Aim: Does ancient Egypt deserve to be remembered as a great Empire?

1. Aim: Does ancient Egypt deserve to be remembered as a great Empire? Do Now: What do you know about Ancient Egypt? What do you want to know? NY State Learning Standards 2, 3 Common Core RS 2, 7, 6, 9, WS 1, 2

2. I Geography of Ancient Egypt • The Nile River was the center of Egyptian civilization. Close to the Nile was rich “black” soil. Away from the Nile was “red” desert. • The source of the Nile begins south of Egypt (Lake Victoria). The Nile flows from Lower Egypt in the south to Upper Egypt in the north, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. This marshy area is called the Nile Delta, and is shaped like a triangle. • The Nile floods annually (yearly). The floods were usually predictable, and were necessary for farming. • The Nile has currents that go both north and south; great for trade and transportation!

3. The Nile From Space

4. II How Ancient Egypt Became a Civilization • By 3500 BCE people settled in the Nile River Valley • Ancient Egypt originally was two separate kingdoms; Upper Egyptand Lower Egypt. • In 3100 PharaohMenes united Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom. He created the first Egyptian dynasty (family of rulers). • Pharaohs had absolute power. They claimed divine right; that their power came from the gods.

5. How Ancient Egypt Became a Civilization Continued…

6. How Ancient Egypt Became a Civilization Continued… Egyptians used to bury their dead in a mastaba (rectangular tomb). During the Early Dynastic period, Pharaoh Djoser ordered his engineer to stack several mastabas on top of each other, creating the first Egyptian step-pyramid at Saqqara.

7. How Ancient Egypt Became a Civilization Continued… Sneferu built the first “true” pyramid during the Old Kingdom… but his engineers were still working out the kinks… which is why it became known as the Bent Pyramid.

8. How Ancient Egypt Became a Civilization Continued… The Pharaoh Sneferuwas finally able to build a “perfect” pyramid; the Red Pyramid.

9. How Ancient Egypt Became a Civilization Continued… The Pyramids of Giza are the only standing wonder of the ancient world. The Sphinx (a monument with the body of a lion and a face of a pharaoh) lost its nose in the Middle Ages by Muslim Arabs.

10. How Ancient Egypt Became a Civilization Continued… The three pyramids at Giza were built by three different Pharaohs! Khufu (the tallest), Khafre, and Menkaure.

11. On the Road to Giza!

12. How Ancient Egypt Became a Civilization Continued… The Hyksos invaded Egypt during the Middle Kingdom. From the Hyksos, the Egyptians learned about the chariot and compound bow.

13. How Ancient Egypt Became a Civilization Continued… Hatshepsut and Ramsesses II were important Pharaohs of the New Kingdom. Both built impressive temples.

14. How Ancient Egypt Became a Civilization Continued… Hatshepsut was a female Pharaoh. She is often depicted being dressed as a man. Her temple was influenced by Greek and Roman styles.

15. How Ancient Egypt Became a Civilization Continued… Abu Simbel was built by Ramses II, cut out of rock.

16. III Ancient Egyptian Society and Government Ancient Egyptian government was a theocracy and a monarchy. It was headed by the Pharaoh, who also was the head priest. (Recall that a theocracy is a government controlled by religious leaders). Egypt created one of the world’s first bureaucracies! A bureaucracy is a large group of people who are involved in running a government, who have specialized jobs, and follow a hierarchy of status. EGYPTIAN BUREACRACY

17. Ancient Egyptian Society and Government Continued… C) Due to the Sahara Desert, Egypt had natural protection from invaders. However, Egypt still needed defense, as most Egyptian cities lacked protective walls. In the Middle Kingdom, the chariot became widely used in conjunction with spears. Their navy focused on the Nile, and usually hired Phoenicians (a sea-faring people of the Mediterranean) to make longer ocean voyages.

18. Ancient Egyptian Society and Government Continued… D) Ancient Egyptian womenenjoyed more freedom and rights than in most other ancient civilizations. They could buy and sell property, divorce, and work in most professions. E) Most Egyptians were peasants (poor farmers) or laborers. They lived in sun baked mud brick houses. F) According to the Biblical story of the Exodus, the Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt and forced to build the pyramids. However, writings found in tombs indicate that most builders of the pyramids were honored, and paid for their work. Nefertiti was Pharaoh of Egypt in the New Kingdom. She was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world.

19. IV Ancient Egyptian Religion • Ancient Egyptian religion was polytheistic. However, Pharaoh Amenhotep in the New Kingdom tried to switch the religion to monotheism, and to only worship the sun god Aton. As soon as he died, Egypt went right back to polytheism. B) Priests performed rituals to please the gods in their temples. C) Because the Nile floods were usually predictable, Egyptians had a positive view of life… which is why they wanted to make sure that they would continue living in the afterlife. This is a massive foot from a statue from the Temple at Karnak. It was built during the New Kingdom. It is the largest temple complex in the world that is still standing!

20. ENTERING AN EGYPTIAN TEMPLE

21. Ancient Egyptian Religion Continued… Here the gods of the dead performed the Weighing of the Heart ceremony to judge whether the person's earthly deeds were virtuous. The person’s heart was placed on a scale, counterbalanced by a feather that represented Maat, the goddess of truth and justice. If the heart was equal in weight to the feather, the person was justified and achieved immortality. If not, it was devoured by the goddess Amemet. If you passed, you would travel the underworld on a boat to reach paradise. Why do you think the Egyptians believed you would travel the underworld on a boat?

22. Ancient Egyptian Religion Continued… D) Egyptians believed that in the afterlife, your soul (ka) will reenter your body, leading to resurrection. This led to the process of mummification. Mummies would be placed in tombs, surrounded by all possessions they wished to take to the afterlife. As much of the brain… is extracted through the nostrils with an iron hook, and what the hook cannot reach is dissolved with drugs. Next, the flank is slit open . . . and the entire contents of the abdomen removed. The cavity is then thoroughly cleansed and washed out . . . Then it is filled with…aromatic substances... [The incision] is sewn up, and then the body is placed in natron, covered entirely for 70 days… the body is [then] washed and… wrapped from the head to the feet in linen which has been cut into strips and smeared on the underside with gum which is commonly used by the Egyptians in the place of glue.-Herodotus, Greek Historian 450 BCE The heart and other organs viewed as vital for the afterlife were preserved in canopic jars.

23. Did you know? Tobacco was one of the items used to stuff the cavities of the mummies. False toe found on an unidentified female mummy. Unidentified mummy wrapped in linen. Ramses I, Found in the Valley of the Kings

24. VI Achievements in the Arts & Science • Egyptians built their pyramids, statues and monuments out of stone. *A strong workforce and planning was necessary. These were often decorated with carved pictures and hieroglyphics. Stele are inscribed stone slabs. Obelisks are standing stone pillars (carved from a single piece of stone). Above is the Stele of Amenemhat, c. 2000 BCE. On the right is the Obelisk of Hatshepsut, from theTemple at Karnak, c. 1457 BCE.

25. Achievements in the Arts & Science Continued… B) There are several theories as to how the pyramids were built. Ramps may have been lubricated with water to reduce friction. Another theory is that pulleys were used.

26. Achievements in the Arts & Science Continued… C) Egyptians were writing hieroglyphics (sacred carvings) by 3300 BCE; it is one of the earliest forms of writing! Hieroglyphics can be read left to right, right to left, up to down, or down to up! • 700+ symbols called glyphs • Phonograms represented sounds • Ideograms represented ideas or objects The Rosetta Stone was a stone tablet from ancient Egypt c. 196 BCE. It was inscribed in three different languages; ancient Greek, Egyptian hieroglyphics, and a script form of Egyptian. In 1799 soldiers from Napoleon’s army found the Rosetta Stone, leading to the decoding of a once mysterious language.

27. Achievements in the Arts & Science Continued… D) Egyptians created a type of paper from the papyrus plant. E) Egyptians had a number system based on based 10. They did not have a number for zero. F) Egyptians made advancements in astronomy. They used an instrument called a merkhet to take accurate measurements of the stars, so they could align their pyramids and temples.

28. Achievements in Arts and Sciences Continued… G) Egyptians built dikes and dams to control flooding. H) Egyptians built irrigation canals in order to farm. This picture is showing irrigation canals in modern day Egypt.

29. VII Does King Tut deserve his fame? • Tutankhamun “King Tut” (1341 – 1323 BCE) from the New Kingdom became Pharaoh at 9 years old. • Recent DNA studies shows that he had malaria, and a bone disorder (possibly due to incest in his family). • In 1922, Howard Carter discovered his tomb in the Valley of the Kings, buried under another tomb! This is why King “Tut” became so famous; grave robbers had not been able to find his tomb. Lord Carnarvon died 7 weeks after entering the burial chamber giving rise to the theory of the "Curse" of King Tut.

30. Valley of the Kings, Site of King Tut’s Tomb New Kingdom Pharaohs began to abandon building pyramids, and instead chose to be buried in the Valley of the Kings; underground tombs that were more difficult for grave robbers to find.

31. King Tut

32. IX Egyptians Had Style! Men and women shaved their heads to prevent lice. Adults wore wigs, while male children kept a single lock of hair. Both men and women wore eye makeup; it helped to keep the sun out of their eyes. Kohl Pot

33. VIII What happened to ancient Egypt? 332 BCE Alexander the Great conquered Egypt and added it to his growing empire. TO BE CONTINUED

34. Key Vocabulary • Egypt • Nile River • Delta • Red Land • Black Land • Upper Egypt • Lower Egypt • Dikes • Dams • Irrigation Canals • Pharaoh Menes • Divine Right • Early Dynastic Period • Old Kingdom • Middle Kingdom • New Kingdom • Mastaba • Pharaoh Djoser’s Step Pyramid at Saqqara • Sneferu’s Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid • Pyramids at Giza • Sphinx • Hyksos • Pharaoh Hatshepsut • Pharaoh Ramsesses II • Abu Simbel • Viziers • Scribes • Pharaoh Nefertiti • Pharaoh Amenhotep • Polytheism • Priests • Temple at Karnak • Mummification • Resurrection • Canopic Jars • Stele • Obelisks • Ramps • Pulleys • Hieroglyphics • Phonograms • Ideograms • Papyrus • Astronomy • Merkhet • Tutankhamun • Howard Carter