2.1-2.2

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

Merchants traveled in sailboats and barges

Exchanged products with:AfricaMiddle EastMediterranean

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

Medicine-through mummificationObserved symptoms, found cures, diagnosed

symptomsPerformed surgeryMedicines still used

AstronomyMapped constellationsCharted planets12 month calendar

Basis for modern calendar

MathematicsGeometry to survey landCalculate stones for pyramids Irrigation systems