Ancient EGYPT. BeYOND the PYRAMIDS. by Kathleen W. Deady

Transcription

1 Ancient EGYPT BeYOND the PYRAMIDS by Kathleen W. Deady

2 Table of Contents For teachers' inspection ONLY Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Secrets Revealed The Beginnings of Greatness Rise to Power Ups and Downs GonE but not Forgotten Timeline Glossary Read More Internet Sites Index

3 Y s' L er ON ch n ea tio r t ec Fo sp in Chapter 1 Secrets Revealed In 1922 archaeologist Howard Carter was digging in Egypt s Valley of the Kings. He was looking for King Tutankhamun s tomb in this ancient burial ground. He had been looking for the tomb for many years. Carter knew this might be his last chance to find it. Eventually, Carter and his workers found stone steps that led to blocked doorways. The last door s seal read Tutankhamun. Behind the door were four small rooms. Thousands of gold items and jewels filled the rooms. A solid gold coffin held the preserved body, or mummy, of the young king. King Tutankhamun is known as King Tut. Like other kings of ancient Egypt, he was buried with his clothing, jewelry, and furniture. Ancient Egyptians believed he would need these things in the afterlife. archaeologist: a scientist who studies how people lived in the past afterlife: the place where ancient Egyptians 4 believed a person s soul went after death chamber in Two life-size statues stood at the opening to the burial placed there to King Tut s tomb. Scientists think the statues were guard King Tut s mummy. FACT: A popular story says that King Tut s tomb is cursed. According to the story, people who came in contact with the tomb soon died. This story has been proven false. 5

4 King Tut lived in the 1300s BC. He was not an important king. But the discovery of his tomb made him famous. His tomb gave scientists a glimpse of one of the world s great ancient civilizations. For teachers' inspection ONLY 6 An Advanced Civilization The people of ancient Egypt had many new ideas. They were inventors. They studied math, science, and medicine. They also built amazing stone structures, such as pyramids and obelisks. Ancient Egypt was one of the oldest and most advanced civilizations. For 3,000 years, it thrived along the Nile River in northeast Africa. obelisk: a tall stone column with a top shaped like a pyramid Wonderful Things! When asked if he saw anything while peeking into the tomb, Howard Carter replied, Yes, wonderful things! The tomb held thousands of objects. A gold-covered throne and animal-shaped couches were found there. Weapons, board games, paintings, and statues of ancient Egyptian gods were also discovered. A gold burial mask placed on the mummy of King Tut is one of the tomb s most famous items. It took scientists 10 years to record all the tomb s treasures. King Tut s tomb held stacks of furniture and other large items. King Tut s gold burial mask 7

5 Y s' L er ON ch n ea tio r t ec Fo sp in Chapter 2 The Beginnings of Greatness The Nile River has always been an important resource for Egyptians. It is one of the few water sources in Egypt s hot, dry land. The Nile River flows from east-central Africa north to the Mediterranean Sea. At 4,160 miles (6,695 kilometers) long, it is the world s longest river. Around 5,000 years ago, ancient Egyptians began to settle and build permanent homes. Slowly they changed from food gatherers into farmers. They still hunted animals and fished in the Nile. But they also began raising cattle, goats, and sheep. They used these animals for milk and wool. Ancient Egyptians also began planting seeds in the rich soil of the Nile River valley. They grew wheat, barley, fruits, and vegetables. They wove cloth made from the flax they grew. 8 Egyptians used water supplied by the Nile River to raise farm animals. While their farming skills advanced, ancient Egyptians developed other skills. They made farming tools, pottery, baskets, and stone carvings. FACT: The Nile River flooded between June and September. Ancient Egyptians planted crops in October to avoid the flood season. 9