Ancient Egypt: A

Glance Back in Time

Written Records
Of Egyptian Life

Papyrus Plant

Egyptian Hieroglyphics

BOOK OF THE DEAD

Pharaoh

believed by the Egyptians to

be the supreme ruler
chosen by the gods to lead
his people
when a man became a
pharaoh, he also became a
god. To keep the bloodline
of the gods pure, pharaohs
often married their sisters,
mothers, and cousins.

Social
Organization

The Old Kingdom

a) The Sphinx and Great Pyramid in Giza
were built.
b) Pharaohs had absolute power and were
considered gods on earth.
c) Pharaohs were buried in pyramids only
during this time period in history. That
is why this period is referred to as the
Pyramid age.
.

The Middle
Kingdom
a) Egypt's Golden Age- trade, arts and
literature flourished.
b) training and military explorers were
sent out to expand Egypts
boundaries
c) Pharaohs were expected to be good
kings and
wise rulers.
a) Instead of building huge expensive
pyramids, when Pharaohs died, they
were buried in hidden tombs.
These tombs were all over ancient

The
New
Kingdom
a) expansion period
b) Pharaohs were all powerful
and
were all buried in the same
geographic area called the
Valley of the Kings.
c) ending with Queen Cleopatra
losing her land to Augustus
Caesar and Rome

Valley of the
Kings
on the west

side of the Nile

(the land of the
dead)
tombs of kings,
queens, and
nobles

The Beginning of Pyramids

Ancient Egyptians believed that their dead

would travel to the Underworld in their
death but only if their body was preserved.
Mastabas were used to protect and honor
the dead. A mastaba is a rectangular tomb
made of stone.

Step Pyramid(step-shape)
The first true
pyramid built by
Architect. Imhotep
at Saqqara for the
king Zoser.
Step Pyramid - a
stairway to the
heavens.

The Great Pyramids of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Kufu

Over 2,300,000 blocks

of stone each weighing
between 2.5 to 9 tons
each.
Ten entire football
fields would fit within
the base of the Great
Pyramid.

The Pyramid of Khafre

Includes the
Sphinx, a
Mortuary Temple,
and a Valley
Temple.
His is the only
pyramid at Giza
that still has the
original
limestone casing.

The Pyramid of Menkaure

Originally 215 ft
tall but now it
stands at 203
feet. Each block
of stone weighs
between 2.5 to
7 tons each.

What is
Mummification?
The preservation
of a body, either
human or animal.
3 ways a mummy
can be preserved
and they are wet,
frozen, or dried.

Sphin
xThese figures could look like a tiger,
a king, and eagle, or maybe even a
mixture of both.
Perhaps the best known stone
figure.
A figure of a kings head who is
wearing the striped head cloth
(nemes). His body is that of a lion.

Common Features on Egyptian

Columns:
Stone shafts carved to
resemble tree trunks or
bundled reeds or plant stems
Lily, lotus, palm or papyrus
plant motifs on the capitals
(tops)
Bud-shaped or campaniform
(bell-shaped) capitals
Brightly painted carved relief
decorations

Hypostyle

A flat ceiling
which is
supported
by columns.

Pylon
The Greek term
for a
monumental
gateway of an
Egyptian
temple

BOOK OF THE DEAD

deceaseds guidebook to a
happy afterlife included
passwords, clues, revealed
routes so dead could find
their way, answer questions,
and navigate hazards
placed in the coffin or burial
chamber of the deceased. A
number of the spells which
made up the Book were also
inscribed on tomb walls