ANCIENT EGYPT CIVILIZATION
The NILE RIVER, the longest river in the world
(6,650 kilometers), flows north from the heart of
Africa to the Mediterranean Sea.
The Great
Pyramid of Giza
Pyramids
These are the Giza
pyramids, the most
famous.
Pyramids were
tombs for the kings.
These were built in
3500 B.C.E.
The Great Sphinx is located on
the Giza plateau, about six
miles west of Cairo.
Egyptian Pharaoh: Tutankhamun
Egyptians were led by
Pharaohs.
They were priest-kings
King Tut is the most
famous
Using computers, this
image was reconstructed
using his remains
Tutankhamun
Abu Simbel was built by Ramseses II
ROYAL WOMEN:
Royal mothers, wives, and
daughters derived their status
from their relationship with
the king.
Kings had MANY WIVES and
royal families were large.
The most prolific was Rameses
II, who had eight wives and
over a hundred children.
Mummies
Egyptians who could
afford to do so would
have themselves
mummified.
They believed in a
better afterlife if
their body was
preserved.
Mummies
The Egyptians took out all of the internal organs,
except the heart because it was believed to be the
intelligence and emotion of the person.
The Egyptians thought the brain had no significant
value, so they took it out through the nose. The body
was packed and covered with Natron (a salty drying
agent). After this the body was left for 40-50 days.
MATERIALS USED IN MUMMIFICATION:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Linen
Sawdust
Lichen
Beeswax
Resin
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Natron
Onion
Nile mud
Linen pads
Frankincense
Egyptians wrote in Hieroglyphics
What did Egyptians write on?
Ancient Egyptians
used papyrus, a
substance derived
from the plant of
the same name
The EGYPTIAN LANGUAGE was one of the earliest
languages to be written down, perhaps only the Sumerian
language is older.
First appearing on stone and pottery dating from 3100 B.C.
to 3000 B.C., it remained in use for almost 3,000 years.
The last inscription was written in A.D. 394.
Daily Life
Pharaohs and nobles participated
in HUNTING, FISHING and
FOWLING expeditions, a means
of recreation that had ritualistic
and religious significance.
HUNTING SCENES often
depicted on temple walls and
tombs reinforce the prowess of
kings and nobles. Rabbits, deer,
gazelles, bulls, Oryx, antelopes,
hippopotamuses, elephants and
lions were among the wild
animals hunted for their meat and
skins.
ROYAL PALACES, frequently CITIES IN THEMSELVES,
included separate residences, a temple and a workers’ village.
WOMEN engaged in WEAVING, PERFUME MAKING, BAKING and
NEEDLEWORK. Very few artistic creations were signed, and exceptional
ability was rewarded through increased social status.
Women of all classes COULD EARN WAGES, OWN PROPERTY and
EMPLOY WORKERS, but their main role was within the family. The
title most women had was "MISTRESS OF THE HOUSE". They were
considered EQUAL WITH MEN BEFORE THE LAW, and could sue
for damages and divorce.
Art and Literature
From tombs and wall
paintings we know they
Egyptians were very
talented artisans
Wrote many folk tale
stories of battle as well as
poems and songs.
They would share these
with their Sumerian
neighbors.
ARCHITECTURE:
The ancient
Egyptians built
their pyramids,
tombs, temples and
palaces out of stone,
the most durable of
all building
materials.
Apart from the pyramids, EGYPTIAN BUILDINGS were decorated with
PAINTINGS, CARVED STONE IMAGES, HIEROGLYPHS, and
THREE-DIMENSIONAL STATUES. The art tells the story of the pharaohs,
the gods and the common people.
GOVERNMENT & RELIGION
The PHARAOH was the head of State and the divine
representative of the gods on earth.
RELIGION is the glue that binds local communities together and
transforms them into nations. It creates common understandings and shared
values that are essential to the growth of a civilization.
Egyptian Economy
Although Egypt looks
really sophisticated, their
traditional economy is
based on farming and
trade.
Egyptians traded up and
down the Nile, with
Mesopotamians and
sometimes with Indus
Valley (in Pakistan)
Sources
Egyptian Civilization
http://www.civilization.ca/civil/egypt/egcivile.html
Ancient Egyptian Virtual Temple
http://showcase.netins.net/web/ankh/
Greetings from Pakistan
Compiled by:
Students of Class V A & B
Beaconhouse School System
North Nazimabad Primary – IV
Karachi - Pakistan