Ancient

Ancient Egypt

1. Social Structure

   • Pharaohs
     • responisblies
       • ensure Nile River floods
       • rule over Egypt
       • ensure balance of ma'at kept
       • enough food
       • army forces are intact
     • Tutenkahmun
       • ruled Egypt at age 9-17
       • his death is a mystery
       • he was son of disgraced pharaoh Arkenhaton
         • after death his name was stricken from the roles of the Pharaohs
       • his tomb was the only one that hadn't been opened
     • Crowns
       • Nemes Headress - main crown of Pharaoh
         • White crown - symbolised the Pharaohs control over Upper Egypt
           • Atef crown - worn during some religious rituals
             • Double crown - symbolised the joining of the two lands, and the Pharaohs control over them
               • Blue crown - worn during battles and ceremonies
             • Red crown - symbolised the Pharaohs control over Lower Egypt
   • Servants & Slaves
     • Peasant Farmers and workers (majority)
       • Skilled Artisians & Craftsmen
         • Scribes
           • Senior officials, Vizier, high Priests & Nobles
             • Pharaoh

2. Religion

   • Gods
     • Ra - sun god
       • Osiris - god of dead
       • Sobek - god of military
         • Horus - god of sky and Nile
           • Anubis - god of mummification
             • Hapi - god of the Nile
       • Hathor - fertility, dance, song, women, childbirth, perfume, joy and love
         • Thoth -writing+knowledge
     • Ammit/Ammut - part croc,lion, dog and hippo - the 'devourer'
   • Ma'at - balance between good and evil, represented by a feather, or a goddess

3. Geography

   • Red Lands (desert)
   • Black Lands (fertile land around the Nile)
     • where Egyptians grew their crops
   • The River Nile
     • floods once each year, ensuring black lands remain fertile
     • The life force of Egypt, provided food, water, transportation etc.
     • 3 seasons were created by the Nile
       • Mid Jul-Oct = Akhet the flood season (Nile would flood to ensure land remained fertile)
       • Nov-Feb = Peret the seed time (seeds were planted for crops)
       • Mar-Jun = Shemu the harvest time (when crops were collected for society to eat
   • dry, hot desert protects Egypt from enemies

4. Death

   • Afterlife
     • heart weighed against feather of ma'at
       • if heart is heavier it is eaten (by Ammit/Ammut), if heart is lighter, soul (Ba & Ka) would proceed into underworld
         • soul had to survive the treacherous journey, and reach the Field of Reeds (ancient Egyptian heaven)
           • your life in Field of Reeds was the same as you life on earth e.g. if you were a farmer on earth, you would be a farmer in the Field of Reeds and continue to farm
     • Choas - eternal nothingness in which you have no existence
   • Mummification
     • embalming +wrapping
       • intestines stomach brain and liver removed
         • organs stored in canopic jars (human=liver, baboon=lungs, jackal=stomach, falcon=intestines)
           • (70 day process) body stuffed with natron salts. After 40 days body is filled with sand
             • wrap body in approx 8-12 layers of linen (wrapping). Protective spells placed on body. Body placed in tomb.
   • Protective Spells
     • placed on tombs to ensure life in Field of Reeds and safe journey through the underworld
   • Tombs (pyramids)
     • where Pharaohs were buried
       • held many items that pharaohs would need in journey through underworld e.g. walking sticks, food, bandages, animal skins
         • contained all of Pharaohs treasures (mostly gold and semiprecious stones

5. Lifestyle

   • women had most of the rights men did
     • many egyptians lived in houses with a few servants/slaves