Egyptian Civilization

(1)

EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION

(2)

Introduction

• History covers a period between 3100 BP to 322 • Egypt means- Gift of the Nile

• Civilization based on the Nile River (Greek – Nelios)- River Valley

• Upper Egypt (Nile Valley) occupied settled people between 3100- 1000BCE

• 1250 BCE Lower Egypt (Nubia) & upper Egypt were rearing & grinding wild grains

• Between 510 – 400 BCE -Sheep, goats, pigs & cereals

(3)

The Nile Settlement

• Upper Egypt (Nile Valley) occupied settled people between 3100- 1000BCE

• Settlement concentrated along the Nile: – Gave unity

– Transport & communication – Source of flesh water

– Filled marshes, shallow lakes & canals, papyrus paper (writing)

– Home for birds & animals

• Nile Valley towards the delta fertile triangular area at the mouth of the Nile

(4)

Factors contributing to Egyptian

Civilization

• Self sufficiency of Egypt: Egypt possessed enormous quantities of stones, which served as raw materials for:

– architecture & sculpture – Clay-pottery

– Gold- Jewellary & ornaments

• Geographical location- Egypt was closed to the outside: – To West of the Nile Valley- Desert (Nubian Desert) – South-Cataracts of Nile discouraged penetration – Opening-Only Mediterranean sea

(5)

Economic activities

•

1250 BCE Lower Egypt (Nubia) & upper Egypt were rearing & grinding wild grains

• Between 510 – 400 BCE agricultural practices begun to be adopted-

– Sheep, goats, pigs & cereals

• Village grew to become little towns & attracted more people e.g.. Nagada (4000-3500 BCE)

– Pottery & painting developed

(6)

Economic System

• Ancient Egyptians were agriculturalists

– Crops grown- wheat, barley, cotton, beans,

onions, lettuces, cucumbers, dates

– Animals- sheep, goats, camels, cats and oxen

• Practiced irrigation using water from the Nile by

Shadoof method

– Canals & dikes were built & water was raised from the river into canal using buckets)

(7)

Factors contributing to Egyptian

Civilization

• Self sufficiency of Egypt: Egypt possessed enormous quantities of stones, which served as raw materials for:

– architecture & sculpture – Clay-pottery

– Gold- Jewels & ornaments

• Geographical location- Egypt was closed to the outside: – To West of the Nile Valley- Desert (Nubian Desert) – South-Cataracts of Nile discouraged penetration – Opening-Only Mediterranean sea

(8)

Economic System

• Ancient Egyptians were agriculturalists

– Crops grown- wheat, barley, cotton, beans,

onions, lettuces, cucumbers, dates

– Animals- sheep, goats, camels, cats and oxen

• Practiced irrigation using water from the Nile by

Shadoof method (canals & dikes were built &

water was raised from the river into canal

using buckets)

(9)

Cont…….

• Other Economic Activities

– Mining

– Industries- glass-making, dyeing & stone

carving

– Trade- Nubia for gold, silver, copper, bronze

& iron)

(10)

Social System

• Social structure was based on class

– The Pharaoh Pharaoh family & relatives

nobles, Priests, Scribes, Soldiers, Workers,

Peasants, Foreigners & Slaves

• Pharaoh

– Head of state & representative of god on

earth

– Owned the land, mineral, human & labour

– Strong Centralized government- to ensure

that the high officials did not amass political

&economic power

(11)

Cont…..

• Scribes

– Highest servants of the government

– Responsible for art of writing- Papyrus paper

– Planning the pyramids

– Inherited profession

• Foreigners- refugees or people deported

–Syrians, Phoenicians, Greeks

• Slaves-

– Paid taxes according to the proportion of

crops & animals

(12)

Religion

• Most religious people

• Polytheists- worship of many gods (Gods represented animals)

• Examples of gods

• Osiris (god of judgment)

• Osiri initially had been a good ruler and teacher of agricultural arts and he had kept order

• His success had aroused the anger of Set, a brother, who killed him and cut him to pieces • AMun-Re (Chief god in charge of heavens)

• light, life and continued stability to the state whose earthly representative was the king

(13)

Cont……

–Horus

–Anubis (god of Mummification) –Isis

–Khepri- God of creation • Believed in life after death

– Embalming of the dead body (body was washed and purified, body organs were removed and stored in a jar and then preserved with natron for 40 days)

– Believed that the body had two parts the “ Ka” & “Ba”

– The Ka was soul

– Ka”, the soul that was expected to return afterwards and enjoy material comforts on

earth

(14)

• Embalming and burial patterns depended on individuals social status

• Focal point of political & religious life in Egypt was the Pharaoh who commanded wealth, resources and people

• Considered to be a falcon god, Horus in human form

• Pharaoh was a living god on earth & became one with Osiris after death

• Mediator between god and men

• Power that achieved integration between human & gods, nature & society and ensured peace & prosperity

(15)

Political System: Government & Kingdom

• Period & Dynasty Dates (BCE) • Early Dynasty(1-2) 3100 – 2700 • Old Kingdom (3-6) 2700- 2200 • Intermediate Pd (7-10) 2200 – 2050 • Middle Kingdom (11-12) 2050 – 1800 • Intermediate Pd (13-17) 1800 – 1570 • New Kingdom (18-20) 1570-1085 • Pd of decay & foreign 1085 - 322 domination

• Dynasties- families of kings • Hereditary

(16)

• Consolidation had begun as early as 4000-3500BCE

• Divided into small nomes-challenge to the unity • Conflict (Valley & Delta) over the Nile and land

• Hence each needed to develop a strong leadership for protection such as a leader was to fuse the different “Nomes” or agricultural district as base

• Pharaoh was the official- King of upper and lower • Nile influenced the way of life of the Egyptian life

– Strong government was needed to control the irrigation system

• Unification- Alliance among, Pharaoh, priests and temples

• Carry out the will of god-king- Egyptians established an elaborate political system

(17)

Early Dynasties

• Aha Menes (Narmer) of Thinis unified (UE)

3200

• Conquered his neighbors defeated the LE

• United the new region with new capital city of Menes in UP (Modern Cairo)

• 1st Dynasty – Dynasty is a ruling family

• Unification- Alliance among, Pharaoh, priests and temples

• Carry out the will of god-king- Egyptians established an elaborate political system

• Pharaoh, chief administrative officer/Vizier (chief judge, superintendent public works),

• Provincial administration- nomarchs • Scribes

(18)

• 1

st

& 2

nd

lasted for 300yrs- two dynasties

helped establish a model of governance

– Religion

– And Social Organization

– Writing was developed- Hieroglyphics

– Craft and learning

• After the two dynasties, Egypt history

was divided into 3 chronological

segments-kingdoms

• (old, Middle and New)

(19)

Old Kingdom

• Established by King Zoser

– Instituted royal absolute and grandiose structures – 1st pyramids were built

– Power of Pharaoh was unlimited no separation (politics & religion)- chief priest

(20)

Old Kingdom

• Had a premier- Imhotep who as an architect,

physician, writer and priest

– Reputed to be founder of modern science

– Due to this Egyptians elevated him to a godlike status

• Designed pyramids (architect) • Started using bricks

• Weaved a society with no standing army and maintain peace through avoiding quarrels hence helped maintain a cohesive theocratic state

(21)

• 4th Dynasty- Snefru (2650) was imperialistic,

militaristic and extravagant

• Snefru- no royal blood and usurped power but married into royalty hence the legitimate standing • Invaded- Syria, Nubia, and made Egypt an imperial

power

• Inaugurate massive construction-gods, pyramids and fortresses of defense

• Smaller pyramids fro queen and noble members also existed

(22)

5

thth

& 6

thth

Dynasty

• Imperialistic

• Madre contact with Somali coast (Punt) for

trading purposes

• 6

th

- Egyptian kings invaded Palestine under

General UNI and dynasty came to an end after

the death of Pepi II

• Characterized by chaos- declined as power and

many claimants to the throne Arose (7

th

dynasty – 70 pharaohs in 70 days)

• Con: initially stable, progressive became

imperialistic and collapsed

(23)

Reasons for collapse

• Shortage of money: grandiose pyramids,

fortresses and temples not correspondence to

national income

• Climatic change: change in climate which led to

crop failure

• Insubordination of governors who later usurped

power of the central government

• Rise of local war lords who destabilized the

government of Zoser which continued until

2050 when order was restored-11

th

dynasty

(24)

Middle Kingdom

(Golden/Classical

(

Golden/Classical

Age)

• Started 11th dynasty

• 12 dynasty marked the reduction of nobles through the establishment of central government

»Create alliance with middles class thereby undercutting the power of the nobles

»Alliance kept the nobility in check, laying foundation for prosperity

• Bureaucratic officials, merchants, artisans and framers were encouraged to advance thus helping revive the economy,

(25)

• Achievements:

– Developed public works e.g. extensive drainage & irrigation projects replaced building of pyramids

– Social justice and military intelligence

– Democratization of religion- emphasis on moral conduct rather than ritual based on wealth

– Emphasize on good moral conduct and

opportunities open to all classes

• 12th dynasty was a period of prosperity

– Followed by chaos and created an opening for foreign domination

– Nobles revolted against being reduced in status which had incapacitated them

(26)

• 1n 1750- Hyksos (rulers of foreign land)

invaded Egypt from Asia

– Military advantage- bow, arrows, horses and war chariots

– The division among the Egyptians made it easier for Hyksos to conquer and put Egypt under foreign rule – Forced Egyptians to unite against foreign tyranny,

taught Egyptians new war techniques – Resistance begun in Thebes

(27)

New Kingdom

• Period of more absolute rule, creation of professional army

• Military power formed the basis of Pharaoh rule

• Ahmose I- defeated the Hyksos (enslaved them or dead by 1560

• Founded the 18th dynasty- also new kingdom

• Cities of Thebes and Akhetatou became show case for Egypt

• Egyptian became imperialistic and militaristic

invaded Palestine, Syria, and Nubia and demanded tributes

(28)

New Kingdom

• Increased trade during his era to Asia, Europe and Africa

• Politically the 18th c dynasty (New Kingdom) was

marked by rise of three rulers

• Politically the 18th c dynasty (New Kingdom) was

marked by rise of three rulers

•Queen Hatshepsut

•Thutmose III

(29)

• Achievements Queen Hatshepsut

• She was regent of her stepson, crowned herself Queen claming to be the son of god Amun

• Ruled for two decades

• Sent ships to Punt for incense

• Picked wise advisers and generals to conquer land • Erected monuments and temples for god-Amun

(30)

• 18th dynasty was also marked by the cult of Aton-link to Amenhotep II and more so with his son

Amenhotep IV

– Built temples for god Amun – Built large monuments

– Introduced the cult of Aton (Atonism)- monotheism

– Attack and destruction of the old religious systems

(31)

• The 18th dynasty was followed by a period of Foreign domination- Pinki- a people originating from Napata in Sudan

– Established their throne for 60 years after which Egypt was invaded by foreigners- Romans, Greeks and Persians

• 30 AD- invaded by the Romans

– Roman regarded the region as the precious property of Rome due to its fertility

– Largest trading and industrial centre

• 65 AD- Coptic Christian era

• 640 AD- Islamic era

• Modern Egypt- 1882 colonized by the British -

1952

(32)

Contribution

• Agriculture- along the Nile Valley (5000BC)

• Urbanization- started in Egypt with the agricultural community

• Making of paper-papyrus later copied by the Greeks and the Romans, Arabs and Byzantine

• Medicine\mummification (embalming of the dead) which involved chemistry, physics and surgery

• Psychology- derived form Greek word Psychic- mind, which means the same in Egypt

• Craftsmanship- back-tan of leather, clothes and glass making

• Jewellery- ornaments and beads and pearls • Feminism movement

(33)

• Bureaucracy and hierarchy

• Mathematics- used for measuring huge buildings- areas of triangles & volumes of pyramids, cylinders & hemispheres

• Astronomy- calendar divided into 4 segments of 12 months each of 30 days and each year added 5 days-

• Architecture- pyramids

• Literature- hieroglyphic scripts

• Religion- gave to the world a number of gods and goddesses

• Alphabets- 24 symbols each representing a single consonant