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Egypt
Land of the Pharaohs
Geography of ancient Egypt
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Located in northern
Africa
Nile River
Source: Lake Victoria
 Longest river in
the world
 Only river to flow
south to north
 Begins in central Africa
where the Blue and White
Nile begin
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Nile River con’t
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The Nile is the lifeblood
of Egypt
The river flows for
4,145 miles
Empties into the Med
Sea
Mostly navigable
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Except for 6
rapids/waterfalls or
cataracts
Nile Delta
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Triangular shaped
piece of land at the
mouth of the river that
is the most fertile area
of Egypt
Provides 10,000 miles
of rich farmland
Nile River Valley
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Long, narrow strip of fertile
land usually from 1 mile to
12 miles wide until it
reaches the lower portion of
the Nile Delta
Land is made fertile by
deposits of silt, sand and
small stones during the
yearly flooding
Egyptians called their land
“Kemet” (the Black Land)
Sahara Desert
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Largest desert in the
world
About 4 inches of
rainfall each year
The deserts are
referred to as the “red
land” because of
burning heat
Provided protection
Upper and Lower Egypt
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Upper Egypt
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Fertile lands to the south
Lower Egypt
Fertile lands to the north
Ancient Egypt ran all the way
into Nubia. It was much
larger than modern Egypt
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Egypt: “The Gift of the Nile”
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Provided water
Fertilized soil
Provided protection
Provided natural
resources
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Sandstone, limestone,
papyrus, gold & flax
Provided transportation
– Along with the Med
Seaand Red Sea
Regular Flooding
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Egyptians relied on the yearly flooding of the Nile—called the
inundation
– Happens between July and October
– Leaves behind dark fertile mud
• Egyptians called the land Kemet: “The Black Land”
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Flooding more reliable than that of T and E Rivers
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The inundation would replenish the soil allowing farmers to
plant crops to feed the people
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Developed irrigation to create thousands of more miles of
farmland
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Often called the Breadbasket of the ancient world because of
the surplus of food
How did the Egyptians use the Nile?
Planted barley, wheat and flax seed
Success depending on the use of irrigation
-basins, canals and dikes
-Shadouf: bucket attached to a long pole to lift water
from the basins
-Developed geometry to survey the land and mark
off fields
-Papyrus was harvested to make baskets, sandals,
rafts and eventually paper
Irrigation
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Created streams,canals and storage pools
What were hieroglyphics?

Comes from the greek hieros=sacred
glyphe=carving
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More than 100's signs, symbols or pictures to
indicate words or sounds
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Records were kept by scribes for priests, rulers and
traders
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Written on stone or papyrus
Typically used for religious purposes
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Rosetta Stone
-stone discovered by
Napoleon’s troops in 1798
AD
-contained 3 languages
(greek, hieroglyphics and
demotic)
-deciphered by Jean
Francois Champollion
The Rise of Government
The rise in farming, crafts and trade resulted in
need for government
-as did maintaining of irrigation systems, surplus
goods and land disputes
-Egypt was first ruled by village chiefs
-The unification of Egypt led to a development of a
monarchy
Unification of Upper and Lower Egypt
Developed first dynasty: family of rulers
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Menes (Narmer) the
king of Upper Egypt
defeated the King of
Lower Egypt @ 3,200
B.C.
The crown of the
pharaoh shows the
unification
Red Crown White Crown
Crown of
a united
Egypt
Pharaoh
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Means “great house”
Egypt would be ruled by 31 dynasties
last 2800 years.
Crook and Flail
Crook: emblem of
royalty. Tool of a
shepherd:
Represents pharaoh
leading his people
Flail: emblem of
royalty. Tool used to
keep insects away.
Represents pharaoh
protecting his people
Pharaoh
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Was thought of as a god
Believed to have power over the Nile
Had total power over the welfare of the
people, conditions of the land and the laws
Farmers had to pay taxes to rent the land
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3/5 of crops given to pharaoh
% of livestock
Donation of months of work to pharaoh’s projects
Egypt's Social Classes
Pharaoh
Priest and nobles
Traders, artisans, shopkeepers and scribes
Farmers and herders
Unskilled workers
Social Pyramid explained
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Slaves
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Farmers
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Farmed land that pharaoh provided. Largest section of
Egyptian society
Artisans
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Largest class, worked for pharaoh, priests, merchants and
wealthy nobles
Middle class, worked in sculpture, copper, bronze, stone,
wood, and gold. Also produced linen cloth
Scribes
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Attended special schools, learned literature and history of
Egypt, math, bookkeeping, mechanics, surveying & law
Family Life
-Father was the head of the household
- Egyptian women did have rights
-could own and pass on property, buy and sell
goods, make wills and obtain divorces
- Few children went to school
-girls were taught at home to sew, cook and run
household
-boys learned farming or a skilled trade