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Dr. Pranav.J.Varma
Historian
6 Chan Road
Singapore 608713
91234567
[email protected]
7th June 2011
Mrs Shaina Teo
Curator of Singapore National Museum
Singapore National Museum
7 Longevity Road
Singapore 678421
Dear Mrs Shaina Teo,
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to do research to help out in the ancient
civilisation exhibition to be held in the Singapore National Museum.
We have done some research on an ancient civilisation, namely the Ancient Egypt
Civilisation. We chose this civilisation as we have found out that it is indeed an amazing
civilisation with rich culture, strong religious beliefs etc. We also have abundant information
from various sources, both print and non-print. The Ancient Egypt Civilisation has many
beautiful artefacts, and many are still in perfect condition. Our team of five proposes that the
exhibition should be held in order to showcase these magnificent artefacts so that the public
can be enlightened about the Ancient Egyptian Civilisation. I hope that you can accept our
request.
We have selected ten artefacts and we have sent pictures of them along with this
letter, with the reasoning behind choosing these artefacts and posters to inform the public
about the exhibition. We assure you that when they are depicted, they really showcase what
life was like in the Ancient Egyptian Civilisation. Once again, we hope that you can consider
and accept our request as we are certain this exhibition will be a success.
Best Regards,
Dr Pranav.J.Varma (Historian)
Dr Charles Teo (Archaelogist)
Dr Lu Luoyi (Anthropologist)
Dr Ong Xing Xiang (Economist)
Dr Forster Khoo (Political Scientist)
An introduction to the Ancient Egypt Civilization
The Ancient Egypt civilization is famous for its eye-catching pyramids, especially the
Pyramids of Giza. It is also known for its strong religious beliefs, ancient writing such as
hieroglyphics, and majestic pharaohs.
Ancient Egypt was located at the eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower
region of the River Nile. It now sits on modern Egypt. Due to the lack of rainfall, a region of
Ancient Egypt was dubbed the 'Red Land'. It hardly rained and nothing useful grew, thus it
was virtually uninhabitable. People living in the other region, called the 'Black Land', could
farm only along the banks of the River Nile. The river overflowed annually and flooded the
land with fresh water, leaving a thick layer of rich soil for farming crops. The River Nile was
also a highway for transport and trade, and provided food such as fish.
The Ancient Egyptian society was shaped rather like a pyramid. The pharaohs were
the absolute monarch of the country and wielded complete control of the land and its
resources. Also, the Ancient Egypt society was highly stratified and farmers made up the bulk
of the population. Second-in-charge were the viziers, or chief ministers, who organized
taxation, supervised agriculture and irrigation systems. Other powerful people also included
the nobles and nomarches.
A very interesting part of the Ancient Egypt Civilization was the strong religious
beliefs. They worshipped hundreds of gods such as the sun-god, Amun-Re, who was
honoured by everyone throughout the land. Many gods were depicted as animals. One
example is Bastet the cat, goddess of love and joy. Other gods were depicted as human
figures with the heads of animals and birds. One example is the ibis-headed Thoth, god of
knowledge. Gods had families too and were related to one another.
All these prominent features, along with many others, contributed to the rise and
establishments of the magnificent Ancient Egypt Civilization.
ARTEFACT 1
Canopic Jar
C a n o p i c J ar . Wi k i p e di a . R e t r i e ve d J u n e 7 , 20 1 1 , f r o m
h t t p: / / e n. w i ki p e di a . or g/ w i ki / F i l e : C a no p i cJ ar s O f N e s kh o n s -B r i t i s hM u s e u m A u gu s t 2 1 -0 8 . j p g
This is a canopic jar. This was used to store and preserve the body parts during
mummification of their owners. Each organ was placed in a jar of its own. There were four in
number: one each for the stomach, the liver, the intestines and the lungs. Initially the heads of
the jars were human heads, but these were replaced by lookalike heads of the four sons of
Horus, each god supposedly believed to guard over and protect the body parts.
The gods were Duamutef, the jackal-headed god representing the east, whose jar
contained the stomach and was protected by the goddess Neith; Qebehsenuef, the falconheaded god representing the west, whose jar contained the intestines and was protected by the
goddess Selket; Hapi, the baboon-headed god representing the north, whose jar contained the
lungs and was protected by the goddess Nepthys; Imseti, the human-headed god representing
the south, whose jar contained the liver and was protected by the goddess Isis ("C anopi c
J ar," W i ki pedi a ) .
These jars were placed in a canopic chest and were buried in the tomb. This was done
so as it was believed that the dead person would need it in his afterlife. We can infer from
this that the Ancient Egyptians had many religious beliefs. They did believe in afterlife and in
gods, as they used the heads of their Gods to protect their body parts after their death,
showing how much they trust them.
ARTEFACT 2
Nefertiti Bust
Wikipedia. Retrieved June 7, 2011, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nofretete_Neues_Museum.jpg
The Nefertiti Bust is a 3300-year-old painted limestone bust of Nefertiti, the Great
Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. Because of this bust, Nefertiti has become
one of the most famous women from the ancient world as well as an icon of female beauty.
("N efe rt i t i Bust ," W i ki pedi a ). It was discovered in 1912 by a German archaeological
team led by Ludwig Borchardt. Little is known about Nefertiti. She bore Akhenaten, a
pharaoh, six children, one of whom went on to marry Tutankhamun, Nefertiti’s stepson.
Perhaps because of her death or because she took a new name, the reason unknown, Nefertiti
vanished from history since Akhenaten’s twelfth year his reign. She may have also become
the pharaoh ruling alone for a short time after her husband’s death.
We can infer from this bust that female members of the royal family were highly
respected and thought of to be great beauties by their people. This is proved by Nefertiti’s
fame in both her country and the world.
ARTEFACT 3
Amulet of the Eye of Horus
Bi rm i ngh am m useu m s and art gal l er y. ( 2004). Anci ent eg ypt –
i nvest i gat e real egy pt i an art ef act s . R et ri eved from
ht t p: / / www.school sli ai son.org.uk/ ki ds/ a ccess/ e g ypt / art efa ct s_eg ypt .h
tm
An amulet is a lucky charm. It is often made to represent one of the many
different gods that the Egyptians believed in. This amulet represents Horus, one of the
most powerful gods. Horus was the ancient Egyptian sky god who was often depicted
as a falcon. His right eye was associated with the sun Ra. The eye symbol represents the
marking around a Peregrine Falcon's eye that includes the "teardrop" marking sometimes
found below the eye. The mirror image, or left eye, sometimes represented the moon and the
god Djehuti (Thoth). ("E ye of Horus, " W i ki pedi a )The Eye of Horus represented
protection, royal power and good luck.
Amulets are usually found in Egyptian tombs as they were wrapped up with
the bodies in order to protect them from evil. Once again we can infer that the
Egyptians were very religious and also good at crafting. They were able to use
technology and fine craftsmanship skills to craft the amulets, showing that the
Egyptians were advanced in art and also science and technology.
ARTEFACT 4
Egyptian Headrest
Headr est [ W eb l og m essage] . R et r i eved from
h t t p: / / w w w . me t mu s e u m. o r g/ w o r ks _ o f _ a r t / co l l e c t i o n _d a t a b as e / e gyp t i a n _ ar t / h ea d
r e st / o bj ec t vi e w _ en l ar ge . a s p x ? p a ge = 3 & s or t = 0 & s o r t d i r = as c & ke y w o r d = & f p= 1 & d d
1 = 1 0 & d d 2 = 0 & vw = 1 & c o l l ID = 1 0 & O I D = 1 0 0 0 1 3 6 9 1 & vT = 1 & hi = 0& o v= 0
This is an Egyptian headrest used in the everyday lives of the ancient Egyptians and
also in tombs. This wooden object was used as a type of Egyptian pillow. However, there
usually is a padding. People in Egypt used them instead of pillows due to the warm weather.
However, it was also used to support the heads of the dead to keep evil spirits from entering
the bodies of people from the ground. For example, the funerary burial goods of Queen
Hetepheres, the mother of Khufu, features a bed and a headrest.
We can infer from this that the Egyptians were really creative as they used these
headrests instead of pillows in order to be more comfortable and cooler. They were also quite
religious as they used this to prevent evil spirits from entering the bodies of the dead from the
ground. This shows that they were very superstitious as they did all they could to keep away
evil spirits.
ARTEFACT 5
Egyptian Mirror
Bi rm i ngh am m useu m s and art gal l er y. ( 2004). Anci ent eg ypt –
i nvest i gat e real egy pt i an art ef act s . R et ri eved from
ht t p: / / www.school sli ai son.org.uk/ ki ds/ a ccess/ e g ypt / art efa ct s_eg ypt .h
tm
This mirror is made out of bronze, which is an alloy of copper and tin. From this we
can infer that the Egyptians were advanced in technology and craftsmanship in order to make
bronze. The mirror was made by beating a lump of bronze until it was as thin as a sheet of
cardboard. Then it was polished to make it shiny enough to reflect light. Again, this proves
that the Egyptians were highly skilled in craftsmanship. This mirror also has a handle made
out of bone or ivory. This shows that the Egyptians were smart and knew how to improve on
tools to make them more convenient to use.
The Egyptians probably used mirrors during makeup, just like modern people. This
shows that the Egyptians paid great attention to their looks.
ARTEFACT 6
Egyptian Necklace
Bi rm i ngh am m useu m s and art gal l er y. ( 2004). Anci ent eg ypt –
i nvest i gat e real egy pt i an art ef act s . R et ri eved from
ht t p: / / www.school sli ai son.org.uk/ ki ds/ a ccess/ e g ypt / art efa ct s_eg ypt .h
tm
The Egyptians, especially the female population, believed in art and beauty. This is
why they used necklaces. The Egyptians loved to decorate their bodies with jewellery. This
necklace is made from pottery beads called 'faience'. Poorer people wore jewellery made
from clay or bone. Richer people had more elaborate jewellery made from bronze, silver or
gold.
From this we can infer that the Egyptian civilisation had social strata. The rich often
had better things than the poor just because they were born to a more successful family. This
social class is present not only in ancient Egypt but also in other civilisations such as the
Indus Valley and the Shang Dynasty.
ARTEFACT 7
Senet Playing Piece
Bi rm i ngh am m useu m s and art gal l er y. ( 2004). Anci ent eg ypt –
i nvest i gat e real egy pt i an art ef act s . R et ri eved from
ht t p: / / www.school sli ai son.org.uk/ ki ds/ a ccess/ e g ypt / art efa ct s_eg ypt .h
tm
This a playing piece from the Egyptian board game Senet. The egyptians liked to
amuse themselves by playing Senet. This playing piece is about 3cm long. Senet is probably
the oldest board game in the world. The full name of the game in Egyptian meant “game of
passing”. Paintings depicting the game have been found in First Dynasty burials, which
shows how old this game is. Because of the element of luck in the game and the Egyptian
belief in determinism, it was believed that a successful player was under the protection of the
major gods of the national pantheon: Ra, Thoth, and sometimes Osiris. ("Senet," Wikipedia)
We can infer that the Egyptians engaged in leisure during their free time. They were
also creative in inventing this game, believed to be the first ever in the history of board
games. At the same time, they have yet again been able to pull religion into even a leisure
activity, proving how religious they are.
ARTEFACT 8
Egyptian Make-up plot
Bi rm i ngh am m useu m s and art gal l er y. ( 2004). Anci ent eg ypt –
i nvest i gat e real egy pt i an art ef act s . R et ri eved from
ht t p: / / www.school sli ai son.org.uk/ ki ds/ a ccess/ e g ypt / art efa ct s_eg ypt .h
tm
As we have mentioned before, the Egyptians really believed in the arts and beauty.
Both men and women used special powders and pastes to cover their skin. The make-up was
not only worn to make them look attractive but also to protect themselves from the hot
climate. This pot may have stored 'Khol' - black makeup that the Egyptians used to decorate
their eyes. Like the necklaces, this was yet another way of decorating bodies, which still
exists up to this date, as people still use cosmetics.
This shows that some practices in the ancient world still exist today, such as leisure
activities and cosmetics. We can infer that the Egyptians really enjoyed decorating their
bodies and felt that it was necessary.
ARTEFACT 9
Shabti
Bi rm i ngh am m useu m s and art gal l er y. ( 2004). Anci ent eg ypt –
i nvest i gat e real egy pt i an art ef act s . R et ri eved from
ht t p: / / www.school sli ai son.org.uk/ ki ds/ a ccess/ e g ypt / art efa ct s_eg ypt .h
tm
A Shabti figure is a statuette, usually in the form of a mummy. The Egyptians
believed that Shabti figures would magically carry out any work they had to do in the
'afterlife'. Often 365 shabti figures were placed in a tomb, one for each day of the year. Some
think that they might have replaced human sacrifices. They were used for almost 2000 years
which shows how much the Egyptians believed in them. There were also many inscriptions
on the Shabtis.
We can yet again infer that the Ancient Egyptians were religious as they believed in
afterlife and how burying these Shabtis would help the dead person in his afterlife. Another
inference that can be made is that the Ancient Egyptians had their own form of writing and
communication as there were inscriptions on the Shabtis.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anci ent egypt . (199 7). McMahons Poi nt , Aust ral i a: T i me Warner Books.
Bi r mi ngham museum s and art gal l ery. (2 004). An ci ent eg ypt –
i nvest i gat e real egy pt i an art ef act s . Ret ri eved f rom
ht t p:/ / w w w .school sli ai son.org.uk/ ki ds/ access/ eg ypt / art ef act s_egypt .h
tm
Eye of Horus. Wi ki p edi a . Ret ri eved June 7, 2011, f rom
ht t p:/ / en.w i ki pedi a.org/ w i ki / Eye_of _Horus
Senet . Wi ki pedi a . R et ri eved Jun e 7, 201 1, f rom
ht t p:/ / en.w i ki pedi a.org/ w i ki / Senet
Wikipedia. Retrieved June 7, 2011, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nofretete_Neues_Museum.jpg
What makes a great Civilisation?
A civilisation is characterised by many different features. Each and every feature is
important and without any of them, the civilisation would fall. All these features contribute in
helping a civilisation to prosper. Some examples include a stable government, geographic
features, popular religious beliefs and even a variety of occupations. How great a civilisation
is mainly depends on how advanced each feature is.
A stable government is one of the most important factors for a great civilisation. In
the pyramid-shaped social strata in the Ancient Egypt civilisation, the pharaohs and viziers
were right at the top, having control over the law and order of the country. With the people
believing that the pharaohs were sent by the gods, the pharaohs were able to control the
people and make them carry out their orders and follow them faithfully. Thus, the orderliness
in the civilisation made it function efficiently to flourish as a great civilisation. Therefore, it
can be seen that a stable government is a necessary part of a great civilisation for it to develop
and grow.
Another important factor is good geographical features, such as availability of water.
Most successful civilisations were built near water sources. For example, the Indus Valley
Civilisation was situated near the Arabian Sea while the Shang Dynasty was situated near the
Yellow River. The Ancient Egypt had the 'gift of the Nile'. The River Nile enabled transport,
food, exchange of ideas and trade. The abundant food obtained from the River Nile allowed
the Egyptians to prosper as a great civilisation as they no longer needed to move around for
food. Thus, the geographic features of a civilisation are important for a civilisation to be selfsufficient without being hindered by the scarcity of food, thus allowing it to grow.
Another factor is a civilisation's popular religious beliefs. The Ancient Egyptian
Civilisation had popular religious beliefs such as worshipping their gods. They worshipped
gods like Amun-Re, the sun god and Anubis, the god of mummification and embalming.
These common beliefs allowed them to come together and work as one to function
effectively. Thus, religious beliefs help civilisations such as the Ancient Egypt Civilisation to
prosper as a great civilisation.
Apart from the mentioned factors, another factor of a great civilisation is its great
variety of occupations. An example is the Ancient Egyptian Civilisation. There were many
occupations then such as the government (eg. pharaohs), farmers, construction workers,
artists and slaves. For instance, this specialization of labour helped to increase crops for trade.
This allowed them to prosper as a great civilisation without being hindered by scarcity of
necessary items. Thus, a variety of occupations is necessary for a great civilisation for
survival and growth.
In conclusion, a stable government, good geographic features, popular religious
beliefs and variety of occupations, along with some others, helps a civilisation to advance and
prosper as a great one.
(477 words)