Ancient Egypt I: The Old Kingdom The Quest for Immortality

Class Notes

l Herodotus
A. Herodotus : known as the first historian. Traveled all around Mediterranean went
to Egypt and saw pyramids (by then they were 2000 years old) Wrote down
mummification process.
i. His writings were called “The Writings” and they are a nice primary source for
the ancient world in 5th century BC.
ii. Famous quotes—most impressed by accomplishments of Egypt. He said “Egypt
is the gift of the Nile
. Geography
iii. Nile flows from south to the north, converging into the delta. Because river goes
opposite direction we would assume it to go, we have to examine how Egypt saw
land. Bottom of river was upper Egypt, and top of river (where delta is) is called
lower Egypt
iv. Nile East: sun appeared to rise on that side. It was called the land of the living,
where all the houses and temples would be, workshops and markets
v. Nile West: where sun set. Land of the Dead. Where people were buried.
vi. Nile is the longest river, Herodutus pointed out that Egypt is the gift of Nile
because the Nile every year overflows its boundaries, stays there a while, deposits
silt from water (from Africa nutrients etc) sediments filter out and then it recedes
back to usual boundaries and that leaves new layer of farm soil for people.
vii. Because of this, they had an edge in produce and they had the resources to trade
for precious stones and high standard of living. This game them sense of
optimism, sense of security and those things are reflected in everything that they
did.
viii. It was different than Tigris and Euphrates, b/c it didn’t flood out of control like
they did. Tigris and Euphrates shallow and marshy, but Nile is a nice deep river,
you can navigate it most of its distance and it has small areas of cataracts but
most of it u can sail in a ship. It was good for trading, transportation (carry
soldiers). It was unbelievably easy to navigate (to go down u just put up your
sail)
ix. They treated Nile like a god, they sang hymns to it: hail to you oh Nile. (RA was
sun god) people laughing joyous and celebrating
x. Today: Nile no longer floods like that. (it has been dammed so it doesn’t flood
modern cities)
xi. Away from Nile you find the desert: it served as a boundary to protect Egypt—
for nearly 3000 years, almost no attack. Desert has also helped to preserve
artifacts.
xii. Egyptians had a lot of free time to develop different things

. Hieroglyphics

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 xiii. Hiero means sacred, glyphic mean writings. It is formal elite writing. It was the
domain of priests and highest aristocrats. It was the key to power. They also had
a faster writing called demotic for more quick. – Hieroglyphics used by Greeks
too) Earliest developed out of pictographs.
xiv. They wrote on papyrus; it was much easier than stone tablets. To write on, to
store.
xv. Not until Napoleon was in Egypt with troops, found the Rosetta Stone: it had 3
scripts on it (2 languages: hieroglyphs and demotic and ancient Greek) The
hieroglyphics were phonetic, not so much pictographic.
. Religion
xvi. What they learned from Rosetta stone: Egyptians where polytheistic (many god)
Their principle deity was Osiris (god of the dead, he was the god who would let
you into the afterlife) There was also the Egyptian book of the dead, you would
say this to Osiris: I have not committed evil against men, mistreated cattle, done
violence to a poor man, not done that with gods abominate, not offend a slave,
not made anyone sick, killed, caused suffering, etc. You would say long list of
things you did do, positive things. There was much different ethical base in
Egypt. In ancient near east it was based on fear.
xvii. The immortal part of your body was the Ka (maybe like the Christian soul) it’s
the thing you go on after you die. The Ka needed your body to live in, that’s why
it was so important to mummify your body, through embalming etc.
1. drained.
2. open body cavity n take organs out and embalm
each of them separately so they don’t rot later on
3. left the heart in, they thought they thought with your
heart
4. got rid of brain, liquefy brain and pour it out, fill
cavity with resin
5. take moisture out of flesh, get wrapped in linen and
buried
6. took about 40-70 days (more wealthy, longer time)
right before they put u in, they make little hole in your mouth so you
can breath and talk.
. History
i. Divided into dynasties and kingdoms (rulers called pharaohs)
ii. Term pharaoh means (great house) Pharoahs were gods, not just intermediaries.
iii. In Egypt king will be worshipped as a god. This was hereditary and kept in the
family, but had unique way of handing down power. Power of pharaoh was
handed down to oldest daughter – she would marry her brother. He would get to
rule then. It would stay right in the family. Pharoahs could have as many wives as
they wanted.
iv. They liked to keep balance and order: maat. (translated as excellence and
harmony) (in ancient near east it was all about power and might)
PRE-DYNASTIC PERIOD

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 xviii. Narmer: known for unifying upper and Lower Egypt. (Pharoah always biggest in
artwork)
xix. Composite crowns for upper and lower limits: no crowns are found in the graves,
it wasn’t something you take on to the afterlife.
xx. Pallete: monumental makeup palette to grind his eye makeup. (look up Narmer’s
palette) People had very luxurious lifestyle even down to some of the poorest
people. (everyone shaved their entire body, even common people wore wigs)
xxi. People wore cylinder seals with name engraved, it was your signature. Large if
you were king, small if u were pheasant. People start going into contracts with
one another (made sure people didn’t cheat each other)
xxii. Culture: face makeup and eye makeup (kohl), paint their nails, henna (palms of
hands and feet) perfumes. They used mirrors made of bronze that they polished
Old Kingdom
i. Mastabas Pyramids started as smaller monuments: mastabas (meant bench in
Arabic), inside was a little funerary area. People buried underneath, same with
pyramid. Several people could be buried under one. They began to take this
concept and make layers of mastabas, like step pyramids because they wanted to
start outdoing each other.
ii. Stepped Pyramid of Zoser. (high builder = architect, you could really go up the
social ladder > Imhotep b/c u were preparing the place for Pharoah, the god) they
started the fluted columns also. To get to east side, they would float you across
the Nile.
iii. 3 Great Pyramids of Giza: Menkaure, Khafre, Khufu (2551-2472 BC – further
ahead than stone henge in Europe)
-rays from sun seem to come down in pyramid form
-come from maybe creation stories, that god reached down to silt of Nile
and turned his hand and it formed the shape of the pyramid.
-some say it represents mountain and pharaoh can communicate with deities
-very stable, timeless, gives feeling of eternity.
-oriented (certain alignment facing east), much of the stone was carved on
east side of Nile and taken to pyramid site.
-all originally covered in beautiful white limestone, most was taken off
Original height, 48 stories.
iv. Average diet: bread, beer and onions
v. Relieving stone within pyramid. Piling more on to keep hollow space.
vi. V-shaped air shafts for painters, or that they align to see constellations
vii. Great Sphinx (portrait head of pharaoh)
viii. Statue of Khafre serdab statue. They always made statue of you, so that it could
hold your “ka” in case your body was destroyed. Substitute body (seated in
timeless eternal pose)
ix. Reserve Head next alternative place that your ka could go if serdab statue got
destroyed – shows how important ka really was.
x. Used a lot of gold in tombs, always looks beautiful, associated with eternity and
everlasting life, associated with shine and sun. you would take precious items
with you, paintings and little grave figures would be little servants for you in the
afterlife. There are even some boat burials (like pharaohs)

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 End of Old Kingdom: First Intermediate Period

i. Old kingdom: pharaoh was all powerful (aristocrats resented it, vying for power,
and they rose up against pharaoh, there was a great period of civil war) Pharaoh
claimed first place in afterlife (this was challenged as well)
-very little art in times of unrest
Middle Kingdom
i. Rock Cut tombs the stop making the pyramids. They get cheaper, faster
approach. The thought it was less obvious to have these rock, cut, tombs, and
that thieves would not be as attracted to them. It had deep porch and burial
chamber.
ii. Sesostris: Serious, more care-worn faces, because people realize that Egypt
will not always just rest perfectly easy. There are fewer expenditures and
much more serious art, reflecting care and trouble. Sense of pessimism and
uncertainty
Second Intermediate Period
i. its not just Egyptians causing trouble between themselves but outsiders among
them brought in other forces to gain control
ii. Hyksos Invasion: wealthy Egypt ill-prepared to defend themselves at the type
a. Ramification: hyksos brought in new technology into Egypt> introduced
the horse (painting that has horse is from second intermediate period or
after) chariot and wheel
b. Also brought new technology of warfare and new awareness of the outside
world. The Egyptians had been self contained, self satisfied. Egyptians
realized people were out there building empires.
c. Hyksos finally brought down and Egyptians move on
New Kingdom: Empire Period
i. Egyptians begin some empire building: not as isolated again. Lasted about 500
years. Export products far far away. As they come back from these places they
bring in new clothing styles and architecture, as well as new wealth. New
wealth flows into Egypt through trade.
ii. No visible tombs, go in through valleys, make sub-taraneum tombs and hide
them. One valley of the Kings, one valley of the Queens. They start a huge
temple complex
iii. Deir el Bahri: Mortuary Complex of Queen Hatshepsut architect Senmut:
only known female pharaoh. Her brother didn’t contest it so she kept the line.
She never married. She had a false beard. Temple complex is what they would
do to commemorate you rather than pyramids – even a little influence from
Mesopotamia, long ceremonial staircases
a. Topiaries were invented (carved bushes)
b. Hatshepsut worked a lot with her architect Senmut: they were kind of an
item
iv. Abu Simbel (relocated) Temple of Ramses II moved up when they build river
Nasser. 4 massive images of Ramses, also inside body were used as columns
(came from African ideas)

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 v. Edfu: Pylon (meaning gates) Temple of Horus built over generations, only
pharaoh and high priest would go in inter chambers. Very hierarchal.
Masterpieces of propaganda and manipulation
vi. Fowling Scene Tombs are being painted. The pharaoh has a stick that will
wrap around ducks necks, considered aristocratic arts. In new kingdom, more
presence of women (when there’s a lot of wealth and more peace, women
come more to forefront) little guy with shaved head and one piece of long
hair, he is the prince.
vii. Musicians and Dancers wax combs filled with perfume, melt down and
release perfume
New Kingdom: Empire Period
i. Akhenaton: pharaoh of Egypt tried to radically change how people
worshipped in Egypt: believed there was only one god, only sun god. In order
to disassociate from all old traditions, he changes capital to Amarna. He
wanted monotheism of one sun god.
ii. Started new city and changed his name to Akhenaton.
-this was extremely unpopular with priests and aristocrats
-caused a lot of resentment
-can always recognize Akhenaton: big tummy and head.
iii. When he died, old capital restored. All of his images or obliterated
iv. Queen Nefertiti: huge crown, to have to be like big-headed husband
(akenaton) her son was King Tut.
New Kingdom: Empire Period
i. King Tut: ruled about 9 years, died at age 18, he was a boy king
ii. Lived at end of new kingdom when power of Egypt was declining but his
tome was very modest in comparison because it was untouched unlooted
iii. Tomb discovered in 1922, by Howard Carter; found many looted tombs, but
he just had a hunch that there was a tomb behind a looted tomb. Dug through
back wall and discovered king Tut’s tomb
-everything of daily life: thrones, grave statues, chariots, 3 nested coffins of
gold inlayed with precious stones and jewels.
-there is a theory that he may have been murdered: not too many 18 yr olds
die. People vying for power etc. In his mummy they found a bone in his head
broken. What they found was with many mummies, was that bone lodged in
resin was just from the whisk process. The theory now is that maybe he really
was murdered. He had a powerful aid/advisor Thebes. When he died, they
found a letter that his young wife had sent up to find another husband b/c she
was scared. No more images of wife since.

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