Ancient Egypt Vocab List PDF

History Vocab List Year Long Make sure you are updated as to what is added since they can occur in any vocab quiz Ancient Egypt 1.​ Terrain: a stretch of land, especially with regard to its physical features, such as fertile plains, river valleys and deserts. 2.​ Upper Egypt: the southe...

History Vocab List Year Long Make sure you are updated as to what is added since they can occur in any vocab quiz Ancient Egypt 1.​ Terrain: a stretch of land, especially with regard to its physical features, such as fertile plains, river valleys and deserts. 2.​ Upper Egypt: the southern region of Egypt, stretching from Cairo south to Lake Nasser (formed by the Aswan High Dam). 3.​ Lower Egypt: the northern region of Egypt, stretching from north Cairo to the Mediterranean sea. 4.​ Flow of the Nile: (direction and reason of direction): Direction: The Nile flows from south (Upper Egypt) to north (Lower Egypt) into the Mediterranean Sea. Reason: This is due to the natural gradient of the land, with higher elevations in the south and lower elevations in the north. 5.​ Annual flooding of the Nile (when did it happen + effects): it happened in the flood season (Akhet - Mid-June to Mid-October) Effects: deposited nutrient-rich silt, making land fertile thus enabling agricultural prosperity in Egypt, and causing relief from arid climate. 6.​ Delta: A triangular area of fertile land at the mouth of the Nile River, where it divides into several branches before flowing into the Mediterranean Sea. 7.​ Black land: fertile lands along the nile, also known as Kemet. Named for its dark, nutrient-rich soil deposited by annual floods. 8.​ Red land (Deserts): the barren deserts that protected Egypt’s two sides. Eastern Desert and Western Desert. Separated Egypt from countries and invading armies and was the main reason allowing their civilization to thrive for nearly 3000 years. 9.​ Sahara Desert: The vast desert to the west of Egypt, part of the Red Land, acting as a natural barrier and influencing Egypt's isolation and security. 10.​ Eastern Desert: bordered nile on east, were harsh and arid, sparsely inhabited, mainly natural boundaries 11.​ Natron: A naturally occurring salt found in the Eastern Desert, used by the Egyptians in mummification to dry and preserve bodies. 12.​ Quartzite : A durable stone used in ancient Egyptian construction and sculpting, often sourced from the deserts. 13.​ Limestone : A common building material in ancient Egypt, used extensively for tombs and temples and other structures. 14.​ First Cataract: The first series of rapids or waterfalls on the Nile River, marking the southern boundary of Upper Egypt and serving as a natural barrier. 15.​ 3 seasons of Ancient Egyptian year: flood season (Akhet _ Mid-June to Mid-October), planting season (Pret _ Mid-October to Mid Feb), harvest season (Shemu _ Mid-Feb to Mid-June) 16.​ Climate zones (with characteristics) a.​ Tropical Zone: starts from 0 degrees to 23 ½ , Torrid, hot & rainy all the year. b.​ Temperate Zone: starts from 23 ½ degrees to 66, moderate & dry. c.​ Polar/ Frigid Zone: starts from 66 degrees to 90, cold & moist 17.​ Old kingdom: time period: 2613 to 2181 BCE, 3rd to 6th dynasties, age of pyramids. 18.​ Intermediate periods (all 3 of them):  ​ 1st intermediate: 2181-2040 BCE, political fragmentation, competing rulers, 7th to 10th dynasties. ​ 2nd intermediate: 1782 - c.1570 BCE, hyksos invasions (North), local rulers south (14th to 17th dynasties) ​ 3rd intermediate: 1069-525 BCE, 31st dynasty, decentralization + foreign influence + cleopatra ♥ ️roman, persian. 19.​ Political Fragmentation: Refers to the breakdown of centralized authority in Egypt, often during the Intermediate Periods, leading to regional divisions and weakened governance. 20.​ Middle Kingdom: Lasting from about 2050 to 1652 BCE (11th to 17th dynasty), this period saw stability, territorial expansion, and the pharaohs portrayed as shepherds of their people. Ended when the Hittites conquered Egypt. 21.​ New Kingdom: From 1567 to 1085 BCE, Egypt reached its peak in wealth and power, with expansive military campaigns and monumental construction. 22.​ Bureaucracy: administrative organization with officials and regular procedures. 23.​ Vizier: The pharaoh's chief advisor and head of the bureaucracy, responsible for overseeing governance and administration. 24.​ Mummification: The process of preserving the dead by drying the body and wrapping it in linen, ensuring the deceased's journey to the afterlife. ​ Egyptians believed in two bodies: a physical one which needed to be mummified properly, and a spiritual one called the Ka, which needed sustenance and care in the afterlife. 25.​ Dynasty: A ruling family that maintained power across generations, foundational to Egypt’s political structure. 26.​ Pharaoh: The king of Egypt, regarded as a divine figure and intermediary between gods and people. It also meant monarch or great house. 27.​ Hyksos: A foreign group that invaded and ruled parts of Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period, introducing horse-drawn war chariots and bronze tools. 28.​ Hatchepsut: one of the first female pharaohs, known for her prosperous reign and monumental building projects, including her temple at Deir el-Bahri. 29.​ Amenhotep IV: A pharaoh who introduced monotheism by worshipping Aten, the sun disk, and moved the capital to Akhetaten. 30.​ Akhenaton: 31.​ Monotheism: The worship of a single god, as introduced by Akhenaton during his reign. 32.​ Tutankhamun: A boy pharaoh who restored traditional Egyptian polytheism after Akhenaton’s death and whose tomb was famously discovered intact. 33.​ Ramses II: reigned from 1279 to 1213, Known as Ramses the Great, he reigned for 66 years, expanded Egypt’s territory, and built numerous monuments, including Abu Simbel. 34.​ Cleopatra: The last active ruler of Egypt, known for her political alliances with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and her eventual defeat by Rome. 35.​ Burial Practices: Included mummification and tombs stocked with goods, food, and treasures for the afterlife. Pyramids and mastabas served as royal tombs, 36.​ Book of the Dead: it is a series of texts that assists the soul in the search for happiness in the afterlife.