve the body of the important Egyptians

-complete for religious purpose, allowing the dead to use his/her body in the next life

-aided by Egypt’s hot, dry climate

34. Canopic Jars-

-sacred jars into which organs of corpus were

placed and preserved

35. Osiris-

-god responsible for judging the dead

-was murdered and dismembered by his brother Set

-his wife Isis and son Horus collected the pieces giving him new life and position as god of the underworld

-usually depicted as being green skinned

36. Weighing of the Heart Ceremony-

-judgment of the honesty of the dead while they were alive against a feather

-passing the test meant entrance into eternal life

37. Anubis-

-jackal-headed god who took the souls of the dead to be weighed before the judge of the infernal regions

-carried out the mummification process of the dead

38. Ankh-

-Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol for life

-borrowed by the other religions, including Christianity

-through out time, has been thought to provide protective powers

Book of the Dead-

-in order to enter the underworld, the dead had to answer trick questions

-to help the dead answer these questions, a book of magic spells was placed in the tomb with them

-there is no one single book

Story of Sinuhe

-one of the finest works of Ancient Egyptian Literature

-considered to be fictional but probably based upon historic situations

-story about the life of a court official’s journey after death of Pharaoh Amenemhat I

39. Gifts of the Egyptians-

-writing

-paper

-building with stone

-public administration

-land surveying

-irrigation

-ship building

-calendar