 Locate Egypt and Sudan on

2.
Ancient Egypt and
Nubia (2700 B.C. – 500 a modern map.
B.C.)  Explore the roles of the
The Geography of the pharaoh, peasants, and
Nile slaves in Ancient Egypt.
The Rulers of Egypt  Describe the polytheistic
Egyptian Religion religion of Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptian with the respect to beliefs
Culture about death, the afterlife,
The Cultures of Nubia mummification .
• Egyptian civilization developed along the Nile River in large part
because the river’s annual flooding ensured reliable, rich soil for
growing crops.
• The Egyptians kept written records using a writing system known as
hieroglyphics. Some writing was preserved on stone or clay, and some
was preserved on papyrus, a paper-like product made from reed fiber.
Papyrus is very fragile, but due to the hot and dry climate of Egypt, a
few papyrus documents have survived.
• Repeated struggles for political control of Egypt showed the
importance of the region in terms of its agricultural production and
the economic resources that its highly complex social organization
produced.
• Egyptian rulers used the idea of divine kingship and constructed
monumental architecture to demonstrate and maintain power.
• Ancient Egyptians developed wide-reaching trade networks along the
Nile, in the Red Sea, and in the Near East.
Ancient Egypt
Civilization in northeastern Africa that dates from the 4th
millennium BCE. Its many achievements, preserved in its art and
monuments, hold a fascination that continues to grow as
archaeological finds expose its secrets. This article focuses on Egypt
from its prehistory through its unification under Menes (Narmer) in the
3rd millennium BCE—sometimes used as a reference point for Egypt’s
origin—and up to the Islamic conquest in the 7th century CE. For
subsequent history through the contemporary period.
• Most Egyptians were probably descended from settlers who moved to
the Nile valley in prehistoric times, with population increase coming
through natural fertility. In various periods there were immigrants
from Nubia, Libya, and especially the Middle East. 
• Egypt's impact on later cultures was immense. You could say that
Egypt provided the building blocks for Greek and Roman culture, and,
through them, influenced all of the Western tradition. Today, Egyptian
imagery, concepts, and perspectives are found everywhere; you will
find them in architectural forms, on money, and in our day to day
lives. 
Longevity

• Ancient Egyptian civilization lasted for more than 3000 years and showed
an incredible amount of continuity. That is more than 15 times the age of
the United States, and consider how often our culture shifts; less than 10
years ago, there was no Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube.
• While today we consider the Greco-Roman period to be in the distant
past, it should be noted that Cleopatra VII's reign (which ended in 30 BCE)
is closer to our own time than it was to that of the construction of the
pyramids of Giza. It took humans nearly 4000 years to build something--
anything--taller than the Great Pyramids. Contrast that span to the
modern era; we get excited when a record lasts longer than a decade.
Geography

• Egypt is a land of duality and cycles, both in topography and culture.

The geography is almost entirely rugged, barren desert, except for an
explosion of green that straddles either side of the Nile as it flows the
length of the country. The river emerges from far to the south, deep
in Africa, and empties into the Mediterranean sea in the north after
spreading from a single channel into a fan-shaped system, known as a
delta, at its northernmost section.
The influence of this river on Egyptian culture and
development cannot be overstated—without its presence,
the civilization would have been entirely different, and most
likely entirely elsewhere. The Nile provided not only a
constant source of life-giving water, but created the fertile
lands that fed the growth of this unique (and uniquely
resilient) culture.
The Pharaoh—Not Just a King
Kings in Egypt were complex intermediaries that straddled the terrestrial
and divine realms. They were, obviously, living humans, but upon
accession to the throne, they also embodied the eternal office of kingship
itself. The ka, or spirit, of kingship was often depicted as a separate
entity standing behind the human ruler. This divine aspect of the office of
kingship was what gave authority to the human ruler. The living king was
associated with the god Horus, the powerful, virile falcon-headed god
who was believed to bestow the throne to the first human king.
 Egyptian mummy 

The earliest accounts of mummification come from Ancient Egypt, where they

would preserve the body as best as possible and wrap the body in gauze to
protect it in the burial coffin from the wild animals of the desert. The Ancient
Egyptians had a number of additional inventions that dominated their culture as
well
Nubia And Egypt

• Nubia and Ancient Egypt had periods of both peace and war. It is
believed, based on rock art, that Nubian rulers and early Egyptian
pharaohs used similar royal symbols. There was often peaceful
cultural exchange and cooperation, and marriages between the two
did occur. Egyptians did, however, conquer Nubian territory at various
times. Nubians conquered Egypt in the 25th Dynasty.
• Egyptians called the Nubian region “Ta-Seti,” which means “The Land of the Bow,” a
reference to Nubian archery skills. Around 3500 BCE, the “A-Group” of Nubians arose,
existing side-by-side with the Naqada of Upper Egypt. These two groups traded gold,
copper tools, faience, stone vessels, pots, and more. Egyptian unification in 3300 BCE
may have been helped along by Nubian culture, which was conquered by Upper Egypt.
• Nubia was first mentioned by ancient Egyptian trading accounts in 2300 BCE. Nubia
was a gateway to the riches of Africa, and goods like gold, incense, ebony, copper,
ivory, and animals flowed through it. By the Sixth Dynasty, Nubia was fractured into a
group of small kingdoms; the population (called “C-Group”) may have been made up
of Saharan nomads.
• During the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (c. 2040-1640 BCE), Egypt began expanding into
Nubian territory in order to control trade routes, and to build a series of forts along
the Nile.
• The Egyptians called a certain region of northern modern-day Sudan,
where ancient Nubians lived, “Medjay.” This name gradually began to
reference people, not the region. Those who lived in this region worked
in the Egyptian military as scouts, later as garrison troops, and finally as
elite paramilitary police.
• Some Egyptian pharaohs were of Nubian origin, especially during the
Kushite Period, although they closely followed the usual Egyptian
methods of governing. In fact, they were seen, and saw themselves, as
culturally Egyptian. The two cultures were so close that some scholars
see them as indistinguishable. Nubians appear to have been
assimilated into Egyptian culture.