Egyptian Timeline

Old Kingdom (2700-2150)

Hieroglyphics and religion develop in Egypt pyramids built

Middle Kingdom (2040-1786)

extension of Egyptian control into Nubia

New Kingdom (1570-1075)

militaristic - Hebrews enslaved mummification perfected

Outline

1. Geography 2. Religion
Gods Pyramids Mummies

3. Government
The Pharaoh

4. Daily Life 5. Middle Kingdom 6. New Kingdom

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I. Geography
River dominates Egyptian world/thought Surrounded by desert with occasional oasis
Permits some trade Defense from invasion
Contributes to feeling of safety

preserves artifacts

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Egypt is the gift of the Nile -Herodotus

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I. The Nile
yearly flooding - no concern for soil depletion
Predictable Irrigation systems

Encourages
Trade Communication Political unity
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I. The Nile

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I. The Nile

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I. The Nile

I. The Nile
Impact on religion
divided life - living and dying.
East (sunrise) is land of the living - cities, temples West (sunset) is land of the dead - tombs

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II. Religion
Omnipresence of religion Polytheistic
interaction with the natural environment shows interrelated gods and goddesses yearly rebirth of Nile and daily rebirth of sun over 2000 gods

Pharaoh as living god Afterlife

Evolution of who has an afterlife
Old vs. New Kingdom

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II. Osiris
God of the Dead - rebirth and the weighing of the heart Evolution of Egyptian mythology
known as a ruler in the Nile delta a local god regional god.
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II. Horus

Horus, god of balance and harmony

maintained the natural order: the flow of the Nile and the fertility of the soil.

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II. Early Pyramids

Zozers stepped pyramid - similar to Babylonian ziggurats

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Why build Pyramids?

Belief in the afterlife demanded:

1. Bodies be interred whole 2. Material goods for use in afterlife be present

The need to protect the bodies demands good burial tombs

1. First were mastabas 2. Then pyramids 3. Then later hidden tombs

Mastaba

II. Great Pyramid

Tomb for Khufu an almost perfect square (deviation .05%) Orientation is exactly North, South, East West 2,300,000 blocks, 500ft high 20 years to build Average block weighs 2.5 tons
Some weigh 9 tons!
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Pyramids of Menkaure, Khafre and Khufu

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Queen Pyramids in front

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II. Mummies
Not known when it started in Egypt Perfected by time of New Kingdom How to make a mummy: 70 steps
1) Removal of the brain through the nostrils 2) Removal of the intestines through an incision in the side 3) Sterilization of the body and intestines 4) Treating, cleaning, dehydrating the intestines 5) Packing the body with natron (a natural dehydrating agent) and leaving for 40 days 6) Removal of the natron agent 7) Packing the limbs with clay or sand 8) Packing the body with linen (soaked in resin), myrrh and cinnamon 9) Treating the body with ointments and finally wrapping with a fine linen gauze, not less than 1000 square yards .

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Canopic Jars made of alabaster for storage of heart, stomach, intestines and liver which were also treated

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Mummy

Inner coffin

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Second inner coffin

Second inner coffin lid

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Gift bearers

Funerary Gifts
Shawabti box

Model boat

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III. The Pharaoh

God-King - unlike Mesopotamia
Temporal power
owns all the land and people and what people posses law vs. Pharaoh's will irrigation no city walls

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III. The Pharaoh

God-King - unlike Mesopotamia
Religious
direct descendant of the Sun god controls access to the afterlife July-Sept, during floods life is controlled by the Pharaoh
365 day calendar.

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III. Role played by size in Egyptian Artwork

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IV. Daily Life in Egypt

Cosmetics, cleanliness (bathe 3 times a day), shaved bodies, wigs main food is beer and bread
Grow many crops: emmer, barley, flax, lentils, onion, beans, and millet

common building made of sun-dried mud bricks - up to three stories in height Four social classes - slaves on the bottom Most common job farming
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IV. Farmers in Egypt

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IV. Hieroglyphics
Language is written without vowels Different pronunciations
MNFR as Memphis SR as Osiris TTMS as either Thutmose, Thutmosis, Tatmusa or Atithmese

Who learns this writing style?

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IV. Hieroglyphics
Use in temples Rosetta Stone Napoleon and Egyptology.

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IV. Egyptian Artwork

Stela (carved stone)

Egyptian Farmers & animals Notice, all people drawn from the side even when looking right at you!

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V. Middle Kingdom 2050-1750 BCE

End of civil wars, farming and trade return move capital south to Upper Egypt (Thebes) public improvements
drain swamps, canal to Red Sea

belief in afterlife expands to include common people tombs instead of pyramids

better protection for mummies.
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V. Middle Kingdom 2050-1750 BCE

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VI. New Kingdom 1550-1075 BCE

Ahmose I expelled the invading Hyksos and reunited Egypt Known as the Empire period development of public and private zones at temples.

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Ahmose I leading Egyptians against the Hyksos

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VI. New Kingdom 1550-1075 BCE

Characterized by a more militaristic and imperialistic nature
incorporated chariot, bronze working, horses development of a professional army

became a slave based economy fueled by war and expansion

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VI. Threats to Tradition

Amenhotep IV (c. 1362-1347 B.C.) introduced the worship of Aton, god of the sun disk, as the chief god and pursued his worship with enthusiasm. Changed name to Akhenaten (It is well with Aton) He closed the temples of other gods and especially endeavored to lessen the power of Amon-Re and his priesthood at Thebes.

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VI. Threats to Tradition 1355-1335 BCE

Nefertiti
Wife of Akhenaton the only pharaoh to even partially reject polytheism political move against priests of Amon-Re moved capital to Amarna worshipped Aton, the sun disk

royal inbreeding.
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VI. Tutankhamen 1335-1325 BCE

(King Tut) child ruler ruled nine years, died at 18 young death meant burial in the tomb of a lesser person (noble) resulting in preservation

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VI. Ramses II (1279-1213)

greatest New Kingdom ruler military leader of Egypt expanded into southern Turkey built many monuments to himself last gasp of Egyptian power.

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VI. Ramses II (1279-1213)

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VI. Ramses II (1279-1213)

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