Ancient Egypt: A Glance Back in Time

Ancient EgyptDescribed as the gift of Egypt, the Nile River was the basis for the great Egyptian civilization. The Egyptian civilization was an advanced one with a strong government a complex writing style and unique beliefs about life and death.

The topics being covered around the theme of Ancient Egypt are: The Old Kingdom

Gods and Serving the Gods

Mummification and Preparing for the afterlife

Pyramids

Great temples

The role of women

Hieroglyphics and hieratic

Rosetta Stone

Art

The Pyramids of Egypt

“Man fears time,

Yet time fears the pyramids.”

-Arab Proverb

The beginning of pyramids

• Ancient Egyptians believed that their dead would travel to the Underworld in their death but only if their body was preserved.

• Mastabas were used to protect and honor the dead. A mastaba is a rectangular tomb made of stone.

• A Pharaoh named Djoser wanted to have a tomb more spectacular than a normal mastaba. His architect, Imhotep, came up with the 60 meter high Step Pyramid which was six mastabas placed on top of each other in decreasing size. This was an early predecessor of the true pyramid form.

• A Pharaoh named Sneferu, a descendant of Djoser, also wanted a spectacular tomb. His architect answered this with the Bent Pyramid, named so because the angle of the pyramid was decreased when half way through its construction faults began to form. The 341 ft tall Red Pyramid is the first true pyramid still remaining.

The Great Pyramid of Kufu• Pharaoh Kufu of Cheops built his eternal

resting place on the Giza Plateau. He began this project in 2589 B.C. and completed it in 2566 B.C.

• When this granite pyramid was first built it was 481 ft including the limestone casing blocks, but toay it stands 449 ft tall. It was the world’s tallest structure for more than 4,00 years until the building of the Eiffel Tower.

• Over 2,300,000 blocks of stone each weighing between 2.5 to 9 tons each. These blocks were pulled up mud and brick ramps and then set into place. They were placed together so well that you cannot slip a piece of paper between two stones.

• The sides of the pyramid measure 227 meters. Ten entire football fields would fit within the base of the Great Pyramid. It is so accurate that the error margin is less then one percent. Each corner was exactly in line with a cardinal direction (East, West, South, and North).

The pyramid of Khafre• Pharaoh Khafre, the son of

Pharaoh Kufu, followed in his father’s footsteps and built a pyramid at Giza that was slightly shorter than Kufu’s pyramid. His pyramid complex includes the Sphinx, a Mortuary Temple, and a Valley Temple. His is the only pyramid at Giza that still has the original limestone casing.

• This pyramid was built between 2558 and 2532 B.C. and stands at 446 ft although it was originally 471 ft tall.

• The exact number of stones used is unknown but each block weighs from 2.5 to 7 tons each.

The pyramid of Menkaure

• Pharaoh Menkaure, son of Pharaoh Khafre and grandson of Pharaoh Kufu, went along with family tradition and built the third and last pyramid at the Giza complex.

• The exact date that this pyramid was built is undetermined but it was more than a thousand years old when Herodotus, a Greek historian, visited the Giza complex.

• This pyramid was originally 215 ft tall but now it stands at 203 feet. Each block of stone weighs between 2.5 to 7 tons each.

Works Cited Unknown. “The Great Pyramids.” The Great Pyramids. Date published unknown. <

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Atrium/1157/pyramids.html >

(9/30/2003).

Unknown. “Red Pyramid.” Red Pyramid. Unknown publication date.< http://www.crystalinks.com/redpyr.html >

(9/30/2033).

Unknown. “Bent Pyramid.” Bent Pyramid. Unknown publication date.http://www.crystalinks.com/bentpyr.html

(9/30/2003).

PBS. “The Pyramids” The Pyramids. Unknown publication date. < http://pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pyramid.html >

(9/30/2003).

Unknown. “The Great Pyramids.” The Great Pyramids. Unknown publication date.

< http://www.kingtutone.com/pyramids.html > (9/30/2003).

Ancient Egyptian Art

Millie Hardison

10/2/03

Ancient Egyptian Art

•In the Egyptian form of art called Frontalism the people are always drawn in profile

•But the eyes are drawn in full

•And the body is drawn from the front

•This is an example of ancient Egyptian art and it is draw in fontalism

•In this picture there is a noble hunting fowl and cat

Ancient Egyptian Art

• The Ancient Egyptian also made sculptures

•The sculpture to the left is made of wood and is an example of frountalism

• The sculpture is named Sheik

Ancient Egyptian Art

                

     

•Later the sculptures were made from stone such as this one

• This was known as Menkue and his Queen

• This sculpture could not stand freely because of the slight unevenness

• It was dated to be older than Sheik

• This sculpture was a way to show authority

Ancient Egyptian Art

Works Sited

Kremen, Lisa. “Understanding Egyptian Art.” Ancient Egypt A History of Art and Culture. 12/17/96.

http://www.bergen.org/AAST/Projects/Egypt/egyptian_art.html (2Sept. 2003).

The Old Kingdom

Sunmi Lee

What is the Old Kingdom?

• The two kingdoms (Upper Egypt- south & Lower Egypt- north) were unified by King Narmer, Menes

• about 2664- 2180 B.C. • The pyramid age (3rd to 6th

dynasties) of ancient Egypt – Ruling family (power passed

one dynasty to another)

• Pharaohs- Egyptian rulers (believed to be a god)

A Strong Government

Pharaohs(depended on vizier)

Vizier, or chief minister(supervise the business government)

Tax collection farming Irrigation system

Beliefs on after life

• Pyramids– Tombs for eternity– Provided dead kings with

everything they would need in their new lives (clothes, jewelries, or even slaves)

– All made by human– Take a long time to built

that pharaoh even begins to make his tomb right after he gets power

Hope Scott

Preparation for the Afterlife

• Burials customs for Egyptians called that the body be preserved. This process was given ample time once it was known that a ruler might die

• The afterlife was to be the same as the life you lived on earth.

Supplies for the Afterlife

• Since the afterlife was considered to be a continuation of your life on earth, everyday materials were supplied in the tomb

• Materials such as writing supplies, clothing, wigs, hairdressing supplies and other tools

• Food was also provided for the deceased daily, by it magically transforming to the model that was drawn on the walls of the tomb

• There were also blessings written on the wall, so that they would be said once the owner got the food.

Shabtis

• After the annual floods of the Nile, the population of Egypt was subject to compulsory labor on the irrigation system

• Shabtis was a statuette that took the place of ones labor in the afterlife so the deceased person would not have labor

• The Shabtis was placed in tombs around the Middle Kingdom(2040-1640BC).

• During the third intermediate period, Shabtis was placed in a special box, in the tomb.

Parts of Personality

• XAt: Mummy in the tomb, after the house of ba• kA: The double individual of the person, printed as a

duplicate in the tomb• Ax: The transfigured spirit, which was transferred

after the funeral rituals were completed• Rn: Name of the person, which was in scripted on

the funerary texts, on papyrus or the tomb walls • Swt: Protected the individual from harm• Ba: Human Headed bird

Works Cited

• O’Brian, Alexandra A. “Death in Ancient Egypt” Oriental Institute Research Archives. 1996-1999. http://www-oi.uchicago.edu (30 Sept 2003) .

Egyptian MummificationMummification

By Chandler Knight

What is Mummification?

• The preservation of a body, either human or animal.

• There are 3 ways a mummy can be preserved and they are wet, frozen, or dried.

Http://members.aol.com/egyptart/mummy.html

Why Egyptians were Mummified • The physical body, shadow, name,

ka (spirit), ba (personality), and the akh (immortality).

• These are the 6 aspects that Egyptians believed to be important.

• Each aspect played an important role in the well being of an individual. Each was crucial to achieve rebirth into afterlife.

• The Egyptians believed that by mummifying their dead they were assuring the person a successful journey into the afterlife.

http://members.aol.com/egyptart/mummy.html

How the Bodies were Mummified

• By eliminating the bodies moisture you eliminate decay. • By using Natron (a salt mixture) they dried the bodies. • Natron- natural substance found in the Nile River• Natrons four salts

– Sodium carbonate- dried the body by drawing out the water– Sodium bicarbonate- increase the pH in the body which kills

bacteria when subjected to any kind of moisture. – Sodium chloride– Sodium sulfate

http://members.aol.com/egyptart/mummy.html

Egyptian Gods

By: Ligon Brooks

RaRa

• Sun God, King of Sun God, King of the Godsthe Gods

• Ra is sees as a Ra is sees as a falcon with a sun falcon with a sun disk on its head or disk on its head or a man with a a man with a falcon’s headfalcon’s head

OsirisOsiris

God of the deadGod of the dead Osiris is shone dressed in white with Osiris is shone dressed in white with

crook and flail and green skincrook and flail and green skin Husband to Isis and father of HorusHusband to Isis and father of Horus

IsisIsis

Queen of GoddessQueen of Goddess Shown with a crown on her headShown with a crown on her head Wife of Osiris and mother of HorusWife of Osiris and mother of Horus

Other GodsOther Gods

• Seth- god of the desert, storm and violence• Hathor- goddess of love, music, and dance• Nut- sky goddess and Geb- earth god• Thoth- god of wisdom• Ma’at- goddess of justice• Bastet- cat god• Anubis- god of embalming• Amun- god of ceation

SourceSource

““Egyptian gods”.Egyptian gods”.Edkins Edkins FamilyFamily.http://www.gwydir.demon..http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/egypt.htm.(9/30/03)co.uk/jo/egypt.htm.(9/30/03)

Serving the Gods in Ancient Egypt

Taylor McEwen

Serving the Gods in Serving the Gods in Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt

Taylor McEwen Taylor McEwen

Egyptian Temples• Egyptian temples were said to be the

homes of the gods and goddesses• Each temple was dedicated to a god or

goddess and he/she was worshipped there

• The large temples were made of stone so that they would last forever.

• Walls of the temple were covered with scenes that were carved into stone and then painted.

• The scenes showed pharaohs fighting in battles and performing rituals with the gods and goddesses

Offering Rituals

• Food and drink were put before the god.

• They believed in keeping the gods happy because they thought the god would provide them with protection and bring them wealth

• They offered joints of meat, roasted fowl, bread, fruits, vegetables.

• Offering always included flowers bound in garland.

Sanctuaries

• Sanctuary was located inside the temple

• Shrines were built where the statue of a god/goddess would have lived

Women In Ancient Women In Ancient EgyptEgypt

Drenika MosbyDrenika Mosby

The Status of Women in The Status of Women in Egyptian SocietyEgyptian Society

Women and men areWomen and men are equal equal Legal rights were based on Legal rights were based on

social classes not gendersocial classes not gender When the Greeks conquered When the Greeks conquered

Egypt in 332 B.C.E, Egypt in 332 B.C.E, Egyptian women had more Egyptian women had more rights than Greek womenrights than Greek women

Egyptian women could Egyptian women could manage, own, and sell landmanage, own, and sell land

Women can also have slavesWomen can also have slaves

MarriageMarriage

A girl/women got married when A girl/women got married when she was 14, or when she begin to she was 14, or when she begin to menstruatemenstruate

Her husband was anywhere from Her husband was anywhere from 17-20 or a divorced man17-20 or a divorced man

A important part of marriage was A important part of marriage was birth, death and rebirthbirth, death and rebirth

The placed false penises on the The placed false penises on the male mummies and false breasts male mummies and false breasts on the women mummieson the women mummies

Divorce was a private matter the Divorce was a private matter the government did not interferegovernment did not interfere

FertilityFertility Pregnancy was important to an Pregnancy was important to an

Egyptian womenEgyptian women A fertile woman was an A fertile woman was an

successful womansuccessful woman For a man to father a child that For a man to father a child that

would prove his “manliness”would prove his “manliness” Midwives used spells to protect Midwives used spells to protect

the expectant womenthe expectant women A purification ritual for females A purification ritual for females

followed fourteen days after followed fourteen days after giving birthgiving birth

A Egyptian mother named her A Egyptian mother named her child immediately following birth child immediately following birth incase the child dies and it would incase the child dies and it would have a name in after lifehave a name in after life

Julie Sader ClickNext

~This temple (belonging to Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt during the Greek/Roman period) was found under decades of sand, engraved into the side of a mountain near the banks of the Nile

~The architect was Senmut, Hatshepsut’s lover for more than 20 titles

~Two ramps connect the three levels and there are sphinxes with Hatshepsut’s head at the entrance

~The temple is said to be dedicated to her so called parents Amon and Hathor

~For Senmut’s work, he was awarded with enough money for him to build himself his own temple, not too far away from his Hatshepsut’s

http://www.bediz.com/hatshep/temple.htmlClickNextClickPrevious

http://www.ehabweb.net/hatshebsut_temple.htmlClick The End

Egyptian Hieroglyphics

History of Hieroglyphics• Language started in 3000 B.C. • Last know text is from 394 A.D• Used for religious purposes as well as

economical purposes in Egypt• One of the first languages in the world• Hieroglyphics were known as the

“words of God”• The first hieroglyphics were pictograms

that depicted objects• Then they moved to more complex

writing called ideograms which symbolized an idea or action

• The language was found in 1799 by one of Napoleon's solders in a stone, know as the Rosetta Stone, but the language was hard to translate

• In 1822 a French scholar named Champollion discovered the hieroglyphic language

• The language was lost for 1500 years

The Hieroglyphic alphabet

• Hieroglyphic's can be written: left to right, right to left, and up to down

• There are over 2,000 hieroglyphic symbols• There are three different kinds of signs in the

Hieroglyphic language: Alphabetic signs, Syllabic signs and Determinative signs.

Work Cited and your name in Hieroglyphics

• Your Name in Hieroglyphics http://www.7cs.com/nomhiero.htm

• Ellis, Elisabeth and Anthony Esler. World History. New Jersey: Upper Saddle River, 2003.

• Strachen, Richard and Kathleen Roetzel. “Ancient Egyptian Culture.” The Story of the Rosetta Stone,” Finding a Lost Language.” 1997.

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/hieroglyphics/rosetta.com (1 Oct. 2003)

• Unknown. “Hieroglyphics.” Hieroglyphics. Unknown Publication date. http://www.eyelid.co.uk/hiero1.html (1 Oct. 2003)

• Unknown. “Hieroglyphics Overview.” Hieroglyphics Writing. Unknown Publication date. Http://www.greatscott.com/hier/hiero_over.html (1 Oct. 2003)

• Unknown. “Explore Ancient Egypt.” Explore Ancient Egypt. http://www.mfa.org/egypt/explore%5Fancient%5Fegypt/hiero%5Fwr (1 Oct. 2003)

• Unknown. “Egyptian Hieroglyphic Alphabet.” Egyptian Hieroglyphic Alphabet. Http://www,jimloy.com/hiero/alpha.htm (1 Oct. 2003)

• Class, Ashley. “Hieroglyphics.” Egyptian Writing. https://wedsever.sms.org/intranet/classes/history/worldhist/egyptproject/Aclass. html ( 1 Oct. 2003)

The Rosetta Stone

By Chelsea Jacobs

Physical features

1 meter high

70 centimeters wide

30 centimeters deep

Very heavy

What is the Rosetta Stone?

A stone with writing in 2 languages- Egyptian and Greek

3 scripts of Egypt used- hieroglyphic, demotic, Greek

Written in 3 scripts so that priests, government officials, and rulers could understand what it said

Discovery

Carved in 196 B.C

Found in 1799 by French soldiers who were rebuilding Egypt

Found in small village near the Delta- Rosetta

Translation

Written by priests to honor Pharaoh

Lists all things pharaoh has done that are good for Egypt

Before the Rosetta Stone no one could uncover the mystries hieroglyphics held

Helped to decipher hieroglyphicsFrancois Champollion translated hieroglyphics in 1822Champollion figured out what the 7 demitic signs were and by looking at hoe these signs were used he could uncover what they stood for

Works Cited

Andrew Oakley. “The Rosetta Stone.” Kids Konnnect. 2000 <http://.kidskonnect.com/AntientEgypt/RosettaStone.html> (September 30, 2003)

“The Rosetta Stone” <file://c:\windows\TEMP\9AOKY8H3.htm>