Ancient Egyptian Pyramids & Religion of the Old Kingdom

Ancient Egyptian Pyramids & Religion of the Old Kingdom

Objectives: You Will Be Able Too..

• Discuss Egypt’s Old Kingdom.• Discuss how Egypt was ruled by all-powerful

pharaohs and the social structure.• Explain ancient Egypt’s religion and its relationship

to daily life.• Discuss why the pyramids were built.

I. The Unification of Egypt

• 3100 B.C- Menes of Upper Egypt unites Upper and Lower Egypt.–First pharaoh of Egypt.–Founded Egypt’s first dynasty.–Moved capital to Memphis.–Pharaohs wear the double crown (red &

white) to symbolize unification.

II. Early Egyptian Society

• 2700 B.C. begins the Old Kingdom period. 2700-2200 B.C.

A. Rule by Pharaohs

• Pharaoh- kings and gods- all powerful.• Many responsibilities and blame for problems.• Hired government officials who were respected.• Most famous pharaoh- Khufu 2500’s B.C.

B. The Social Structure

• Pharaoh at the top of society.• Upper Class- Nobles, priests, govt. officials.• Middle Class- scribes, craftsmen, merchants.• Lower Class- 80% of population, mostly farmers,

with slaves and servants below.

Egyptian Society page 91

Scribes

• Wrote magical texts

• Issued royal decrees

• Kept records for the government of Ancient Egypt

III. Religion & the Afterlife• Egyptians had strong religious beliefs.• Worship was a part of everyday life.• Most religion focused on the afterlife.• Happy afterlife, ideal world, not gloomy.• Ka- person’s life force, at death left the body

and became a spirit.• The Ka Needed to be reunited with the

body.

A. The Gods of Egypt

• Polytheistic.• Old Kingdom structured beliefs- same gods.• Built temples which collected payments.• Cities like Memphis became centers of worship.• Gods for everything- mixed human/animal features.• Major Gods- Re, Osiris, Isis, & Horus.

B. Burial Practices

• Believed that a body had to be prepared before burial as the Ka needed to recognize the body.

• Embalming and mummification: preservation.• Only royalty and the elite could afford it.

– Complex, took several weeks.

• Peasants- shallow graves, natural preservation.• Tombs filled with items needed for the afterlife.

Gods and Goddesses

• Many gods and goddesses had only a local following

• Some were worshipped throughout the country

• The importance of the gods depended on the region and who was ruling at the time

Amon-Re

• A form of the sun god

• In many legends, he was the creator of all things

• Often depicted as a human with a hawk’s head

Osiris

• God of the underworld

• Often pictured as a mummified man wearing a tall white crown with two ostrich feathers

• Married to the goddess Isis

Isis

• The wife and sister of Osiris

• Represented the power of love over death

• Egyptian women believed Isis first taught them to grind corn, spin flax, and care for children

Horus

• The son of Osiris and Isis

• Depicted as a man with a falcon head wearing a crown with a cobra

• Believed to be the first divine king of Egypt

Set

• The god of disorder

• Depicted as a human with an animal head and an arrow-like tail

Anubis

• The god of embalming

• Presided over the mummification process

• Pictured as a human with the head of a jackal

Temples

• Temples were considered dwelling places of the gods

• Each city had a temple for the god of that city

• The temple was a cosmic center through which men talked to the gods

The After-life• After death a

person’s mummy traveled to the underworld

• They passed through seven gates each requiring a magic spell

• Then they arrived at the Hall of Osiris

The After-life• Here the dead person claimed their

innocence of crimes against man and the gods

• Then their heart was weighed against the feather of truth and justice

The After-Life

• If their heart was equal to the weight of the feather the person achieved immortality and passed into the Happy Field of Food

• If it was not, they were devoured by the crocodile-shaped Eater of the Dead

The Book of the dead• First appeared around 1600 B.C.• Text was the dead person’s guide

to a happy afterlife• Was intended to be read on the

journey to the underworld• Contained spells, passwords and

routes to help the dead overcome the obstacles of the underworld

Steps to Mummification

• Organs removed from body and stored in Canopic Jars

Steps to Mummification

• The body cavity was then packed with a salt called natron for 40 days

Steps to Mummification• After 40 days the body cavity was filled

with linen or sawdust, resin, and natron.• The body was then wrapped in linen with

amulets and charms hidden between the layers

Steps to Mummification

• The wrapped body, or mummy, was then placed in a coffin with portrait mask over the head

Burial• The coffin was then placed in a tomb with

furniture, statues food and other items useful for the after life.

Burial• The final ceremony performed by the priest

was the Opening of the Mouth• This gave the deceased the ability to speak,

eat and have full use of the body in the after-life

IV. The Pyramids

• Spectacular monuments to bury rulers.• Began during the Old Kingdom.• Great Pyramid at Giza- built for Khufu.• Engineering marvel- size showed importance.• Belief that the pharaoh was a link to the gods and

a happy afterlife.

Mastaba & Step Pyramid

How was a Pyramid Built?

• Built by farmers, artisans, and laborers during the floods (Inundation).

• Studied astronomy- entrance faced north.• Invented a calendar: 365 days, 12 months.• Advanced math- geometry, number system

based on 10, fractions.• Used ramps, sleds, and barges to move materials

hundreds of miles to the site.

Building the Pyramids pages 94-95

Building the Pyramids

The Great Pyramid• Built c. 2540 for King Khufu at Giza .• Located about 10 miles from Cairo on the West

Bank of the Nile.• 2 million, 2.5 ton stone blocks. 500 feet tall.• Tallest structure in the world for 4000 years.• Built without using beasts of burden, special tools,

or even the wheel.

Egyptian Writing(Hieroglyphics) P.103

Cartouche

Conclusion

• Religion was very important to the ancient Egyptians

• Their beliefs about the after-life shaped everything from their architecture to their daily lives

The End