Summer 2020
HIS 102: Introduction to World Civilization
Department of History and Philosophy
North South University
LECTURE 5:
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
3100 BCE – 395 CE
DR. KAZI MARUFUL ISLAM
kazi.islam07@northsouth.edu
16 July 2020
TALKING POINTS
§ Geography and Climate
of ancient Egypt
§ Political and Economic
condition
§ Social condition
§ Religious and Beliefs
§ Arts, Science and
Technology
TIMELINE FO ANCIENT EGYPTIAN HISTORY
TIMELINE OF EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
Name Dynasty Year
Beginning of Nile civilizations 3900 BCE
Archaic Period 1- 2 3100 – 2700 BCE
Old Kingdom 3-6 2700 – 2200 BCE
Intermediate Period 7 - 10 2200 – 2050 BCE
Middle Kingdom 11 - 17 2050 – 1650 BCE
New Kingdom 18 - 20 1532 – 1070 BCE
Later Period 21 - 31 750 – 332 BCE
Greek Ptolemaic Era 332 – 30 BCE
Roman Period 30 BCE – 395 CE
GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
§ Nile: The longest river in the world
§ Nile River rises from the lakes of central
Africa as the White Nile and from the
mountains of Ethiopia as the Blue Nile.
The White and Blue Nile meet at
Khartoum and flow together northward
to the Nile delta, where the 4000 mile
course of this river spills into the
Mediterranean Sea
§ 1. Egypt’s settlements arose along narrow strip of land
made fertile by the river
§ 2. Yearly flooding, but predictable
Regular cycle: flood, plant, harvest, flood, plant,
harvest...
§ 3. Intricate network of irrigation ditches
4. Worshiped as a god – giver of life and benevolent
TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE The Topography
TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
§ Protection: Unlike § Rainfall: Less than two inches of rain per
Mesopotamia, Egypt’s year falls in the delta and rain is relatively
geography makes it unknown in other parts of Egypt.
difficult to invade: § Most of the land is uninhabitable. These
Mediterranean Sea – North geographical factors have determined the
Red Sea – East Sahara – character of the Egyptian civilization.
West African mountains /
Cataracts - South § Unlike Mesopotamia, the Nile was
predictable
§ Deserts on both sides of Nile
- provided natural protection against
invaders
- also reduced interaction with other
people
Egypt on the Nile
TOPOGRAPHY B. Upper and Lower Egypt
Mos of Eg p s his or foc sed aro nd
Lower Egypt,
§ Upper and Lower Egypt
around the Nile delta which flows into the
Mediterranean Sea.
§ 1. Most of Egypt’s history focused around
Lower Egypt, around the Nile
2. Upper Egypt developeddelta
later upstream
which flows into3.the Nile Mediterranean Sea.
provided reliable transportation
- to go north, drift with the current toward the sea
§ 2. Upper Egypt -developed later
to go south, sail catching the Mediterranean breeze
upstream
§ 3. Nile provided reliable transportation
C. Environment
§ - to go north, drift with
1. Unlike the current
Mesopotamia, the Nile was predictable
toward the sea 2. Deserts on both sides of Nile
- to go south, sail- catching
provided natural theprotection against
Mediterranean invaders
breeze
- also reduced interaction with other people
.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
THE SOIL AND AGRICULTURE
§ People could farm only along the banks of the Nile, where arid
sand meets the fertile soil.
§ Of course, each summer the Nile swells as the rains pour down
and the snow melts on the mountains. The river overflows its
banks and floods the land with fresh water and deposits a thick
layer of rich alluvial soil.
§ The land would then yield two harvests before winter.
§ This yearly flood determined more than just the agricultural
needs of early Egypt.
§ It also determined the lifecycle of society and helped to create
the world view of ancient Egyptian civilization.
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
§ The Pharaoh: “Owner” of all Egypt
§ By the time of the OldKingdom, the land had been consolidated under the
central power of a king, who was also the "owner" of all Egypt.
§ The King was considered to be divine, he stood above the priests and was
the only individual who had direct contact with the gods.
§ The economy was a royal monopoly and so there was no word in Egyptian
for "trader."
§ Under the king was a carefully graded hierarchy of officials, ranging from
the governors of provinces down through local mayors and tax collectors.
§ The entire system was supported by the work of slaves, peasants and
artisans.
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
§ In the Old Kingdom, royal power was absolute. The pharaoh (the term
originally meant "great house" or "palace"), governed his kingdom
through his family and appointed officials.
§ The lives of the peasants and artisans was carefully regulated: their
movement was limited and they were taxed heavily.
§ Luxury accompanied the pharaoh in life and in death and he was
raised to an exalted level by his people.
§ The Egyptians worked for the pharaoh and obeyed him because he
was a living god on whom the entire fabric of social life depended.
§ No codes of law were needed since the pharaoh was the direct source
of all law.
THE OLD KINGDOM: 2575 – 2130 BCE
§ Pharaohs organized a strong central state, were
absolute rulers, and were considered gods.
§ Khufu and others built pyramids at Giza.
§ Power struggles, crop failures, and cost of pyramids
contributed to the collapse of the Old Kingdom
MIDDLE KINGDOM: 2040 - 1640
§ New capital Thebes in upper (southern) Egypt
§ 1600 BC ruler became known as the pharaoh
§ Came to an end when the Hyksos, a people from
western Asia, invaded. The Hyksos had Bronze
Weapons and Horse Drawn Chariots
§ The Hyksos ruled Egypt for 110 years
NEW KINGDOM: 1532 – 1070 BCE
§ Early female ruler Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BCE)
§ Had a tomb built as part of a major building project
§ Succeeded by stepson, Thutmose III
§ Thutmose established Egypt as an empire, gains wealth
§ Through trade and conquest, Egyptians learned other ideas
and blend cultures
§ Tutankhamen: boy-king
§ Ramses II expanded Egyptian rule to Syria.
§ Egyptian power declined.
RELIGIOUS AND BELIEFS
§ Religion was integral to Egyptian life. Religious beliefs formed the basis of
Egyptian art, medicine, astronomy, literature and government.
§ The great pyramids were burial tombs for the pharaohs who were revered
as gods on earth.
§ Magical utterances pervaded medical practices since disease was
attributed to the gods. Astronomy evolved to determine the correct time to
perform religious rites and sacrifices.
§ The earliest examples of literature dealt almost entirely with religious
themes.
§ The pharaoh was a sacrosanct monarch who served as the intermediary
between the gods and man. Justice too, was conceived in religious terms,
something bestowed upon man by the creator-god.
§ Finally, the Egyptians developed an ethical code which they believed the
gods had approved.
RELIGIOUS AND BELIEFS
The Gods
EGYPTIAN GODS
LIFE AFTER DEATH
§ It is known that Egyptians believed in the concept of “death after life”;
§ The Egyptians had a very clear idea of the afterlife. They took great care to bury
their dead according to convention and supplied the grave with things that the
departed would need for a pleasant life after death.
§ Egyptians devoted much time and wealth to preparing for survival in the next
world. (MUMMIFICATION)
• They believed that souls travelled through the after life that’s why they gave
importance in preserving the bodies of the dead.
§ The pharaoh and some nobles had their bodies preserved in a process of
mummification. Their tombs were decorated with paintings, food was provided at
burial and after.
§ Some tombs even included full sized sailing vessels for the voyage to heaven and
beyond.
LEGAL SYSTEM
§ In Ancient Egypt, the court systems were very unfair.
§ Noble men and rich Also, judges and tax collectors used
their power to control other people and for their own
gods,
§ The pharaohs made many strict rules and harsh
punishments so that the citizens will stay in control
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
MUST WATCH VDOS
§ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO1tzmi1V5g
THANKS
