A View of Egypt by...
Transcript of A View of Egypt by...
A View of Egypt by SatelliteA View of Egypt by Satellite
Development of African Agriculture
• Sahara desert originally highly fertileSahara desert originally highly fertile region
• Western Sudan region nomadic herders• Western Sudan region nomadic herders, c. 9000 BCE
D ti ti f ttl 7500 BCE– Domestication of cattle c. 7500 BCE– Later, cultivation of sorghum, yams,
increasingly diverseincreasingly diverse• Widespread desiccation of the Sahara c.
5000 BCE5000 BCE
The Gift of the NileNile
Gradual, predictable flooding– Inundation (July-October)Inundation (July October)– Sprouting– Summer
Communication:– Nubia-Egypt
• Current: north• Winds: south
Sub Saharan Africa– Sub-Saharan Africa-Mesopotamia
Increased in importance w/ desiccation of Sahara
The Nile Valley, 3000-2000 BCE
The Delta & TheCataractsCataracts
Early Agriculture in Nile ValleyEarly Agriculture in Nile Valley
• 10 000 BCE migrants from Red Sea hills10,000 BCE migrants from Red Sea hills (northern Ethiopia)
Introduce collection of wild grains language– Introduce collection of wild grains, language roots of Coptic
• 5000 BCE Sudanic cultivators herders• 5000 BCE Sudanic cultivators, herders migrate to Nile river valleyAd t ti t l fl di f Nil• Adaptation to seasonal flooding of Nile through construction of dikes, waterways– Villages dot Nile by 4000 BCE
The Annual Flooding of the The Annual Flooding of the gNile
gNile
Impact on Political OrganizationImpact on Political Organization
• As in Mesopotamia a need for formalAs in Mesopotamia a need for formal organization of public affairs
• Need to maintain order and organize• Need to maintain order and organize community projectsE t i l l l i i ti j t• Egypt: simple, local irrigation projects
• Rural rather than heavily urban development
• Trade networks developp
The Fertile Nile ValleyThe Fertile Nile Valleyyy
Nile Irrigation-the ShadufNile Irrigation-the Shadufgg
Ancient Egyptian HistoryAncient Egyptian HistoryAncient Egyptian HistoryAncient Egyptian HistoryPeriods Time Frame
Nil C lt B i 4000 B C ENile Culture Begins 4000 B. C. E.Archaic 3100 – 2650 B. C. E.
Old Kingdom 2650 – 2134 B. C. E.Middle Kingdom 2040 – 1640 B. C. E.New Kingdom 1550 – 1070 B. C. E.
Late Period 750 – 332 B. C. E.Greek Ptolemaic
Era332 – 30 B. C. E.
Roman Period 30 B. C. E. – 395 C. E.
Unification of Egypt• Legendary conqueror Menes, c. 3100
unifies Egyptian kingdomunifies Egyptian kingdom– Sometimes identified with/as Narmer– Tradition: founder of Memphis cultural and– Tradition: founder of Memphis, cultural and
political center of ancient Egypt– Instituted the rule of the PharaohInstituted the rule of the Pharaoh
• Claimed descent from the gods• Absolute rulers, had slaves buried with them from ,
2600 BCE• Most powerful during Archaic Period (3100-2660
BCE) and Old Kingdom (2660 2160 BCE)BCE) and Old Kingdom (2660-2160 BCE)
Menes: Unifier of Upper & Lower Menes: Unifier of Upper & Lower ppEgypt
ppEgypt
c. 3050 B. C. E. ?
c. 3050 B. C. E. ?
The Pyramids• Symbols of the pharaoh’s authority and
divine statusA t ti f th h h ’ bilit t• A testimony of the pharaohs’ ability to marshal Egypt’s resources
• Largest Khufu (Cheops) 2 3 million• Largest Khufu (Cheops) 2.3 million limestone blocks w/ average weight of 2.5 tons
• Role: burial chambers for Pharaohs
Plan of the Great Pyramid Plan of the Great Pyramid yof Khufu
yof Khufu
The Valley of the KingsThe Valley of the Kings
Stepped Pyramid at SaqqaraStepped Pyramid at Saqqara
“Bent” Pyramid of King “Bent” Pyramid of King y gSneferuy g
Sneferu
The Great SphinxThe Great Sphinx
Valley of the KingsValley of the Kings
View of the central East Valleyy
Relations with NubiaRelations with Nubia
• Competition over Nile tradeCompetition over Nile trade• Military conflict between 3100-2600 BCE
D i N bi t th th• Drives Nubians to the south– Established Kingdom of Kush, c. 2500 BCE
• Trade, cultural influences continue despite military conflict
The New Kingdom
• Few pyramids, but major Imperial Egypt,
1400 BCE py jmonumental architectural projects
• Engaged in empire-
1400 BCE
Engaged in empirebuilding to protect against foreign invasion
• Local resistance drives• Local resistance drives Egypt out of Nubia
• Kingdom of Kush revives 1100 BCEc. 1100 BCE
• Invasions of Kushites, Assyrians destroy Egypt y y gypmid 6th century BCE
Egyptian Urban Culture• Major cities along Nile river, especially at
deltadelta– Memphis c. 3100 BCE, Heliopolis c. 2900 BCE
• Nubian cities include Kerma, Napata, MeroëNubian cities include Kerma, Napata, Meroë– Located at cataracts of the Nile
• Well-defined social classesWell defined social classes – Pharaohs to slaves– Archaeological discoveries in Nubia also supportArchaeological discoveries in Nubia also support
class-based society– Patriarchal societies, notable exceptions: female
Pharaoh Hatshepsut (r. 1473-1458 BCE)
Egyptian Social HierarchyEgyptian Social Hierarchy
Egyptian NobilityEgyptian Nobility
Egyptian Priestly ClassEgyptian Priestly Class
Ancient Egyptian HousingAncient Egyptian HousingMiddle Class HomesMiddle Class HomesHomesHomes
Peasant Homes
Peasant Homes
Scenes of Ancient EgyptianD il Lif
Scenes of Ancient EgyptianD il LifDaily LifeDaily Life
Making Ancient EgyptianMaking Ancient EgyptianMaking Ancient Egyptian Beer
Making Ancient Egyptian Beer
Making Ancient EgyptianMaking Ancient EgyptianMaking Ancient Egyptian Wine
Making Ancient Egyptian Wine
An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-gypHaves”
gypHaves”
MirrorMirror
PerfumePerfume
WiWiWigsWigs
Economic SpecializationEconomic Specialization
• Bronze metallurgy introduced late withBronze metallurgy introduced late, with Hyksos invasion
• Development of iron early c 900 BCE• Development of iron early, c. 900 BCE• Trade along Nile river
– More difficult in Nubia due to cataracts– Sea trade in Mediterranean
Hieroglyphs“H l I i ti ”• “Holy Inscriptions”– Writing appeared at least by 3200 BCE
Pi t hi l t d ith b l– Pictographic supplemented with symbols representing sounds and ideas
– Survives on monuments buildings and sheets of– Survives on monuments, buildings and sheets of papyrus
– Hieroglyphs for formal writing, hieratic script for g yp g, peveryday affairs used from 2600 BCE – 600 CE
– Adopts Greek alphabet – demotic and Coptic i tscripts
• Meroitic writing - flexible system borrowed from hieroglyphs represents sounds rather than ideashieroglyphs, represents sounds rather than ideas
Hieroglyphics “Alphabet”Hieroglyphics “Alphabet”24 “l tt ” + 700 h ti b l24 “l tt ” + 700 h ti b l24 “letters” + 700 phonetic symbols24 “letters” + 700 phonetic symbols
Hieroglyphic “CHieroglyphic “C“Cartouche”“Cartouche”
Champollion & the Rosetta Champollion & the Rosetta StoneStone
Egyptian ScribeEgyptian Scribe
Papyrus PaperPapyrus Paperpy ppy p
Hieratic Scroll Piece
Hieratic Scroll Piece
P l i i
Papyrus PlantPapyrus PlantPapyrus plant growing in a
garden, Australia
Egyptian Papyrus Drawing
Development of Organized R li i T di iReligious Traditions
• Principal gods Amon and RePrincipal gods Amon and Re• Religious tumult under Amenhotep IV
(Akhenaten) (r 1364 1347 BCE)(Akhenaten) (r. 1364-1347 BCE)– Introduces sole worship of sun god Aten
O f th ld’ li t i f– One of the world’s earliest expressions of Monotheism
D th f Akh t t diti l i t• Death of Akhenaten, traditional priest restore the cult of Amon-Re to privileged t tstatus
Ankhenaton: FirstAnkhenaton: FirstAnkhenaton: First Monotheist?
Ankhenaton: First Monotheist?
Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten)Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten) • Akhenaten was the only
h h t t dpharaoh to try and introduce the idea of monotheism to the
l th i ti E tipolytheistic Egyptians. • Because he predated
Zoroaster by approximately y pp y700 years, he is considered the first monotheist.
• The one god he believed inThe one god he believed in was the sun, represented by Aton, god of the sun discdisc.
Egyptian Gods & Goddesses:Egyptian Gods & Goddesses:gyp“The Sacred ‘Trinity’”
gyp“The Sacred ‘Trinity’”
Osiris Isis HorusOsiris Isis HorusOsiris Isis HorusOsiris Isis Horus
Mummification and the Afterlife• Inspiration of the cycles of the Nile• Belief in the revival of the dead
– First: ruling classes only, later expanded to include lower classes
• Cult of Osiris– Lord of the underworld– Power to determine who deserved immortality– Held out hope of eternal reward for those whoHeld out hope of eternal reward for those who
lived moral lives• Nubian worship of Apedemak andNubian worship of Apedemak and
Sebiumeker
The Final JudgementThe Final Judgementgg
Osiris Anubis HorusOsiris Anubis Horus
Preparations for the UnderworldPreparations for the Underworld
ANUBIS weighs the dead person’s heartANUBIS weighs the dead person’s heartdead person’s heart against a feather.dead person’s heart against a feather.
Priests protected your KA, or soul-
i it
Priests protected your KA, or soul-
i itspiritspirit
Preparation forPreparation forPreparation for the Afterlife
Preparation for the Afterlife
Egyptian MummiesEgyptian Mummiesgypgyp
Seti I1291-1278 B.
Seti I1291-1278 B. Queen Tiye, Queen Tiye,
Ramses II1279-1212 B. C. E.
Ramses II1279-1212 B. C. E.
C. E.C. E. wife of Amenhotep II
1210-1200 B. C. E.
wife of Amenhotep II
1210-1200 B. C. E.
Journey to the UnderworldJourney to the Underworld
The dead travel The dead travel on the “Solar Barge”on the “Solar Barge”
A boat for the A boat for the journey is
provided for a journey is
provided for a dead pharaoh in
his tombdead pharaoh in
his tomb
Egyptian Book of the DeadEgyptian Book of the Dead