Ancient Egypt:
“The Gift of the Nile”
(Herodotus)
EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION KNOWN TO AS CIVILIZATION
PYRAMIDS
TEMPLES
ARCHITECTURE
MUMMIFICATION
ASTRONOMY
Egypt on the Nile
Nile River
I. GEOGRAPHY
A. The Nile
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
Egypt on the Nile
B. Upper and Lower Egypt
1. Most of Egypt’s history focused around
Lower Egypt,
around the Nile delta which flows into the
Mediterranean Sea.
2. Upper Egypt developed later upstream
3. Nile provided reliable transportation
- to go north, drift with the current toward the sea
- to go south, sail catching the Mediterranean breeze
C. Environment
1. Unlike Mesopotamia, the Nile was predictable
2. Deserts on both sides of Nile
- provided natural protection against
invaders
- also reduced interaction with other people
.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
Ancient Egyptian History
PERIODS TIME FRAME
NILE CULTURE 3900 B. C. E.
BEGINS
ARCHAIC 3100 – 2650 B. C. E.
OLD KINGDOM 2575 – 2134 B. C. E.
MIDDLE KINGDOM 2040 – 1640 B. C. E.
NEW KINGDOM 1532 – 1070 B. C. E.
LATE PERIOD 750 – 332 B. C. E.
GREEK PTOLEMAIC 332 – 30 B. C. E.
ERA
ROMAN PERIOD 30 B. C. E. – 395 C. E.
POLITICAL FRAMEWORK
The PHAROAH was at the top of the social
hierarchy.
• Next to him, the most powerful officers
were the VIZIERS, the executive heads of
the bureaucracy.
• Under them were the HIGH PRIESTS,
followed by ROYAL OVERSEERS
(administrators) who ensured that the
42 DISTRICT GOVERNORS carried
out the pharaoh's orders.
• At the bottom of the hierarchy
were the SCRIBES, ARTISANS,
FARMERS, and LABORERS.
Three Kingdoms of Ancient Egypt
OLD KINGDOM MIDDLE NEW KINGDOM (1532-
(2575-2134 BCE) KINGDOM 1070 BCE)
(2040-1640 BCE)
Pharaohs organized a Large drainage project Powerful pharaohs
strong central state, were created arable farmland. created a large empire
absolute rulers, and were that reached the
considered gods. Traders had contacts with Euphrates River.
Middle East and Crete.
Khufu and others built Hatshepsut
pyramids at Giza. Corruption and rebellions encouraged trade.
were common.
Power struggles, crop Tutankhamen: boy-king
failures, and cost of Hyksos invaded and
pyramids contributed to occupied the delta Ramses II expanded
the collapse of the Old region. Egyptian rule to Syria.
Kingdom.
Egyptian power
declined.
Egyptian Priestly Class
MILITARY
The Ancient Egyptian army was divided into
two forces
Army
navy.
To reinforce their image as powerful divine rulers, the PHARAOHS
represented themselves in writings and sculptured reliefs on temple walls.
They often DEPICTED THEMSELVES AS WARRIORS who single-
handedly killed scores of enemies and slaughtered a whole pride of lions.
ECONOMY
Law
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 and DAILY
LIFE
Religion in Egypt
Egyptians Gods
•Ra
•Osiris
•Isis
•Anubis
Egyptian Nobility
Education
Few Upper class boys went to school
1% of population able to read and
write
They taught Scribes
Alsotaught Elementary
Mathematics, Geography, Astronomy
No evidence for the teaching of
foreign Language
Houses
All Houses made Bricks dried out in
the sun
Windows were small and high up
windows and doors with wooden
shutters
Wealthy families has large houses
and poor has small with 4 rooms
shared with domesticated animals
Oil lamps used for light the homes
Scenes of Ancient Egyptian
Daily Life
ENTERTAINMENT
Egyptian love music
Musicians played flutes, lute,
trumpets, drums
Storytelling popular in Egyptian
society
They like Hunting, Fishing , and
Swimming
They liked boardgames such as
Sennet, Twenty squares, and Snake
games
ProfessioNs
MARRIAGES & FAMILY LIFE
Girls married in the age of 12
to 14
Boys married in the age of 16
to 20
Marriages usually arranged
and in family for the sake of
purification of blood
DUTIES
Responsible for parents burials
& funeral
Protect and care their wives
Provided in their old age
Followed father’s footstep and
took the same job
This painting is somewhat unusual. Can you
spot the reason why?
Painting
Fashion and Jewelry
Extremely image conscious and
interested in fashion
Both wore earrings, bracelets,
rings, necklace
Jewelry made from gold & also
decorated with stones like carnelian,
feldspar, amethyst
Cosmetics used both they used eye
makeup & oil only wealthy
Believe makeup had magical &
healing powers
Background
Information
through Image
Paintings Egyptian
getting water
Reliefs
Models in Toms
Scribe
Death in Egyptian religion
• It is known that Egyptians believed
in the concept of “death after life”;
• 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.
Roles in Mummification
There were 3 major roles in the
mummification.
the Scribe,
the Cutter
the Embalmer.
TUTANKHAMUN –THE BOY PHAROE
GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA
STRUCTURE OF PYRAMID
WOMEN IN EGYPT
Typically Male dominated but
Women get far more rights
Legally independent citizen
Equal inherit
Both male female attended Social
occasions together
List of possible occupations were
Servant
Laundrywomen
Shop manager
Singer
Dancer
Work in field with husbands
Inventions and Contributions of Egyptian Civilization
Ancient Egyptians are believed to have
been very intelligent and thorough
people. Research into their lifestyle
reveals that they developed quite a few
tools to make their lives easy and
efficient.
Religious based
Social based
Egyptian achievements
Bricks
Locks
Language
THANKS FOR YOUR
PATIENT HEARING
The end
