Egyptian Civilization Lecture Notes PDF

# Egyptian Civilization ## Egypt on the Nile ### I. Geography - **A. The Nile** - Egypt’s settlements arose along a narrow strip of land made fertile by the river. - Yearly flooding, but predictable, regular cycle: flood, plant, harvest, flood, plant, harvest… - Intricate network of i...

# Egyptian Civilization ## Egypt on the Nile ### I. Geography - **A. The Nile** - Egypt’s settlements arose along a narrow strip of land made fertile by the river. - Yearly flooding, but predictable, regular cycle: flood, plant, harvest, flood, plant, harvest… - Intricate network of irrigation ditches. - Worshiped as a god - giver of life and benevolent. ### B. Upper and Lower Egypt - Most of Egypt’s history is focused around Lower Egypt, around the Nile delta which flows into the Mediterranean Sea. - Upper Egypt developed later upstream. - The Nile provided reliable transportation: - to go north, drift with the current toward the sea. - to go south, sail catching the Mediterranean breeze. ### C. Environment - Unlike Mesopotamia, the Nile was predictable. - Deserts on both sides of the Nile: - provided natural protection against invaders. - also reduced interaction with other people. ## Ancient Egyptian History | PERIODS | TIME FRAME | |---|---| | Nile Culture Begins | 3900 B.C.E. | | 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 Era | 332 – 30 B.C.E. | | Roman Period | 30 B.C.E. – 395 C.E. | ## Egyptian Civilization Known To As Civilization: - Pyramids - Temples - Architecture - Mummification - Astronomy ## Political Framework - The Pharaoh was at the top of the social hierarchy. - Next to him, the most powerful officers are the Viziers, the executive heads of the bureaucracy. - Under them are 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 (2575-2134 BCE) | Middle Kingdom (2040-1640 BCE) | New Kingdom (1532-1070 BCE) | |---|---|---| | Pharaohs organized a strong central state, were absolute rulers, and were considered gods. <br> Khufu and others built pyramids at Giza. <br> Power struggles, crop failures, and the cost of pyramids contributed to the collapse of the Old Kingdom. | Large drainage project created arable farmland. <br> Traders had contacts with the Middle East and Crete. <br> Corruption and rebellions were common. <br> Hyksos invaded and occupied the delta region. | Powerful pharaohs created a large empire that reached the Euphrates River. <br> Hatshepsut encouraged trade. <br> Tutankhamen: boy-king <br> Ramses II expanded Egyptian rule to Syria. <br> Egyptian power declined. | ## Egyptian Religion - Religion played a great role during the time of ancient Egypt. - Ancient Egyptians were polytheistic. - There were around 2000 gods and goddesses in Egypt ## 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 afterlife, that’s why they gave importance in preserving the bodies of the dead. ## Social Structure - There was class discrimination that led different people to live different lives. - This social stratification is like a pyramid. - The pyramid shows the structure of society, with the Pharaoh at the top. - Following him are priests and nobles, then traders, artisans, shopkeepers, and scribes. - Next are farmers and herders, with unskilled workers at the bottom. ## Houses - All Houses were made of sun-dried bricks. - Windows were small and high up windows and doors with wooden shutters. - Wealthy families lived in large houses, while poor families lived in smaller houses with four rooms, shared with domesticated animals. - Oil lamps were used to light the homes. ## The Great Pyramid Of Giza - The Great Pyramid is the oldest pyramid in the world. - Its name is Khufu's Horizon. - It is located in Giza. - Its height is 146.5 meters and the base is 230.4 meters. ## Where Are The Great Pyramids Of Giza? - The Great Pyramids of Giza are located in modern day Egypt. - They are just south of Cairo, or more accurately, just beyond the city borders. ## When Was It Built? - The construction of the Great Pyramids of Giza began around 2540 BC. - The construction took 14–20 years to complete, and finished around 2560 BC. ## How Big Is It? - The highest point of the pyramid was approximately 137m high. - The original size was believed to be 146.6 meters. - Each base side was about 230 meters. - It weighed about 5.9 million tons. ## The Inside - There were two main burial chambers in the pyramid. - It has both ascending and descending chambers. - The Queen was apparently buried in the same place as the king. - The unfinished chamber was supposedly the original spot for the chamber, but the Pharaoh changed his mind and wanted it to placed higher. ## Why Was It Built? - It was built as a burial ground for the Pharaoh. - The Egyptians had an unusual belief in the afterlife. - The people of Egypt believed that the Pharaoh was a god, and that he needed an elaborate resting place, as a ruler. - It also served as a homage to the Egyptian gods.