Ancient Egypt & Kush (Nubia)
Archaic Period
•Menes (Narmer)– united upper and lower Egypt
– Egypt’s first Pharaoh• “Great House”
– started Egypt’s first Dynasty
The Old Kingdom2686 – 2181 BC
Pyramid Builders
•Pyramids– tombs; Old Kingdom
•Engineering– the application of scientific
knowledge for practical purposes … uh … what?
– ex. using a 43.5° angle for the pyramids to avoid collapse
Pyramid Builders
• Imhotep– master architect
•Djoser– Step Pyramid
•Snefru– Red Pyramid (true pyramid)
•Khufu (Cheops)– Great Pyramid of Giza
Mummification
•Afterlife– life after death;
focus of Egyptian Religion
•Mummies– help the “ka” find it’s body
•Ka– life spirit
Mummification
•Sarcophagus– bone box; decorated coffin
•Canopic Jars– held internal organs of mummy
Gods and Goddesses
•Re (Rah or Amen-Re)– sun god
•Anubis– god of the dead and
mummification; jackal headed
Gods and Goddesses
•Osiris– god of the underworld
• Isis– goddess of magic
•Horus– sky god; god of the pharaohs
The Middle Kingdom1991 – 1786 BC
Middle Kingdom
•“Renaissance”– “rebirth” of Egypt– classical period of art and literature– Egypt conquers Kush and gains wealth
Middle Kingdom
•Hyksos– invaders from Southwest Asia– chariots and high-powered bows
•Ahmose– defeated the
Hyksos– started the
New Kingdom
The New Kingdom1567 – 1085 BC
New Kingdom
•Queen Hatshepsut– mother of Thutmose III– ran things; expaned trade– wore a beard !!!
Thutmose III (Tutmosis)– killed his mom ???– great conqueror
New Kingdom
•Akhenaton (Amenhotep IV)– monotheism; worshipped Aton “the
sun disc”
•Tutankhamen (Tutankhaton)– restored old religion– buried in the Valley of the Kings – tomb found in 1922 by Howard Carter
New Kingdom
•Ramses the Great– ruled for 67 years, 100 children– great builder of temples– defeated the Sea People
Egyptian Life and Culture
•Agriculture– 80% of Egyptians
were poor farmers
Writing
•Hieroglyphics– Egyptian writing system, one of the world’s
first, used symbols
•Papyrus– long-lasting, paper-like
substance made from reeds
•Rosetta Stone– a stone slab discovered in 1799 that was
inscribed with hieroglyphics and their Greek meanings; best archaeological source for translation of glyphs
Writing
Architecture
•Pyramids– Old Kingdom tombs– Egypt’s most recognized symbol
Architecture
•Temples– Dedicated to
gods and pharaohs
•Sphinx– head of a person and
the body of a lion– largest single-stone
statue ever
•Obelisk– a tall, four-sided pillar that is pointed on
top– like the Washington monument
Architecture
Art
•Tomb Paintings– Murals
Art
•Carvings– “reliefs”
Art
• Jewelry & Decorations
Nubian / Kushite Period• Nubians (Kushites)
– Nubia conquered Egypt, then Egypt conquered Nubia– known for their gold and jewelry
• Trade Network– system of people in different lands
who trade goods back and forth
• Exports– goods sent for sale in other countries or regions
• Imports– goods brought in from other
countries or regions
Greek (Ptolemaic) Period•Alexander the
Great– conquered Egypt and
becomes pharaoh; built the Lighthouse at Pharos and the Library of Alexandria
•Ptolemy– one of Alexander’s
generals, he was put in charge of Egypt as Alexander moved on to other conquests
Roman Conquest
•Cleopatra– Greek; descended from Ptolemy– committed suicide rather than be
taken prisoner by Roman general Octavian (later known as Augustus Caesar)
– she was Egypt’s last pharaoh and Egypt became Roman province