The Ancient Middle East

Adapted from Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

(With permission)

Adapted from Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

(With permission)

Agriculture is the center of this

civilization too!• Control water through irrigation• River floods every September• They settled near the river

because resources were certainly abundant

A View of Egypt by Satellite

A View of Egypt by Satellite

The Fertile Nile Valley

The Fertile Nile Valley

Nile Irrigation-the Shaduf

Nile Irrigation-the Shaduf

The Annual Flooding of the Nile

The Annual Flooding of the Nile

The bigger you get, the more

organization you need!!!!

Menes: Unifier of Upper & Lower Egypt

Menes: Unifier of Upper & Lower Egypt

c. 3050 B. C. E. ?

c. 3050 B. C. E. ?

Political Organization…

• Menes (“first ruler”) united• Unlike Mesopotamia, they were

unified early in their history• Power is followed through 30

dynasties…or the 30 different family lineages that ruled Egypt for 2000+ years!

Organized power structure…

Organized power structure…

Make him happy now!

Pharoah, how much do we love

you????

Stepped Pyramid at Saqqara

Stepped Pyramid at Saqqara

“Bent” Pyramid of King Sneferu

“Bent” Pyramid of King Sneferu

Giza Pyramid ComplexGiza Pyramid Complex

Plan of the Great Pyramid of Khufu

Plan of the Great Pyramid of Khufu

The Valley of the KingsThe Valley of the Kings

Video on pyramids…

Where was the power

centered?

Hieroglyphic

“Cartouche”

Hieroglyphic

“Cartouche”

Hieroglyphics “Alphabet”Hieroglyphics “Alphabet” 24 “letters” + 700 phonetic

symbols 24 “letters” + 700 phonetic

symbols

Champollion & the Rosetta Stone

Champollion & the Rosetta Stone

Social Organization…

• “a land of villages”…unlike Mesopotamia

• Population = 1-1.5 million

Social Organization…

Ancient Egypt

• King/Pharaoh … high level administrators

• Professionals, priests, lower level bureaucrats

• Peasants

Mesopotamia

• Free, landowning people

• Dependent farmers, artisans, merchants

• slaves

Egyptian Social Hierarchy

Egyptian Social Hierarchy

Egyptian NobilityEgyptian Nobility

Egyptian Priestly ClassEgyptian Priestly Class

Egyptian ScribeEgyptian Scribe

Women of Ancient Egypt…

• Subordinate and of the home• Marriage rights and choice of

husband• No formal marriage (law nor

ceremony)• Divorce and dowry…

An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-Haves”

An Egyptian Woman’s “Must-Haves”

PerfumePerfume

WhigsWhigs

MirrorMirror

Egyptian Creation Myth

Egyptian Creation Myth

The Goddess Nut The Goddess Nut

Egyptian Gods & Goddesses:

“The Sacred ‘Trinity’”

Egyptian Gods & Goddesses:

“The Sacred ‘Trinity’”

Osiris Isis Horus Osiris Isis Horus

Preparations for the Underworld

Preparations for the Underworld

Priests protected your KA, or soul-spirit

Priests protected your KA, or soul-spirit

ANUBIS weighs the dead person’s heart against a feather.

ANUBIS weighs the dead person’s heart against a feather.

Materials Used in Mummification

Materials Used in Mummification

1. Linen 6. Natron2. Sawdust 7. Onion3. Lichen 8. Nile Mud4. Beeswax 9. Linen Pads5. Resin 10. Frankinsense

1. Linen 6. Natron2. Sawdust 7. Onion3. Lichen 8. Nile Mud4. Beeswax 9. Linen Pads5. Resin 10. Frankinsense

Preparation for the Afterlife

Preparation for the Afterlife

Egyptian MummiesEgyptian Mummies

Seti I1291-1278 B.

C. E.

Seti I1291-1278 B.

C. E.Queen Tiye,

wife of Amenhotep II

1210-1200 B. C. E.

Queen Tiye, wife of

Amenhotep II1210-1200 B. C. E.

Ramses II1279-1212 B.

C. E.

Ramses II1279-1212 B.

C. E.

Journey to the Underworld

Journey to the Underworld

A boat for the journey is

provided for a dead pharaoh

in his tomb.

A boat for the journey is

provided for a dead pharaoh

in his tomb.

The dead travel on the “Solar Bark.”

The dead travel on the “Solar Bark.”

Egyptian Book of the Dead

Egyptian Book of the Dead

The Final JudgementThe Final Judgement

Anubis Horus Osiris Anubis Horus Osiris

Shabtis: The Pharaoh’s Servants

in the Afterlife

Shabtis: The Pharaoh’s Servants

in the Afterlife