February 17

Ancient Egypt

Geography

·         Egyptian life is centered around the Nile River

o   Nile River:

§  Water for drinking, irrigation, bathing, and transportation all came from the river, it flows south to north

§  Every July it floods

§  Every October it leaves behind rich soil

§  The delta is a broad, marshy triangular area of fertile silt

§  Managing the river required technological breakthroughs in irrigation

Pyramids

·         The Great Sphinx of Giza

o   built 2555 – 2532 BC

o   It’s a recumbent lion with a human’s head

o   The oldest monumental statue in the world

Daily Life

·         Slaves/servants helped the wealthy with household and child raising duties

·         They raised wheat, barley, lentils, onions – benefitted from irrigation of the Nile

·         Artisans would carve statues and reliefs showing military battles in the afterlife

·         Money/barter system was used – merchants might accept bags of grain for payment – later, coinage came about

·         Scribes kept records, told stories, wrote poetry, described anatomy and medical treatments

·         They wrote in hieroglyphs and in hieratic

·         Soldiers used wooden weapons (bows & arrows, spears) with bronze tips and might ride chariots

·         Upper class was known as the “white kilt class” – priests, physicians, engineers, religious and political leaders

Pharaohs

·         The political and religious leader of the Egyptian people, holding titles: ‘Lord of the Two Lands’ and ‘High Priest of Every Temple’

·         As ‘Lord of the Two Lands’ the pharaoh was the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt.  He owned all land, made laws, collected taxes, and defended Egypt against foreigners

·         Hatsheput was a woman who served as pharaoh

·         Cleopatra VII also served as pharaoh, but much later (51 – 30 BC)

Gods and Goddesses

·         Over 2000 gods and goddesses

·         They “controlled” the lives of humans