ANCIENT EGYPT

Geography
The ancient Egyptians thought of Egypt as being divided into two types of land, the 'black land' and the 'red land'.
The 'black land' was the fertile land on the banks of the Nile. The ancient Egyptians used this land for growing their crops.
This was the only land in ancient Egypt that could be farmed because a layer of rich, black silt was deposited there every
year after the Nile flooded.
The 'red land' was the barren desert that protected Egypt on two sides. These deserts separated ancient Egypt from
neighbouring countries and invading armies. They also provided the ancient Egyptians with a source for precious metals
and semi-precious stones.
The Ri ver Ni l e

The River Nile is about 6,670 km (4,160 miles) in length and is the longest
river in Africa and in the world. Although it is generally associated with
Egypt, only 22% of the Niles course runs through Egypt.
In Egypt, the River Nile creates a fertile green valley across the desert. It
was by the banks of the river that one of the oldest civilizations in the
world began. The ancient Egyptians lived and farmed along the Nile, using
the soil to produce food for themselves and their animals.

Time

The civilization of ancient Egypt lasted for over three
thousand years. During this time there were many
changes in terms of what the ancient Egyptians
believed in, and how they lived their lives. However,
many aspects of the basic culture, religion, and artistic
style of ancient Egypt remained the same.
The Three Kingdoms
Egypt's ancient history covers a huge block of time. Archaeologists noticed something very
interesting. They realized that much Egypt's ancient history could be divided into three big
blocks of time. In each block, all of the pharaohs behaved in a certain way.
Scientists have named these blocks "The Old Kingdom", "The Middle Kingdom", and "The

New Kingdom".
The Old Kingdom (2700 BCE-2200 BCE): Pharaohs had absolute
power and were considered gods on earth. But that's not why this kingdom is nicknamed
"The Pyramid Age". Pharaohs were buried in pyramids only during this time period in
history.
After building a few pyramids, at great expense to the state, it occurred to pharaohs that
pyramids were rather easy to spot, and thus, much easier to rob than a hidden tomb.
Things changed during the middle kingdom.
The Middle Kingdom (2100 BCE-1800 BCE):
The middle kingdom was Egypt's Golden Age. Trade flourished, arts and
literature flourished. Egypt built strong armies to defend herself against her
neighbors. During the time period of the middle kingdom, pharaohs were
expected to be good kings and wise rulers.
Instead of building huge expensive pyramids, when pharaohs died, they
were buried in hidden tombs. These tombs were all over ancient Egypt. Most
probably, there are tombs yet to be discovered by modern archaeologists
because they were hidden so well.

The New Kingdom (1500 BCE-1000 BCE):
The new kingdom was Egypt's expansion period. Egypt expanded her borders through military conquest
and became a world power. During the time period of the new kingdom, pharaohs were all powerful, and
pharaohs were all buried in the same geographic area called the Valley of the Kings.

Egyptian Life
Daily life in ancient Egypt revolved around the Nile and the fertile land along its banks.
The yearly flooding of the Nile enriched the soil and brought good harvests and wealth
to the land.

The people of ancient Egypt built mudbrick homes in villages and in the country. They
grew some of their own food and traded in the villages for the food and goods they
could not produce.

Most ancient Egyptians worked as field hands, farmers, craftsmen and scribes. A small
group of people were nobles. Together, these different groups of people made up the
population of ancient Egypt.

Women
In ancient Egypt, women were not equal with men, but they had many rights,
considerably more rights than did women in other ancient civilizations.
Marriage: One of their rights was the right to decide if they wished to marry or not. If a man asked a woman to
marry him, she could say no. A woman in ancient Egypt could not be forced into marriage. Those who did marry
usually married quite young, around age 12-14.
Once married, a woman's first duty was to be a good wife and mother. Children were very important to the ancient
Egyptians.
Finances: Along with raising the children and running the household, women were free to get a paid job outside
the home if they wanted one. They could run a business. They could own, buy, and sell property. They could make a
will and leave their personal goods to whomever they chose, including their daughters.
The ancient Egyptians were fascinating people, and thanks to the movies, are often
misunderstood. The ancient Egyptians were not in love with death, but with life!
They enjoyed their life to the fullest. They worked very hard, but saved time to enjoy
family, friends, music, parties, swimming, fishing, hunting, sailing, and especially
their children, all of which were very important to the ancient Egyptians.
In ancient Egypt, children were the heart of the family. If a couple could not have a
child, they adopted a child.
Children were taught to be kind and honest, to respect their parents, to help with the
family business, and to care for the elder members of their family.
It was important that children learn to be caring. The ancient Egyptians believed in
"ma'at" - order and justice. They spent a lifetime trying to be fair and just at all times.
The ancient Egyptians believed that you could only reach your afterlife if your heart
was light. The only way your heart would be light is if you had spent a lifetime being
kind and honest.

Court: If any woman broke the law, she had go to court and defend herself from
the charge, just like everyone else.
Divorce: One of the biggest rights a woman had was the right of divorce. If a woman was unhappy with
her marriage, she could get a divorce, and then remarry someone else or remain single.
To be granted a divorce, a woman needed to present a good reason in a court of law.
If her divorce was granted, she gained custody of the children, plus all of her original dowry if one was
brought to the marriage - or its equivalent worth - plus one-third of her husband's wealth. This was done so
that she could raise her children comfortably. She also took with her any property she personally owned,
including property that had been willed to her during her marriage.
Men could also get a divorce, but, if granted, women still gained custody of her children, her original dowry,
and a big chunk of his wealth.
Homes
The ancient Egyptians built homes of sun-dried bricks, made of mud and straw.
To make the bricks, the ancient Egyptians invented brick molds. A mix of mud
and straw was placed into the molds. Then, the molds were left out in the sun to
dry. The desert heat dried the bricks for them. They could make a huge number
of bricks easily.
Their homes were huge. Homes had flat roofs. People often sat outside on their
roofs in the evening to watch the sunset and catch the evening breeze.
Nobles Homes: Nobles lived in huge villas along the Nile. Some were front with
white limestone, which made the walls sparkle. A few homes were even built
with stone. But stone was difficult to cut and use. Most homes were made of sun
dried brick.
Each villa had 25-30 rooms. Most rooms had a purpose. They had family rooms,
guest rooms, storage rooms, kids rooms, and even bathrooms!
Homes had front and back doors. Each door was built about 4 feet off the ground
to reduce the amount of sand and dust. Each door was reached by a ramp. Rather
than stairs, ramps led from one level to another inside the house.

Peasants Homes:
A peasant's home was tiny by comparison. Still, it was very nice. Each
peasant family had their own home. When you opened the door, you
entered a courtyard. Inside the courtyard, a ramp led up to the front door
of the house. Some homes had two stories, some had three or more.
Ramps were used to move from level to level. One ramp led up to the flat
roof. People often slept on their roofs. It was cooler, and quite lovely
sleeping under the stars.

Pharaoh: Lord of the Two Lands



The most powerful person in ancient Egypt was the pharaoh. The pharaoh was
the political and religious leader of the Egyptian people, holding the titles: 'Lord
of the Two Lands' and 'High Priest of Every Temple'.
As 'Lord of the Two Lands' the pharaoh was the ruler of Upper and Lower
Egypt. He owned all of the land, made laws, collected taxes, and defended
Egypt against foreigners.
As 'High Priest of Every Temple', the pharaoh represented the gods on Earth.
He performed rituals and built temples to honour the gods.
Many pharaohs went to war when their land was threatened or when they
wanted to control foreign lands. If the pharaoh won the battle, the conquered
people had to recognise the Egyptian pharaoh as their ruler and offer him the
finest and most valuable goods from their land.
The Two Lands & King Menes
The early people who settled along the Nile River banded together into two
main groups.
One group lived around the mouth of Nile River, near the Mediterranean Sea.
Their king wore a Red Crown. Their land was called Lower Egypt.
The other group lived near the mountains to the South. Their king wore a
White Crown. Their land was called Upper Egypt.
These two groups had much in common. They spoke the same language. They
worshipped the same gods. They had the same culture. But, they did not get
along. They were always fighting.
Around 3000 BCE, King Menes (also known as King Namer) ruled Upper
Egypt. He conquered Lower Egypt. These two groups continued to fight. One
day, King Menes had an idea. If the color of a crown was so important, why
not invent a new crown?! King Menes created the Double Crown, a mix of
white and red.
His idea worked. Both Lower and Upper Egypt respected the Double Crown.
They called their land "The Two Lands".
Over time, The Two Lands became known as Egypt.
Famous Pharaohs
King Tut's Tomb
Tut was only nine years old when he became Pharaoh. He was only 18 years
old when he died. The people did not have a lot of time to build Tut's tomb.
Tut's tomb was very small compared to the tombs of other pharaohs.
Because his tomb was so small, it was overlooked for thousands of years.
In 1922, a British archaeologist named Howard Carter entered King Tut's
tomb. It was almost like entering a time machine.
Robbers might have been there because a bag of gold rings was found on the
floor, as if dropped in haste. But they did not take everything because Carter
and his team found many treasures inside the tomb including a solid gold
mask of King Tut's face.

The Pharaohs
Akhenaton - pharaoh of Egypt from about 1350 to 1334 BC


Tutankhamen - was the son-in-law of Akhenaton.
Cleopatra VII - the last Queen of Egypt.



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'.
Egypt i an Pharaohs
Who wer e t he Phar aohs?
Pharaohs were the king or Queen of Egypt. Most pharaohs were
men but some well-known pharaohs, such as Nefertiti and
Cleopatra, were women.
A Pharaoh was the most important and powerful person in the
kingdom. He was the head of the government and high priest of
every temple.The people of Egypt considered the pharaoh to be a
half-man, half-god.
The Pharaoh owned all of Egypt.
Interesting fact
The ancient Egyptians did not refer to their Kings as
Pharaohs. The word Pharaoh comes from the Greek
language and was used by the Greeks and Hebrews to
refer to the Kings of Egypt. Today, we also use the word
Paraoh when referring to the kings of Egypt.
Who was t he f i r st ki ng/phar aoh of Egypt ?
The first true pharaoh of Egypt was Narmer (sometimes called
Menes), who united Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt. He was the
first king of the First Dynasty, the beginning of the Old Kingdom.
Egypt was once divided into two kingdoms. The kingdom in Lower
Egypt was called the red crown and the one in Upper Egypt was
known as the white crown.
Around 3100 B.C. the pharaoh of the north conquered the south
and Egypt became united. The pharaoh's name was King Narmer
(Menes). He founded the first capital of Egypt where the two
lands met. It was called Memphis. (Thebes became the next
capital of Egypt and then Amarna was made the capital during
the reign of King Akhenaten.)
The story of Ancient Egypt begins from when the north and the
south were united as one country under the first pharaoh Menes.
Whi ch God di d t he peopl e t hi nk t hei r Phar aoh
was?
The Ancient Egyptians believed that their Pharaoh was the god
Horus, son of Re, the sun god. When a pharaoh died he was
believed to be united with the sun and then a new Horus ruled on
earth.
Wher e wer e Phar aohs bur i ed?
In the Old and Middle Kingdoms (2628-1638 BC), Egyptian kings
were buried in pyramids. About 50 royal pyramids have survived.
They were built on the desert edge, west of the ancient capital of
Memphis.




The ancient Egyptians believed in many different gods and goddesses.
Each one with their own role to play in maintaining peace and harmony
across the land.


Some gods and goddesses took part in
creation, some brought the flood every year,
some offered protection, and some took care
of people after they died. Others were either
local gods who represented towns, or minor
gods who represented plants or animals.
The ancient Egyptians believed that it was
important to recognise and worship these gods
and goddesses so that life continued

In the New Kingdom (1504-1069 BC), Egyptian kings were buried
in tombs in the Valley of the Kings at Thebes. These tombs were
tunnels cut deep into the natural rock.
Who i s t he most f amous phar aoh of Egypt ?
The most famous Egyptian pharaoh today is, without doubt,
Tutankhamun.
smoothly.
Temples

The ancient Egyptians believed that temples were the
homes of the gods and goddesses. Every temple was
dedicated to a god or goddess and he or she was
worshipped there by the temple priests and the
pharaoh.
The large temple buildings were made of stone so that
they would last forever. Their walls were covered with
scenes that were carved onto the stone then brightly
painted. These scenes showed the pharaoh fighting in
battles and performing rituals with the gods and
goddesses.

Obelisk
Obelisks were made of stone, and often built in pairs. Each obelisk was at least 70 feet
tall and most were taller. Each was decorated with writing telling of the great
achievements of the person each obelisk honored.
The Sphinx
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.
Math
The Egyptians invented a decimal system. They used 7 different symbols.
1 was represented by a single stroke.
10 was shown by drawing one hobble.
100 was shown with a drawing one coil of rope.
1,000 was represented by a drawing of one lotus plant.
10,000 was shown as one finger.
100,000 was represented by a drawing of one frog. (A hieroglyphic of six frogs
in a row would mean 600,000)
1,000,000 was represented by the figure of a god with raised arms
Hieroglyphics Over 5000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians wrote things down
using a picture writing called hieroglyphics. The people who did the actual writing
were called scribes.
What is the Rosetta Stone?
The Rosetta Stone is a stone with writing on it in two languages (Egyptian and Greek),
using three scripts (hieroglyphic, demotic and Greek).
Why is it in three different scripts?
The Rosetta Stone is written in three scripts because when it was written, there were
three scripts being used in Egypt.
The first was hieroglyphic which was the script used for important or religious
documents.
The second was demotic which was the common script of Egypt.
The third was Greek which was the language of the rulers of Egypt at that time.
The Rosetta Stone was written in all three scripts so that the priests, government
officials and rulers of Egypt could read what it said.
When was the Rosetta Stone made?
The Rosetta Stone was carved in 196 B.C..
Nation of Irrigation The Nile River cuts its way through the deserts of Egypt. During the
yearly floods the rich black soil, or kemet, was left behind. The Egyptians used the fertile
soil to grow their fields of wheat and barley. Once the floods receded and the fields dried,
the plants would wither and die. The Egyptians solved this problem by digging canals. Water
that poured into these canals flowed out the fields irrigating the land.
A shaduf is an ancient water-raising device used by early Egyptians. It consists of a
container made of animal skins or clay attached to a lever counterbalanced by stones. The
container is dipped into the river, when full it is lifted out and dumped into a canal.

Cartouche
A cartouche was an oval circle with a name written in it, rather like a nameplate.
In the early days of ancient Egypt, a cartouche was attached to the coffins of kings
and queens. As time went on, many people hired an artist to create a cartouche for
their own coffins.
Pyramids & Tombs It was only during the time of the Old Kingdom that the ancient
Egyptians built pyramids to hold the royal tombs of their kings. Pyramids were huge structures. Pyramids
had storage rooms, courtyards, secret passageways, and all kinds of fancy traps designed to catch robbers
who tried to break into the pyramid to rob it.
Pyramids were full of treasures. The average person created grave goods to take with them to their
afterlife. Imagine the treasures a pharaoh might feel were necessary to bring along!
The first pyramid, the Step Pyramid, was built around 2700 BCE, nearly 5000 years ago! Pyramid
construction was abandoned after the time of the Old Kingdom. It was simply too easy to find a pyramid.
Grave robbers knew exactly where the pharaohs were buried, and thus knew exactly where to find riches
and wealth. If you were caught, the penalty for grave robbing was death.
The Scarab Beetle
The scarab beetle is a real beetle, a common beetle. To the ancient Egyptians, this
common beetle symbolized hope and the restoration of life. They used the design of a
scarab beetle in many ways.
Seals were created in the shape of a scarab and used to stamp documents. Artisans
made scarab jewelry using precious gems and painted clay. The same design was used
to make good luck charms and amulets to ward off evil.
The Many Uses of Papyrus One of the many "Gifts of the Nile" was
a weed called papyrus. This weed grew wildly along the shores of the Nile River.
The ancient Egyptians used papyrus to make many things, such as baskets, sandals,
mats, rope, and paper!
Ancient Egyptian Religion
Ancient Egyptian Religion
The religion of the Ancient Egyptians was extremely important to them and touched every
aspect of their life. The religion of Ancient Egypt was a polytheistic religion (with many gods).
There was just one short period of monotheism (the worship of one god), during the reign of
Akhenaten - who became known as the Heretic Pharaoh.
Ancient Egyptian Religion - The Gods and Goddesses
The Egyptian Gods numbered nearly 2000. The main Egyptian Gods and Goddesses were
fundamental to the Ancient Egyptian religion and fundamental to their beliefs. The main gods
were worshipped throughout the whole of Egypt but many minor gods had just a local
following. There were massive temples built to the gods but small shrines were also found in
the homes of the Ancient Egyptians. In difficult times Egyptian Gods were offered various gifts,
which were accepted by the priests and priestesses who offered prayers on behalf of the
donor.
Egyptian Gods & Goddesses - Main Beliefs of the Egyptians
The religion of the Ancient Egyptians encompassed the following fundamental beliefs:
The Priests evolved a Family tree of the main Egyptian Gods and Goddesses to explain
how some of the Gods and Goddesses were related.
Life and Death were seen as stages of progress to a better life in the next world
The Ancient Egyptian Priests evolved a creation myth, or cosmogny, to explain how
some of the Gods and Goddesses came into being and the the nature and genesis of the
universe
In the Ancient Egyptian religion certain animals were seen as sacred as they believed
that the Spirit of a God resided in these animals which were revered and worshipped as
reincarnated Gods during their lifetimes
Mummification - The Egyptians believed that preserving the body in death was
important to keep their soul alive. In the process of mummification the brain and the
internal organs, except the heart, were removed. The Ancient Egyptians believed that a
physical body was essential for an eternal life for the deceased. Without a physical body
the soul had no place to dwell and became restless forever
Tombs - Tomb decorations carried messages affirming the religious beliefs of the
person
The Underworld - Definition: The Underworld, called Duat, was a land of great dangers
through which every Egyptian would need to pass through after death according to the
beliefs of the Ancient Egyptian religion
The Book of the Dead - Definition: A guidebook known as the Book of the Dead which
contained spells and instructions to ensure safe passage through the dangers of the
Underworld. Funeral prayers and spells were chanted to Egyptian Gods and a papyrus
scroll of the Book of the Dead was buried with the Ancient Egyptians
Hall of the Two Truths - The God of the Dead Anubis would lead the dead in the
Underworld at the Hall of Two Truths to a set of scales where his or her heart was
weighed against the feather of truth and their fate would be decided - either entrance
into the perfect afterlife or to be sent to the Devourer of the Dead
The Afterlife - A perfect existence in an ideal version of Egypt. Ancient Egyptians
provided for their afterlives according to their earthly means
Temples were believed to be the dwelling place of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses.
Only priests and priestesses, and the Pharaoh, were allowed inside the temples. The
common folk were only allowed access to the temple forecourts
Statues of the Gods - Statues of the Gods and Goddesses were believed in the Ancient
Egyptian religion to be living embodiments of the deities. The statues were revered and
offered prayers together with physical items such as food and drink. The statues were
washed, oiled and adorned with make-up, jewelry and clothes
Divine Kingship - The Egyptian Pharaohs were also believed to be living Gods in the
Ancient Egyptian religion
Pharaohs believed that they became gods in the afterlife
Ancient Egyptians believed that as long as a pharaoh's name was remembered, the
king would live on through eternity
Pyramids and other monuments such as tombs and obelisks were inscribed with
the names of Pharaohs and scenes that represented their earthly lives
The Ancient Egyptian religion held the belief that each person was thought to have
three souls:
The "Ka" - "soul" or "vital energy" - a "double" of a living person. The heart was
considered to be the seat of the Ka
The "Ba" - said to emerge from the body at death, similar to a ghost who could
visit previous haunts of the mortal world
The "Akhu" - centerpoint of each person's divine soul