Historical Context. Similarities between Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt:

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1 Ancient Egypt

2 Historical Context Similarities between Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt: 3000 BC: Civilizations (as in the 5 elements) develop in Egypt (same time as in Mesopotamia) 5000 BC: Farming begins in Egypt (same as Mesopotamia) Essential role of a river in development Egypt: Nile River Mesopotamia: Tigris & Euphrates Rivers

3 Historical Context Significant difference between Mesopotamia and Egypt: Egypt united into one kingdom, permitting higher degree of unity, stability, and cultural continuity for period of 3000 years.

4 Critical Importance of Nile River in Development of Ancient Egypt

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6 Critical Importance of the Nile River Important facts about the Nile River Longest river in the world (4,258 miles long) Flows north from East Africa to Mediterranean Sea Nile in south was higher so it is called Upper Egypt Nile in north is lower so it is called Lower Egypt

7 Critical Importance of Nile River Benefits of Nile River Flooding makes land fertile grew wheat and barley Deserts on both side reduced risk of outside invasion Provide valuable system of communication and transportation helped to create unity and trade Nile River worshiped as a god by Ancient Egyptians Egypt considered to be the the Gift of the Nile

8 Critical Importance of Nile River Challenges of the Nile River If too low starvation If flood too much destroy people, houses, grain storage Required sophisticated irrigation systems and dikes in efforts to control flooding

9 Egypt as United Kingdom Upper and Lower Egypt unite into 1 kingdom starting in 3000 BC

10 Egypt as United Kingdom Series of dynasties: rulers come from same family or blood line Pharaohs: Name for Egyptian kings Thought to be gods Served as head of army and religion Dynasties were ruled as a theocracy = rule by religious authority

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13 Egyptian Religion Were polytheistic = worship many gods Over 2000 gods

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15 Osiris god of the dead

16 Isis goddess representing ideal of mother and wife

17 Pharaohs Believed to be Gods Difference with Mesopotamia: kings only representatives of gods Believed pharaohs could control flooding of Nile, rising of sun, growing of crops Pharaohs had a duty to live moral life promoting truth and justice Believed pharaoh ruled even after his death Thought to have an eternal life force or ka which continued to take part in government of Egypt

18 Belief in Afterlife Punished if lived a life of sin Judgement upon death Anubis, god and guide of underworld, weigh each person s heart If heavier than feather heart eaten by Devourer of Souls If lighter than feather live forever in beautiful Other World Plan for burial so could safely reach Other World

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21 Mummification Process Mummified bodies so that dead could return to body after judgement process Embalm and drying of corpse to prevent it from decaying Organs put in jars

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26 Mummification Process Body put in coffin called a sarcophagus Made of stone Typically adorned with sculpture or inscription about person inside

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28 Mummification Process Mummification usually done only for royal and upper class Egyptians Buried with items thought needed in afterlife: The Book of Dead - scrolls with hymns, prayers or spells s to guide soul in afterlife Clothing Jewels Cosmetics Pets!

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30 Famous Egyptian Pyramids Purpose of Egyptian pyramids: Large burial chambers built for pharaohs and their family and some upper class Egyptians Like palace for the afterlife Show strength of pharaoh and Egypt REPRESENT SOME OF THE MOST REMARKABLE ENGINEERING ACHIEVEMENTS IN HISTORY OF THE WORLD

31 Great Pyramid of Giza

32 Famous Egyptian Pyramids REPRESENT SOME OF THE MOST REMARKABLE ENGINEERING ACHIEVEMENTS IN HISTORY OF THE WORLD Great Pyramid of Giza Over 480 feet high and covered over 13 acres Was the highest man made structure in the world for over 3500 years Used perfectly cut stone blocks weighing 2.5 tons on average In effect, the Egyptians invented the science of structural engineering

33 Famous Egyptian Pyramids Built by laborers Peasants who work for government when Nile flooded because could not farm Compensated with food and housing Slaves who were prisoners of war Laborers physical strength built pyramids not use wheels because too difficult on desert sand

34 Famous Egyptian Pyramids Building of pyramids shows great strength of Egyptian civilization Pyramids were evidence that the Egyptians had an organized government Also showed economic and technical strength

35 Social Classes in Ancient Egypt

36 Social Classes in Ancient Egypt Social mobility existed (could move up in class) Gain higher status by marriage or success in job Some slaves could win freedom as reward for good service To earn highest positions: know how to read and write

37 Social Classes in Ancient Egypt Women had important role relative to other ancient civilizations Held many of same rights as men Upper and Middle Class women could own or trade property Could propose marriage or divorce Some became like pharaoh Ex. Hatshepsut

38 Egyptian Writing As in Mesopotamia, writing helped Egypt to grow significantly System of writing in Egypt called hieroglyphics Pictures standing for ideas and sounds Similar to cuneiform

39 Egyptian Writing Wrote on papyrus Reeds linked together that served as paper Much easier to work with than stone

40 Rosetta Stone breaks code of hieroglyphics For centuries, hieroglyphics could not be translated because no one understood it Breakthrough in translation came with discovery of the Rosetta Stone Polished black stone discovered by French soldiers in 1799 near Nile River Had the same message written in 3 languages 2 were in a form of hieroglyphics and the 3 rd was in ancient Greek Ancient Greek was well known so permitted translation of the hieroglyphics eventually result in translation of all hieroglyphics

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43 The Rosetta Stone is currently housed at the British Museum in London, England

44 Egyptian Technological Advancements Calendar: Invent calendar to keep track of time between floods for planting that was based upon 365 day year Numbers: Invent system of written numbers for counting used for tax collection Geometry: Use geometry to survey land after floods and design irrigation systems Math: Use math for measurements in making irrigation systems and pyramids Medicine: Set broken bones Did some surgeries