Name:________________________
Ancient Egypt Packet
Directions: in your groups, use the textbook and the provided sources to respond to the questions in the packet.
Group 2: Religion
1. How did the way Egyptians approach the afterlife differ from their neighbors in Mesopotamia?
2. Egyptians were ______________________, this means they believed in ______________ gods.
3. Who was the most important Ancient Egyptian god?
4. He was the god of the _______________
5. Read the story of Osiris and Isis. Who were Osiris and Isis? Summarize their story.
Read the article, Akhenaton and Nefertiti.
6. Who were Akhenaton and Nefertiti?
7. How did they choose to change the Egyptian Religion?
8. In what ways did they make these changes evident to Egyptians?
9. What was the backlash of their decision?
10. How did the religion change once they died?
Group 3: Mummification
1. How would the Ancient Egyptians be judged at death?
2. Explain the process of mummification? Why did the Ancient Egyptians use mummification? What do you
think was the most interesting step in the process of Mummification?
3. What are Canopic jars?
4. What were their purposes?
5. Would every Egyptian be buried with Canopic Jars, if no, who would?
6. What are the heads on the top of the jars supposed to represent?
7. What is the “Book of the Dead?” How was it utilized during the burial process?
8. When the Egyptians died, they believed they would “cross the river” to the afterlife. What preparations
were often made to help with this crossing?
9. How was the symbol of the boat used in various tombs?
10. What types of things would the boat carry, why?
Group 4: Pyramids
1. What were the pyramids used for and why are they so significant in the Old Kingdom?
2. What Egyptian city is known for its pyramids?
3. What did the pyramids tell us about the Old Kingdom in Egypt?
4. Which explanation of why Egyptians used a pyramid shape do you think is most likely true?
5. Describe the evolution of types of tombs for royalty in Egypt.
6. How did the burial of ordinary Egyptians differ from that of nobles and royalty?
7. Describe the Sphinx. What are some of the mysteries or stories that surround it?
Group 2: Religion
The Myth of Isis and Osiris
As with much of the ancient Egyptian mythology, there are various versions of the story of Isis and Osiris, but
basically it runs as follows.......
Osiris was an earthly ruler, who was popular with his subjects. His brother, Set, was jealous of this popularity
and plotted against Osiris.
Set's plans to be rid of his brother started when he secretly obtained his brothers measurements and had a
magnificent casket made to fit. This casket was in the form of a human shaped box.
Set then organized a large feast to which Osiris and a number of others (usually given as 72) were invited. At
the height of the festivities Set produced the casket and announced that it would be given to whoever it fitted.
All the guests tried the casket for size, but none fitted until finally Osiris stepped into the casket.
Set immediately slammed the lid closed and sealed the casket shut (with molten lead). The sealed coffin was
then thrown into the Nile.
Isis was devastated at the loss of her husband and searched for the casket throughout Egypt and then
overseas. She eventually found it where it had come to rest in the roots of a massive tree.
Isis then returned the coffin to Egypt for a proper burial. For safe keeping she concealed it in the marshes
beside the Nile.
Unfortunately for Isis Set found the casket while out hunting and was so enraged he chopped the body of
Osiris into pieces, and scattered the parts throughout the land of Egypt.
Poor Isis had to then set out again looking for the parts of her husband. Eventually she found all the parts
except one and reassembled Osiris and wrapped him in bandages. In some accounts Isis breathed life back
into Osiris' body and it was then that Horus was conceived. This was a more magical event that it seems,
considering the one part of Osiris Isis couldn't find.
The young Horus then went out to battle his uncle Set and to avenge his father’s death. After a series of fights
detailed in 'The contending of Horus and Set' neither god was able to secure an overall victory. Ultimately
Osiris was declared king of the underworld, Horus king of the living, and Set ruler of the deserts as the god of
chaos and evil.
http://www.akhet.co.uk/isisosir.htm
Akhenaton and Nefertiti
Ancient Egypt is often thought of as a conservative, largely unchanging society and
culture. Sometimes, however, even the most conservative societies can experience
unexpected change. In the case of Egypt's temporary shift to monotheism (the worship
of a single god), that change was brought about by the actions of King Akhenaton, one
of history's first religious revolutionaries.
Early Life and Rule
Akhenaton was the son of Amenhotep III, a powerful ruler during the 18th
dynasty in what is known as Egypt's New Kingdom. Akhenaton is not prominently
mentioned during the reign of his father, although he may have helped rule during his
father's last years.
Images of Akhenaton's body, particularly his wide hips, thin neck, and pot belly, have led archaeologists
to speculate that he had some kind of health condition. Some have even claimed that he was a eunuch,
although engravings show him and Nefertiti, his wife, with six children. It is unclear how accurate the depictions
of Akhenaton really were; to some degree, they may have been influenced by the new artistic style that was
promoted during his reign.
Akhenaton was originally known as Amenhotep IV, after his father. At the time of his ascension, he still
worshipped the traditional gods. In fact, the name "Amenhotep" refers to the god Amon in its meaning of
"Amon is pleased." However, early in his reign, Akhenaton began to commission temples to the god Aton, the
sun disk. He also changed his name to Akhenaton, meaning "one who is useful to Aton"—signaling his shift in
religious allegiance.
Religion and Politics
Around that time, Akhenaton built a new capital city called Akhetaton ("Horizon of Aton") at the site now
known as Amarna. It included temples to Aton, palaces, official buildings, and residences. The new capital
represented more than simply a new religious direction. Most of the officials Akhenaton chose to carry out his
rule had little connection with previous administrations.
In fact, some historians have seen Akhenaton's religious reforms as largely political in motivation.
Akhenaton's role as the direct representative, chief priest, and—according to the new teachings—son of Aton
reinforced his own personal power. Thus, he may have been able to circumvent the accumulated power of
previous government officials and established religious hierarchies. Even the changes in artistic style during
his reign reinforced the sense of a break with the past.
Role of Nefertiti
Akhenaton's wife, Nefertiti, played an important part in the religious reforms. She is
portrayed in much of the new art, including in scenes that were usually meant for the
pharaoh. In many cases, her image shows up in places that traditionally were reserved for
goddesses, which suggests that she, like her husband, may have been a conduit for
bringing the blessings of Aton to the people.
In about the 12th year of her husband's reign, however, Nefertiti no longer appears
in the images. It is possible that she died, but scholars are more inclined to believe that
she fell out of favor with her husband.
Aside from Nefertiti's role in Akhenaton's reign, we do not know much about her
early life. There is debate as to whether or not she was a native Egyptian (daughter of the
courtier Ay) or a foreigner (for example, the daughter of a neighboring king). With the
changes in artistic conventions at the time, there are variations in the depictions of
Nefertiti. However, most people associate Nefertiti's appearance with the famous bust that
was found in the workshop of the sculptor Thutmose at Amarna in 1912.
Backlash
Letters from outlying areas complaining about a lack of support suggest that Akhenaton's
intense interest in religion came at the expense of foreign policy. Although he had
inherited a strong state, inattention to the needs and requests of Egypt's client-states to the north decreased
Egypt's influence in that area, while Egypt's rivals gained in power
After Akhenaton's death, his successors quickly abandoned both his capital at Amarna and the worship of
Aton. The god Amon assumed his previous importance, Akhenaton's temples were torn down, and his name
and those of his immediate successors were removed from the official histories of the kingdom. It is only
through modern archaeology that we have come to know this fascinating figure from Egypt's past.
"Akhenaton and Nefertiti." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2010.
<http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/>
Group 3: Mummification
Life After Death
To the ancient Egyptians, death was a transition rather than an end. When one left
this world (by death), one moved on to live in the world of Osiris. Since one would
spend eternity in the next world, preparing for it was far more important than dayto-day life in the present.
Although journeying from this world to the next was possible for every Egyptian, it
was not easy. A person's heart must first be weighed on a scale against truth, order, and justice. If the heart
was free of wrongdoing (and, thus, light as a feather), the deceased could proceed on the journey with Osiris,
but if not, he was devoured by a monster-god. However, the ancient Egyptians had help in surviving the
weighing of the heart and other obstacles, in the form of magical spells, hymns, prayers, and declarations of
their upright character that were written down and placed with the body of the deceased. Scribes wrote those
texts drawing upon a compilation of prayers and spells that the Egyptians called "The Book of the Coming
Forth by Day," which scholars today refer to as the Egyptian Book of the Dead.
"Egyptian Religion and the Afterlife (Overview)." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO,
2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/
The Book of the Dead
Although "Book of the Dead" has become the standard title of this collection of Egyptian spells and prayers, the
actual title of the work, Per Em Hru, is more literally rendered by Book of Coming Forth by Day, or more
poetically, Journey to the Light. These latter titles referred to the empowerment granted by the collection of
spells that allowed the soul of the deceased to leave the tomb and seek union with the gods, who were stars.
The collection was never a specific "book" in the modern sense of the word, for it was a rather loose collection
of rituals and incantations from the start. Even in the later period of standardization from the Eighteenth
Dynasty on (ca. 1500 BCE), the collection still shows some variation in content, probably depending on the
wealth of the individual (longer collections required greater expenditure on copyists) and the preferences of the
deceased or the family.
The Egyptian civilization developed an enormous literature dealing with the afterlife. The most important were
the Book of Two Ways (found already on coffin texts and describing the Underworld with its canals, streams,
islands, blazing fires, and boiling waters); the Book of Gates (depicting Osiris's nightly boat journey through the
Underworld bringing light, air, and food to the inhabitants and teaching the reward of the just and the
punishment of the wicked); the Book of Am Duat, or That Which Is in the Underworld (describing the 12
sections of the underworld, each related to an hour of the night); and the Book of Apophis (telling in epic
fashion the story of the serpent-enemy Apophis and the Sun God, Ra, doing battle each night).
Yet the Book of the Dead was by far the most influential funerary collection, containing nearly 200 spells
covering every conceivable aspect of death, dying, the afterworld, and the funerary gods. Every spell required
the name of the deceased, newly called "Osiris (so-and-so)," to be written into the spell for it to be effective.
There were spells for how to descend to the land of the dead, avoid various monsters and pitfalls, and silence
one's heart from testifying during the judgment before the gods; spells for retaining one's sight and hearing;
spells for making one's funerary statues (shabtis) work for one in the afterlife; and of course, the spell (first in
most collections) for how to retain one's ability to move so that one can "go forth into the light" and leave the
tomb behind.
Taylor, Richard P. "Book of the Dead." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 13
Oct. 2010. http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/
Ship Burial/Symbolism of crossing the Nile to the afterlife:
Ship burial was widely practiced in ancient Egypt, though authorities do not entirely agree as to why. Entire
ships loaded with equipment have been found buried at several ancient Egyptian sites, for instance, around the
Great Pyramid. There, four boat-shaped pits were found, and although three were empty, the fourth actually
contained the remains of a large wooden ship. To explain this practice, it must be noted that boats served
many purposes in the ancient Egyptian funeral. First, the burial site was often across an actual river, so the
funeral procession had to be loaded onto boats in order to get there. Second, as the cult of Osiris grew in
prominence, the esteemed dead were often taken via the Nile to the cult sites at Busiris and Abydos, the
shrines of Osiris, to partake of his death and resurrection. Boats may have been merely instrumental in the
funeral—so why bury them? In Egyptian belief, everything connected with the person who died (clothing,
embalming tools, personal possessions, often even wives and slaves) was considered "dead" by association
and had to be disposed of at the burial ground. Thus the boats that carried the dead may have been routinely
buried due to "death pollution." But this belief alone does not explain the fact that from the Old Kingdom period
onward (ca. 3000 BCE) reliefs of boats, references to boats, and model boats complete with crews and cabins
can be found in the tombs. Clearly, these were associated with the funerary boat of Osiris, which both carried
him down into the underworld (in the west) and around again to the east each day with the rising sun. There
can be no doubt that in some cases the deceased (most often a pharaoh) was thought to join or even become
Osiris on his underworld ship drawn by the sun. Thus, burying the boat of an important personage may have
had more to do with afterlife hopes than ritual impurity.
Taylor, Richard P. "ship burial." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 13 Oct.
2010. http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/
Canopic Jars
Canopic jars are stone, pottery, wood, or glazed earthenware vessels, usually vases or urns and often with
carved human or animal heads, containing human remains. The word canopic comes from an ancient Greek
tradition in which a pilot named Canopus was said to have been worshipped in the form of a vase with a
human head.
In the Old Kingdom of Egypt at the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty (ca. 2600 BCE), when the science of
mummification began in earnest, it was recognized that removing the soft tissue of the internal organs from the
corpse helped prevent bodily decay and thus preserved the body better. Because the deceased was thought to
need his or her entire body in the hereafter, the organs were wrapped in linen for protection and placed near
the body, usually in niches carved into the south wall of the tomb. However, the organs of those of the highest
rank, for example Queen Hetepheres, were kept in special containers—wooden or alabaster boxes with four
inner compartments in which each of the four major organs (lungs, liver, intestines, and stomach) were placed
separately. This container was then put outside the coffin but inside the tomb.
By the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties of Egypt the practice of placing the internal organs of the deceased in
specialized canopic containers had spread to the lower classes. After removal, each of the four organs was put
into heaps of natron (drying salts) for 40 days or so until all moisture was removed. They were wrapped in linen
for further preservation and placed in a limestone jar, often containing a solution of more natron, and the jars
were placed in a special wooden chest.
By the Middle Kingdom period, the lids of the jars had acquired the likeness of a human head, and after the
Eighteenth Dynasty (1300 BCE), each of the four jars had a different lid dedicated to one of the four sons of
Horus. The human-headed Imsety guarded the liver; baboon-headed Hapy guarded the lungs; falcon-headed
Qebhsenuef looked after the intestines; and jackal-headed Duamutef watched over the stomach. This new
artistic development, however, was not an innovation in thought, for in the funerary texts the four sons of Horus
had long been associated with the four internal organs.
Taylor, Richard P. "canopic jar." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 13 Oct.
2010. <http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/>
Group 4: Pyramids
The Story of the Pyramid of Khufu
The pharaoh Khufu, like the pharaohs before him, began planning his
'house of eternity' as soon as he took the throne. A spot was chosen for
building on the west bank of the Nile. Cemeteries were usually built on
the west bank because the sun 'died' on the western horizon every night.
Khufu's architects were wise and experienced men. They knew the
importance of building the pharaoh's final resting place so that its sides
faced directly north, south, east and west.
They planned a large pyramid- the largest one ever built in ancient Egypt.
The outlines of the pyramid were measured and marked in the desert sand.
Then the building began. Large blocks of stone were cut from quarries nearby. They were dragged by groups
of men across the desert to the site of the pyramid and set in place. Most of the workers were farmers who
worked on building the pyramid during the flood season when their fields were under water.
After the first level of blocks was in place, the workers built ramps of
mudbrick, limestone chips and clay. The workers dragged the large stones
up the ramps to build the next level of the pyramid.
For about 20 years, hundreds of men worked on building the pyramid. As
they built each level, they also built up the ramps around the pyramid.
When the pyramid was almost
finished, a special block covered in
shining metal (either gold or electrum)
was placed on the top of the pyramid.
Then, blocks of white limestone from quarries across the Nile were used to
cover the pyramid. The blocks were trimmed to make the outside of the
pyramid smooth.
Finally, the pyramid was finished.
Khufu's pyramid was only part of the complex built for him at Giza. This complex had many different parts:
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Three pyramids for Khufu's queens.
Several deep pits containing boats that had been buried.
A mortuary temple where Khufu would be worshipped after he
died.
A causeway leading from the pyramid complex down to the
valley temple.
A valley temple where the pharaoh's funeral would begin.
A small 'satellite' pyramid.
 The mastaba tombs of
nobles.
Pyramids
The ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for the
pharaohs and their queens. The pharaohs were buried in pyramids of
many different shapes and sizes from before the beginning of the Old
Kingdom to the end of the Middle Kingdom.
There are about eighty pyramids known today from ancient Egypt. The three largest and best-preserved of
these were built at Giza at the beginning of the Old Kingdom. The most well-known of these pyramids was built
for the pharaoh Khufu. It is known as the 'Great Pyramid'.
What is the Great Sphinx? The Great Sphinx is a large human-headed lion that was carved from a mound of
natural rock. It is located in Giza where it guards the front of Khafra's pyramid.
Legends have been told for many years about the Great Sphinx.
These stories tell about the powers and mysteries of this sphinx.
Some people even believe that there are hidden passageways or
rooms underneath the Great Sphinx, but nothing has been found
yet.
The beginning of one story about the Great Sphinx is written on a
stele between the sphinx's paws.
The story reads that one day, a young prince fell asleep next to
the Great Sphinx. He had been
hunting all day, and was very tired.
He dreamt that the Great Sphinx
promised that he would become the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt if he cleared
away the sand covering its body (the Great Sphinx was covered up to its neck).
The rest of the story is gone, so you will have to use your imagination to work out
the ending. This stele was put up by the pharaoh Thutmosis IV who lived around
1400 B.C.
This is part of the beard of the Great Sphinx. The beard was added during the
New Kingdom- hundreds of years after the Great Sphinx was first carved.
What does the word 'pyramid' mean?
The word 'pyramid' actually comes from the Greek word 'pyramis' which means
'wheat cake'. The word 'pyramis' was used to describe the ancient Egyptian buildings because they reminded
the Greeks of pointy-topped wheat cakes.
The ancient Egyptian word for the pyramids was 'Mer'.
Why did the ancient Egyptians use the pyramid shape?
Egyptologists have developed many theories about why the tombs of the early pharaohs were built in the
pyramid shape. Here are three different ideas:
1. The pyramid represented the first land to appear at the beginning of time- a hill called 'Ben-Ben'.
2. The pyramid had sloping sides so that the dead pharaoh could symbolically climb to the sky and live
forever.
3. The pyramid represented the rays of the sun.
How were other ancient Egyptians buried?
The ancient Egyptians believed that it was important to be buried properly. A proper burial would allow them to
live again in the afterlife. Thus, most people who could afford to, spent a lot of time and effort making sure that
they would be buried well.
Most ordinary ancient Egyptians were probably buried in the desert. Their relatives would wrap their body in a
simple cloth and bury it with some everyday objects and food.
Those with more wealth would be able to afford a better burial. The graves of some craftsmen and workers
have been found containing a mummified body as well as bread, fruit, amulets and furniture for the afterlife.
Nobles and very wealthy people were often buried in tombs that we call 'mastabas'. This kind of tomb has an
underground burial chamber and an above ground offering chapel. These tombs would contain the person's
mummified body, as well as food, jewelry and special objects.
'Pit and mound'
The earliest royal burials in ancient Egypt were pits dug in the ground with mounds built over them. The mound
was built roughly in the shape of a pyramid.
Step pyramid
In the third dynasty, a pharaoh named Djoser had a large stone
pyramid built at Saqqara. This pyramid has many layers and looks
like several mastabas stacked on top of each other.
Bent pyramid
The bent pyramid at
Dahshur shows us that
the ancient Egyptians
experimented a lot with the slope of the pyramids. In the middle of
construction the builders must have decided that the slope of the
building was too steep to continue. Thus, the top half of the
pyramid has a different slope.
The slope that was used for the upper section of this pyramid was
later used by the builders of the Giza pyramids.
The Giza pyramids
In the fourth dynasty, three large stone pyramids were built at
Giza. The design of these pyramids was based on the pyramids
that had been built before. These are the largest and sturdiest
pyramids that were ever built in ancient Egypt.
The first and largest pyramid was built for the pharaoh Khufu
(also known as Cheops). The second largest pyramid was built
for Khufu's son, Khafra (also known as Chephren). In addition to
the usual parts of a pyramid complex, Khafra's pyramid is
guarded by a huge sphinx.
Finally, the third largest pyramid was built for the pharaoh Menkaure (also known as Mycerinus).
The ancient Egyptians continued to build pyramids for their pharaohs after the Giza pyramids were built.
However they were never as big or well-designed as the Giza
pyramids.
Rock cut tombs
In the New Kingdom pharaohs were buried in rock-cut tombs in
the Valley of the Kings. This lonely and hidden place was located
in the shadow of a natural mountain shaped like a pyramid. Thus,
even though the pharaohs did not build pyramids out of stone
anymore, pyramids were still spiritually important to them.
http://ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html