Chapter 2 Section 2Chapter 2 Section 2

Egyptian Life and CultureEgyptian Life and Culture

Review section 1Review section 1

What Direction does the Nile river flow?What Direction does the Nile river flow? Why did geographic isolation benefit the Why did geographic isolation benefit the

Egyptians?Egyptians? Name the outside invaders that came in and Name the outside invaders that came in and

took over Egypt for a whiletook over Egypt for a while

The Achievements of ancient EgyptThe Achievements of ancient Egypt The Egyptians lived on a dependability of the annual The Egyptians lived on a dependability of the annual

Nile floods and their geographic isolationNile floods and their geographic isolation They are most recognized for their building of the They are most recognized for their building of the

pyramids and the sphinxpyramids and the sphinx About 80 pyramids still stand along the west bank of About 80 pyramids still stand along the west bank of

the Nilethe Nile The best known pyramids are in Giza and the Great The best known pyramids are in Giza and the Great

pyramid is 13 acres at its base (566,280 sq ft)pyramid is 13 acres at its base (566,280 sq ft) It was 480 Ft high and contains over 2 million blocks It was 480 Ft high and contains over 2 million blocks

of stone each weighing 5,000 lbsof stone each weighing 5,000 lbs Building of the pyramids took great skill. Egyptian Building of the pyramids took great skill. Egyptian

architects and engineers were the best in the worldarchitects and engineers were the best in the world

The Great PyramidThe Great Pyramid

Other Egyptian ArtOther Egyptian Art The pyramids were built using ramps and levers, but The pyramids were built using ramps and levers, but

the Egyptians were just as good at traditional artthe Egyptians were just as good at traditional art Other forms of art include small statues of pharaohs, Other forms of art include small statues of pharaohs,

animals, and godsanimals, and gods The painters decorated buildings with pictures of The painters decorated buildings with pictures of

everyday lifeeveryday life They showed farmers in their fields, people at They showed farmers in their fields, people at

banquets, and artisans at workbanquets, and artisans at work Even the hieroglyphic form of writing was an art Even the hieroglyphic form of writing was an art

formform

Science, math, and medicineScience, math, and medicine Early in their history the Egyptians developed a Early in their history the Egyptians developed a

calendar based on the movements of the mooncalendar based on the movements of the moon {They later found that the annual floods would {They later found that the annual floods would

happen after a bright star appeared above the happen after a bright star appeared above the horizon}horizon}

Then there would be 365 days until the next time the Then there would be 365 days until the next time the star appeared on the horizon star appeared on the horizon

The Egyptians then based their calendar on this new The Egyptians then based their calendar on this new found cyclefound cycle

12 months with 30 days each and the last 5 days were 12 months with 30 days each and the last 5 days were used for holidays and feastingused for holidays and feasting

To keep track they kept count using the pharaohs To keep track they kept count using the pharaohs years of reignyears of reign

ContinuedContinued In addition to developing the calendar the Egyptians In addition to developing the calendar the Egyptians

had a number system based on 10had a number system based on 10 They used fractions along with whole numbers and They used fractions along with whole numbers and

used geometry to build the pyramids and restore used geometry to build the pyramids and restore fields after floodingfields after flooding

They made important discoveries in medicine and They made important discoveries in medicine and human anatomyhuman anatomy

They used this knowledge to treat illness and preserve They used this knowledge to treat illness and preserve bodies after deathbodies after death

The treatments for illness often used “magic spells” The treatments for illness often used “magic spells” but involved herbs and medicine but involved herbs and medicine

EducationEducation

For the ancient Egyptians focused mainly on For the ancient Egyptians focused mainly on the elite group known as scribes, or clerksthe elite group known as scribes, or clerks

They learned to read and write so that they They learned to read and write so that they could work for the governmentcould work for the government

They focused on religious instruction which They focused on religious instruction which was the base for Egyptian life was the base for Egyptian life

In fact the schools were usually attached to the In fact the schools were usually attached to the templestemples

The GodsThe Gods In the earliest days of the Egyptian civilization each In the earliest days of the Egyptian civilization each

village has its own local god or godsvillage has its own local god or gods The gods had their own animal symbol that they The gods had their own animal symbol that they

considered sacredconsidered sacred Sacred animals include the cat, bull, crocodile, and Sacred animals include the cat, bull, crocodile, and

the scarab beetlethe scarab beetle Some of the gods became worshiped by people Some of the gods became worshiped by people

through out Egyptthrough out Egypt The most important of these was Amon or Amon-Re The most important of these was Amon or Amon-Re

the sun god or the creatorthe sun god or the creator

Amon-Re and OsirisAmon-Re and Osiris

The Gods continuedThe Gods continued Osiris was the judge of the after life and was Osiris was the judge of the after life and was

associated with the Nile riverassociated with the Nile river She died and was reborn just like the Nile flooded She died and was reborn just like the Nile flooded

and recededand receded Isis was Osiris’s wife and was the goddess of the Isis was Osiris’s wife and was the goddess of the

royal throneroyal throne

The AfterlifeThe Afterlife {{The afterlife was at first believed to only be The afterlife was at first believed to only be

available to the pharaohs, later it was believed that available to the pharaohs, later it was believed that life after death was for everyonelife after death was for everyone}}

{In the afterlife your heart was weighed and it would {In the afterlife your heart was weighed and it would tell if you had lied, murdered, or been too proud}tell if you had lied, murdered, or been too proud}

Your heart was weighed against a sacred feather on a Your heart was weighed against a sacred feather on a great scale. If it balanced you entered a place of great scale. If it balanced you entered a place of eternal hapinesseternal hapiness

If the scale did not balance the heart was thown to the If the scale did not balance the heart was thown to the eater of the deadeater of the dead

Egyptian Mummy in NY MuseumEgyptian Mummy in NY Museum

The afterlife continuedThe afterlife continued In the afterlife the body needs to be preserved to In the afterlife the body needs to be preserved to

make life after death possiblemake life after death possible To do this they developed a process known as To do this they developed a process known as

mummification: the organs of the body are removed, mummification: the organs of the body are removed, the body is treated with chemicalsthe body is treated with chemicals

Workers placed the body in the tombs stocked with Workers placed the body in the tombs stocked with food, tools and weaponsfood, tools and weapons

The objects were considered important for use in the The objects were considered important for use in the afterlifeafterlife

Years later the Book of the Dead was placed in the Years later the Book of the Dead was placed in the tombs as a guide to the afterlifetombs as a guide to the afterlife

The book of the dead (from the The book of the dead (from the mummy movie)mummy movie)

FarmingFarming

Farming was divided into large estates and Farming was divided into large estates and was done mostly by the peasantswas done mostly by the peasants

Wheat and Barley were the chief crops, but Wheat and Barley were the chief crops, but flax was grown then spun and woven into flax was grown then spun and woven into linenlinen

Cotton was also grown and used for clothCotton was also grown and used for cloth Part of the crop was kept by the peasant the Part of the crop was kept by the peasant the

rest went to the pharaoh as rent and taxesrest went to the pharaoh as rent and taxes Life for the farmer was difficultLife for the farmer was difficult

TradeTrade The peasants were able to grow more food than what The peasants were able to grow more food than what

was needed so they used it to tradewas needed so they used it to trade This developed new opportunities for the growing This developed new opportunities for the growing

middle classmiddle class Merchants rode in caravans (groups of people Merchants rode in caravans (groups of people

traveling together) for safetytraveling together) for safety They traveled deep into Africa and West into Asia They traveled deep into Africa and West into Asia They were among the first people to build boats to They were among the first people to build boats to

travel by sea trading in the Mediterranean and Red travel by sea trading in the Mediterranean and Red sea and traveled the African coastsea and traveled the African coast

ReviewReview

What did the Egyptians base their calendar on?What did the Egyptians base their calendar on? What was the Egyptian Number system based What was the Egyptian Number system based

on?on? What happened to you in the afterlife?What happened to you in the afterlife? Were the Nile floods predictable?Were the Nile floods predictable?

The End?The End?