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