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