ANCIENT EGYPT
GOVERNMENT AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Pharaoh Menes founded the first Egyptian
dynasty around 3100 BCE, by uniting Upper
and Lower Egypt.
Pharaoh
Menes
Upper &
Lower Egypt
GOVERNMENT AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Egyptian policy developed upon values of justice,
truth and order, producing laws that protected the
poor from being exploited by the rich.
 Most people, except slaves, were considered to be
equal regardless of their wealth or social position.
 Viziers were officials chosen to help the pharaoh.

GOVERNMENT AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Around 1550 BCE, Egyptians began using the
term Pharaoh to refer to their king. Pharaohs
were rulers of both the secular and religious
realms and they ruled with
absolute power.

EGYPTIAN SOCIETY


Egyptian society was
run mostly by men,
except for the odd
female Pharaoh. For the
most part, women ran
the home and took care
of the children.
Although men made
family decision, women
had many of the same
rights as men.
EGYPTIAN SOCIETY

Egyptians ate a variety
of foods, but only the
wealthy regularly ate
meat.
EGYPTIAN SOCIETY

Most Egyptians were
farmers, they used the
shaduf to irrigate.

Papyrus was an
important resource.
EGYPTIAN SOCIETY

Egyptian Dress Code
Egyptian Jewelry
Kohl
Shenti
EGYPTIAN SOCIETY

Most Egyptians lived in the one-room houses
made of mud bricks and reeds, covered with
large palm leaves.
Mud House

Wood was scarce, so mud bricks were used,
but they were not sturdy!
WRITING AND EDUCATION

Hieroglyphics
appeared
around 3300
BCE. Gradually,
the system
simplified into
an easier
cursive form of
writing called
hieratic.
WRITING AND EDUCATION


Education was based
on religious beliefs and
schools were located in
temples – priests were
the teachers.
The main function of a
school was to train
scribes; almost the only
way a person could
move up in society was
by becoming a scribe.
WRITING AND EDUCATION

Arts, crafts, and dancing were also important in
Egyptian society. Ritual dances were performed
at funerals and ceremonies – castanets and
rattles, known as sistra, were used to keep the
rhythm.
WRITING AND EDUCATION

Records indicate that Egypt had doctors specialized in
dentistry, internal medicine and ophthalmology – however,
magic played a large role in medicine. People used chants,
spells and prayed to gods to protect against illnesses and
dangers.
RELIGION


The Egyptians understood little of the natural world, and so
unexplained natural events, such as the flooding of the Nile,
were often explained through their religious belief system.
That is why priests were often responsible for medicine,
education, and religion and became quite wealthy.
RELIGION

The Egyptians
worshipped hundreds
of deities that often
varied fro community
to community;
however, four deities
were important to all
Egyptians.

1. Ra: The sun god.
Each day he sailed
across the sky in a
papyrus boat,
bringing the sun with
him. He symbolized
fire, rebirth and life.
RELIGION

2. Osiris: The god of the
underworld. The underworld
was a cool, well treed place
where the souls of Egyptians
went after they died. Osiris
was responsible for teaching
Egyptians how to farm: he
had been killed by his
brother Seth and cut into 14
pieces that were scattered
throughout the world. Osiris
was the redeemer and
merciful judge of the
afterlife.
RELIGION

3. Isis: The wife of
Osiris. She collected the
14 pieces of Osiris’ body
from all over the Earth
and brought him back to
life. Isis is the protector
of children, the ideal
mother and wife, and
the patron of nature and
magic.
RELIGION

4. Anubis: Often
associated with
mummification, Anubis
looks after the
deceased and their
tombs. He is often
represented as a jackal.
The Egyptians believed
their souls were judged
by Anubis when they
died. Anubis means “He
who counts the hearts.”
RELIGION
Thoth God of Writing
Bastet the Protectress
Sobek God of the Nile
RELIGION

Egyptians were very concerned with the afterlife; therefore, the
bodies of dead royalty were preserved and buried in huge tombs and
pyramids. These tombs were filled with objects (pottery, jewellery,
etc.) that the Egyptians believe they would need in the afterlife.

The Poor were buried in shallow desert graves, but still wrapped in
linen and buried with pots and pans.
RELIGION

Egyptians left more items connected with funerals
than any other ancient people – therefore, we
know a great deal about their death ritual and
beliefs.
RELIGION

Egyptians preserved bodies for
the afterlife in a process of
mummification. It could take up
to 70 days. First the body was
cleansed with oils and spices.
Organs were removed and
placed in canopic jars. The body
was filled with sawdust and
linen. Finally the body was
wrapped in bandages that had
been soaked in beeswax.