Early Nile
Civilizations

Overview of Ancient Egypt

Early inhabitants (Neolithic's) called the
land Kemet
 Renamed

Egypt by the Greeks
The Nile River Valley (annual floods)
 World’s
Longest River – flows from South
to North

Two Kingdoms by 4,000 B.C.E.
Lower Kingdom in the North
 Upper Kingdom in the South
 3100 B.C.E. – Menes (Narmer) invaded
Lower Egypt

 Marked
the first Egyptian Dynasty
Menes/Narmer:
Unifier of Upper & Lower Egypt
c. 3100 B. C. E. ?
Ancient Egyptian History
Periods
Time Frame
Nile Culture Begins
Archaic
Old Kingdom
Middle Kingdom
New Kingdom
3900 B. C. E.
3100 – 2650 B. C. E.
2650 – 2134 B. C. E.
2040 – 1640 B. C. E.
1550 – 1070 B. C. E.
Late Period
Greek Ptolemaic Era
Roman Period
750 – 332 B. C. E.
332 – 30 B. C. E.
30 B. C. E. – 395 C. E.
II. Three Egyptian Dynasties

The Old Kingdom (2700-2200 B.C.E.)



The Middle Kingdom (2050-1700 B.C.E.)




Established a theocracy (god-king)
Built pyramids to honor pharoahs (mummification)
Egypt was reunited after a time of upheaval
The capital was moved to Thebes
Were invaded by the Hyksos (from Western Asia)
The New Kingdom (1600-1200 B.C.E.)


Egyptians overthrew the Hyksos – led by Ahmose
Kings began to use the title Pharaoh
III. New Kingdom Pharaohs

Hatshepsut (1480 B.C.E.) - female pharaoh

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Thutmose III (Hatshepsut’s son)


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Ruled because her son was too young to rule
Extensive building projects
Expanded the Dynasty to include Syria
Made an “empire” for Egypt – cultural diffusion
Amenhotep: (1370 B.C.E.) – wife Nefertiti



Decided to make Egypt monotheistic (Aton)
Changed his name to Akhenaton
Moved the capital to central Egypt

Tutankhamen (King Tut)



The boy king
Moved the capital back to Thebes
Ramses II (“the Great”)


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Fought the Hittites for control of Syria
1995 C.E., a tomb was uncovered that held 50 of
Ramses 52 sons
Egypt weakened after Ramses’ death

Invasions by the Libyans and Kushites
Some Famous Egyptian Pharaohs
Hatshepsut
Tutankhamon
Thutmose
III
Ramses II
Egyptian Social Hierarchy
IV. Egyptian Life

Social Order



Religion: polytheistic (except Akhenaton)


Upper class; middle class; lower class
Women's’ rights improved btwn. Old & New
Kingdoms
Gods were depicted as part human part animal
Writing System




Hieroglyphics: carved picture symbols
Hieratic: cursive for everyday use
Rosetta Stone: part Greek and part Egyptian
Book of the Dead
The Rosetta Stone
Hieroglyphs
Preparation for
the Afterlife
Journey to the Underworld
The dead travel
on the “Solar
Bark.”
A boat for the
journey is
provided for a
dead pharaoh in
his tomb.
Egyptian Book of the Dead
Giza Pyramid Complex
Plan of the Great Pyramid
of Khufu
King Tutankhamon’s Death
Mask
1336-1327 B. C. E.
King Tutankhamon
Treasures From Tut’s Tomb
Akhenaton: First Monotheist?
1352-1336 B. C.
E.
Queen
Nefertiti
Abu Simbel:
Monument to Ramses II
1279-1213 B. C.
E.
Other Kingdoms of Nile Region

Nubia (3000 B.C.): Southern Nile region


Kush (2000 B.C.): Upper Nile River Valley

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Accomplished military; close contact w/ Egypt
Under Egyptian rule for 500 years; strong trade
1000 B.C.: became independent of Egypt
Axum (700 B.C.): near the Red Sea


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Successful traders (cultural diffusion)
Adopted Roman Christianity (330 A.D.)
Set up the Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia