* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download ancient egypt 00
Survey
Document related concepts
Thebes, Egypt wikipedia , lookup
Animal mummy wikipedia , lookup
Plagues of Egypt wikipedia , lookup
Index of Egypt-related articles wikipedia , lookup
Middle Kingdom of Egypt wikipedia , lookup
Ancient Egyptian funerary practices wikipedia , lookup
Prehistoric Egypt wikipedia , lookup
Egypt (Roman province) wikipedia , lookup
Military of ancient Egypt wikipedia , lookup
Ancient Egyptian race controversy wikipedia , lookup
Ancient Egyptian medicine wikipedia , lookup
Transcript
Text Area: 280 mm Deep x 215 mm Wide UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS ANCIENT EGYPT 00 Page 25 Monday, August 5, 2002 4:56 PM C HAPTER 2 ANCIENT EGYPT MAKING MUMMIES Death was an important event for the ancient Egyptians. It marked the start of the soul’s quest for the prized afterlife. To sustain it on its long journey, the soul needed to rest and to eat and drink. So, it had to have a body. By about 2600 BC, a process called mummification was developed. At first only members of the royal family were mummified, but the practice quickly spread. It involved preserving a corpse before wrapping it securely in linen bandages. The mummy shown here is of the pharaoh Ramses II, who ruled Egypt between 1304 and 1237 BC. He was one of Egypt’s strongest pharaohs. Some mummies were buried in a pyramid, such as these at Giza, along with their treasure. YOU WILL DISCOVER Why Why the the ancient ancient Egyptians Egyptians made made mummies mummies How How the the different different social social groups groups lived lived and and worked worked Why Why the the pharaoh pharaoh was was such such as as important important figure figure Why Why the the Egyptians Egyptians built built the the pyramids pyramids What What practices practices and and beliefs beliefs the the modern modern world world has has inherited inherited from the ancient Egyptians from the ancient Egyptians 1 How old do you think Ramses II was when he was mummified? Give reasons. 2 Suggest why his nose is damaged and his eyes are shut. 3 What do discoveries like this tell us about the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians? © John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd Text Area: 280 mm Deep x 215 mm Wide UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS ANCIENT EGYPT 02 Page 28 Monday, August 5, 2002 4:59 PM 14 JULY, 1202 BC WEATHER: THEBES, HOT 40°C Heatwave fries the desert The heatwave that has rocked Lower Egypt for over a week will continue for at least the next three days. Although yesterday’s peak of 44°C is not likely to be repeated, temperatures around the Nile will be well above 35°C. Temperatures in the desert country to the east ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ and west of the river will stay much higher. Reports indicate that people are coping well. After all, they have spent their lives learning to live in this hot, dry climate. Houses are built to reduce heat and glare, and people dress and act in ways to keep cool. Swim in the Nile, or rest in the shade of the trees and palms on its banks. This costs you nothing. It’s a great option for those who don’t have bathrooms. If you live in a villa, spend as much time as you can outdoors, under palm trees or in the shade of verandahs or roof canopies. Sleep on the roof of your house at night. If you have servants, order them to sway large ostrich-feather or woven-reed fans over you to keep the air circulating. If you are wealthy enough to have a bathroom, take frequent baths or showers. To take a shower, get your servants to pour cold water over you while you stand over the bathroom drain. After showering, rub perfumed oil into your skin to protect you from the sun. For special occasions, sit a perfumed cone of fat on top of your head. As it melts, the fragrant oil will cool your skin. As you can see from this tomb painting, the practice has been common for 200 years! This painting, found in the tomb of the pharaoh Nabamun, who died around 1400 BC, shows women celebrating — their heads adorned with cones of fat. Heat-beating fashions Egyptian people know all the tricks about keeping cool. Most wear clothes made of white linen, a natural fabric made from the flax plant. Sometimes the linen is so thin it is see-through. Children often wear nothing at all. Except for elaborate necklaces, men are usually barechested. Workmen and slaves wear loincloths; wealthier men tend to wear a pleated skirt over a short kilt. Women wear straight, long dresses that are sometimes pleated. Most people go barefoot. Sandals, if worn, are made from woven papyrus or, for those who are wealthy, leather. Young girls keep hair off their face by braiding it. Young boys under 12 shave their hair except for one tuft on the side of the head. Most adults keep their hair short, with many men shaving their head and face. This is certainly a cool fashion statement. For special occasions, and sometimes as sun protection, people wear elaborate wigs made of human hair or wool. These are stuck together with beeswax and often decorated with colourful jewellery. Everyone, including children, wears make-up. This goes some way towards reducing the sun’s glare on the skin. Palms and soles are often painted with henna, and people pluck their eyebrows. Substances like cinnamon are used to perfume the oils and fats worn to protect the skin against heat and dry winds. © John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd Text Area: 280 mm Deep x 215 mm Wide UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS ANCIENT EGYPT 02 Page 29 Monday, August 5, 2002 4:59 PM Servant’s quarters Kitchen Storeroom/ granary Stables Well Family temple Central living area S Cattle yards U A L / PAT S UNDERSTAND 1 Describe how the ancient Egyptians dressed and wore their hair, and explain why these styles were appropriate for a hot, dry climate. 2 Historians believe this object is a headrest used by ancient Egyptians. Verandah with roof for shade Bathroom/ toilet Women’s area Entrance hall Bedrooms Entry gate Master bedroom High protective wall Villas of the wealthy, such as this one, often contain 60 rooms or more. This impressive villa was completed last month for the influential nomarch Sahu. In keeping with common housebuilding practices in Egypt, it was built from sun-dried bricks made of mud and chopped straw. The exterior was painted white to reflect the heat. The flat roof has air vents to allow air to circulate inside, and thick walls provide good insulation. Windows are small and set high up in the walls to keep out the glare. Like the villas of many wealthy families, it has colourful ceilings, and nature paintings on the walls. Floor levels are raised to keep out scorpions and snakes, and most floors have been tiled. Some are covered with linen carpets. Rooms contain beds, tables, chairs, stools and chests, many of which have been carved from beautiful woods such as ebony. Word has it that Sahu and his family are delighted with the house. Villas like these stand in sharp contrast to the homes of poor local farmers that scatter the outlying areas of the city. Their homes are usually little more than one room built on an earth floor. Poor people also have virtually no furniture. THEBES MARKET Specials! For beautiful eyes . . . Pots of powdered lead kohl, freshly mixed with oil — one pot for one small bag of wheat Green eyeshadow made from copper, and lipstick from red clay — one pot for a loaf of corn bread (a) Explain why people might have used such a device, especially on hot nights. (b) Design a practical device that would help to give you a more comfortable sleep on hot nights. (Assume you do not have air-conditioning.) INVESTIGATE Interpret an artwork (p. 63) 3 Examine the illustration of a villa on the left to decide: (a) what aspects of the house design would have helped the inhabitants cope better with the heat, and why (b) how the layout of this villa compares with the home and property of a wealthy Australian family living on the rural outskirts of a city, in a hot region. CREATE 4 Work in small groups to make an ‘Egyptian wig’. Select a member to model the wig for the class. Discuss as a class how effective such a device might have been as a sun shade and in keeping cool. I can: ✓checklist Bedroom identify links between climate and lifestyle in ancient Egypt analyse an illustration to reach conclusions about lifestyle work in a group to construct a wig typical of those in ancient Egypt. © John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd IA VI Sahu’s new villa completed Gardens L Go to worksheet 6 Text Area: 280 mm Deep x 215 mm Wide UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS ANCIENT EGYPT 03 Page 30 Monday, August 5, 2002 5:00 PM Women in ancient Egypt W EGYPT did not have all the rights men had. For example, they could not hold a government job, because they were usually not taught to read or write. However, they had more freedom than women in other ancient societies. In fact some, such as Hatshepsut, Nefertiti and Cleopatra, became very powerful. OMEN IN ANCIENT Rights and privileges Wealthy women After about 1500 BC, wealthier women in ancient Egypt could own and sell property, earn an income, work as part-time priestesses, defend themselves in court, and decide to marry or divorce. They decided who would inherit their belongings, and had custody of any children if there was a divorce. By contrast, women in ancient Greece — even wealthy women — had very little freedom. They lived most of their lives indoors and were regarded as the property of their menfolk. Wives and daughters of pharaohs led a privileged life. The eldest daughter was often made a high priestess and like other firstborn daughters of Egyptian nobles, she, not her brothers, inherited her father’s wealth. The male next in line to be pharaoh often had to marry her before he could be crowned pharaoh. Sometimes this was her little brother. Poor women Besides caring for their families, poor women helped their men in the fields, carried water in pots from wells or rivers to their homes, and made bread or beer (both a major part of the diet of ancient Egyptians). They might also work as servants, temple dancers, midwives, perfume makers, musicians, weavers and professional mourners (people who were ‘hired’ to weep and wail during the funeral procession of an ancient Egyptian). The ancient writer Herodotus thought Egyptian women were unusual compared to what he knew of women in other societies such as Greece. . . . the Egyptians themselves in their manners and customs seem to have reversed the ordinary practices of mankind. For instance, women attend the market and are employed in trade while men stay at home and do the weaving . . . men in Egypt carry loads on their heads, women on their shoulders; women pass water standing up, men sitting down . . . sons are under no compulsion to support their parents if they do not wish to do so, but daughters must. Two famous Egyptian women Nefertiti Nefertiti was the main wife of the pharaoh Akhenaten, who ruled Egypt between 1379 BC and 1362 BC. She was elegant and beautiful, with a lot of political influence. Images and carvings show her supporting her husband at religious ceremonies and giving gifts to officials. Some show her in a war chariot holding a mace (a weapon shaped like a club). It is not known what happened to her. She may have died, changed her name or been replaced by another wife. Wives and mothers Egyptian women were expected to marry and have a family. Most girls were married in their early teens, and were mothers within a couple of years. Records indicate that family life was generally happy, with children being both loved and cared for. Marriage ceremonies were not a special event; in fact, the language of ancient Egypt does not have a word for ‘wedding’. Between wealthy families in particular, marriages were usually little more than a business arrangement. Pharaohs, for example, often married their sisters. Sometimes wealthy men had many wives, although it was always the first wife and her children who had the highest status. 30 SOSE ALIVE 1 © John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd Nefertiti’s blue crown, similar to those worn only by pharaohs, she was a woman of influence. Text Area: 280 mm Deep x 215 mm Wide UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS ANCIENT EGYPT 03 Page 31 Monday, August 5, 2002 5:00 PM Cleopatra Cleopatra ruled Egypt as queen between 51 BC and 30 BC. She was the last of the Ptolemies, who had ruled Egypt since 332 BC when Alexander the Great established control in Egypt. Cleopatra was very smart. She knew how powerful Rome was, and was determined that Egypt should stay independent. Her strategy was first to make herself sole ruler. (When her father died, she ruled Egypt jointly with a young brother.) Then, she had to get powerful Roman men on side. So when Julius Caesar came to Egypt in 48 BC, she persuaded him to help her overthrow the forces of her rival brother. She travelled to Rome with Caesar two years later, returning to Egypt after his assassination in 44 BC. With Caesar dead, Cleopatra turned her charms on Mark Antony, Caesar’s likely successor. She married him in 37 BC. This made the Roman Senate very angry and they declared war against Egypt in 31 BC. Octavian, Antony’s rival for power, won the sea battle and Antony fled, later killing himself. Cleopatra knew Octavian would not fall for her charms, so in 30 BC she also committed suicide. After her death, Egypt became a Roman province, remaining under Roman control until AD 642. Cleopatra testing poisons on prisoners who had been condemned to death UNDERSTAND 3 Describe some of the customs involving women that would have surprised Herodotus in Egypt. 4 Write a job description for a professional mourner. Describe INVESTIGATE Construct a timeline (p. 35) 8 What does source C tell you about (a) women’s dress styles and (b) furniture styles in ancient Egypt? 9 What impression does the scene give you of Cleopatra’s character? 10 What is Cleopatra’s pet, and where might it have come from? 5 Construct a timeline of the key events in Cleopatra’s life. COMMUNICATE 6 Imagine you found the bust of Nefertiti shown in source B. Write a letter to your family describing your find. 7 Conduct some research in the library or on the Internet to prepare a profile on Queen Hatshepsut, similar to those on Nefertiti and Cleopatra here. Interpret an artwork (p. 63) I can: ✓checklist REMEMBER 1 List some of the jobs done by poorer Egyptian women. 2 Explain why Egyptian women were better off than the women of ancient Greece. the duties, and the sort of person who should apply. use a variety of sources to explain some of the customs of women in ancient Egypt use paintings and sculptures to identify aspects such as clothing and grooming construct a timeline for Cleopatra. 31 ANCIENT EGYPT © John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd Text Area: 280 mm Deep x 215 mm Wide UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS ANCIENT EGYPT 05 Page 34 Monday, August 5, 2002 5:01 PM Pharaoh rules! T HE WEALTHIEST, most powerful person in ancient Egypt was the pharaoh. He had the support of an army and a team of priests, scribes and officials, but the pharaoh alone decided how Egypt would be ruled. In fact, the people saw him as a god. Two into one Ancient Egypt was once divided into two kingdoms — Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. Each was ruled by a king. The king of Lower Egypt had his capital in Buto, and the king of Upper Egypt, in Hierakonpolis. Around 3100 BC, it is thought that these kingdoms were united under King Menes. He set up his capital in Memphis. During these three kingdoms, Egypt’s rulers (eventually called pharaohs) came from some 30 dynasties. When a pharaoh died, his eldest son became the next pharaoh, unless a man from another family seized control and started a new dynasty. Sometimes the pharaoh’s wife or eldest daughter ruled for a short time if the eldest son was very young. Heavenly powers The ancient Egyptians saw their pharaoh as a man with supernatural powers. He was believed to descend from the sun god Re, and to have the sky god, Horus, living within him. Egyptians believed that the laws the pharaoh made applied to the whole universe. They believed he made the Nile River flood, and helped the land to produce good harvests. As a mark of respect, they did not call him by his name. Rather, they used the word ‘pharaoh’, which in ancient Egyptian means ‘great house’. The king of Lower Egypt wore a white crown, and the king of Upper Egypt, a red crown. Menes’s crown was said to be a mix of both, signifying a united Egypt. Earthly responsibilities Rise of the pharaohs During the next 2700 years, Egypt’s history is divided into a number of distinct periods. Three of the more important of these — times when Egypt was united and powerful, with a rich culture — are called the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom. The people of ancient Egypt expected their pharaoh to protect and feed them, and to maintain a fair justice system and a peaceful society. He drew up the laws of the land and controlled the government and the army. He was also in charge of temple building, tax collection, mines, irrigation, trade, important religious ceremonies and the appointment of officials and priests. The power of the pharaoh was evident in his appearance. For example, he often wore a false beard and a bull’s tail, and carried a flail (the symbol of Osiris) and a crook (the hieroglyphic sign for a crook meant ‘king’). His huge wealth came from the labour and produce that the people provided as their taxes. Thousands of ordinary people worked the huge farms he owned, or helped in the running of his palace. There they worked as cooks, cleaners, dancers, stable workers, craftsmen, weavers and wig-makers. 34 SOSE ALIVE 1 © John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd Text Area: 280 mm Deep x 215 mm Wide UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS ANCIENT EGYPT 05 Page 35 Monday, August 5, 2002 5:01 PM Social structures in ancient Egypt Construct a timeline Army • Commanded by pharaoh (later his eldest son) • Run by senior officials • Kept law and order, guarded towns, built royal tombs Timelines depict the order of historic events in a diagram. Public service senior officials • Ran the courts, royal storehouses • Some, called nomarchs, responsible for tax collection and law and order • Under control of vizier (senior public servant and pharaoh’s second-incharge) PHARAOH NOBLES Divide a column into equal sections. Check your earliest and latest dates to work out what these sections should be. Use BC and AD (or BCE or CE) as appropriate. Use colouring, brackets or shading to mark any important periods on your timeline. Where appropriate, include a key. PEASANTS AND SLAVES Public service junior officials • Helped senior officials manage affairs • Some formed the medjay (or police unit) which helped the army keep law and order, guard tombs and protect Egypt against bandit attack Add a break to show a long span of time between one date and another. Pharaohs lose power to strong priests, officials and foreigners, and New Kingdom ends (c.1085) UNDERSTAND 1 Describe some of the duties of a scribe and why these made him so important. 2 Design a job advertisement for a pharaoh, clearly stating what the expected responsibilities are (earthly and otherwise). Construct a timeline 3 Use the following information to construct a timeline of key dates for the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt. All dates are BC (or BCE). Ptolemy I sets himself up as the first of the Ptolemies (305) Queen Hatshepsut becomes pharaoh (c.1503) BC BC 3000 2500 Plot key dates, and add corresponding brief descriptions of events. MERCHANTS AND CRAFTSMEN Scribes • Could read and write hieroglyphics • Recorded pharaoh’s orders, decisions of officials, tax owed and paid • Prepared inscriptions in tombs and wrote letters Old and Middle Kingdoms in ancient Egypt Hyksos invaders driven out and New Kingdom starts (c.1567) Queen Cleopatra suicides and Egypt becomes a Roman province (30). Tutankhamen begins his reign (c.1361) Syrians invade Egypt (663) Alexander the Great invades Egypt (332) COMMUNICATE 4 Look carefully at the man illustrated in source B. What clues tell you this man is a pharaoh? Explain why these items were significant. 5 Use source C to help you decide who you would like to have been if you had lived in ancient Egypt. Describe in a paragraph why that role appeals to you. 2000 c.3100 — King Menes unites Egypt c.2686 — Old Kingdom starts: time of peace when pyramids built c.2500 — Sphinx built c.2181 — End of Old Kingdom: pharaohs lose control to officials c.2040 — Middle Kingdom starts: capital shifts to Thebes c.1786 — Middle Kingdom ends with invasion by the Hyksos 1500 1000 Old Kingdom Middle Kingdom CREATE 6 The crown worn by King Menes was a symbol of a united Egypt. Design what you think would be the most appropriate head gear for our Prime Minister to wear to symbolise unity between Aboriginal and other Australians. CONNECT 7 To find out more about a famous pharaoh, go to www.jaconline.com.au/history/ ancient/index.html and click on the Ramses the Great Project Sheet under Ancient Egypt. I can: ✓checklist Priests • Looked after religious ceremonies, care of temples, sacrifices and burial of the dead describe the duties of a scribe in ancient Egypt describe the responsibilities of the pharaoh construct a timeline of key events during the New Kingdom. 35 ANCIENT EGYPT © John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd Text Area: 280 mm Deep x 215 mm Wide UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS ANCIENT EGYPT 07 Page 38 Monday, August 5, 2002 5:07 PM Gods and the afterlife D very important event for ancient Egyptians. It connected life on Earth with life ever after, so a lot of effort was spent preparing for it. This focus on death has been very valuable for historians, because most of what we know about ancient Egypt comes from what has been found in tombs. Many of the deities of ancient Egypt, whether good or bad, played a role in a person’s journey to the afterlife. EATH WAS A If a heart was found to be ‘as light as a feather’, its owner joined the god Osiris in the afterlife. If heavy, it was chewed up by a monster god that was a cross between a lion or cheetah, a hippopotamus and a crocodile. Death — only the beginning The ancient Egyptians believed the next world was a fantastic place. However, it was a long way away, and reaching it was not easy. First, the dead person had to cross a wide river. Then he or she had to chant secret spells to get through seven gates guarded by fierce monsters, all the while looking out for traps set by evil gods and attacks by savage crocodiles and venomous snakes. Then the dead person’s heart was weighed on scales against a feather to see if it was ‘heavy with sin’. Forty-two judges decided the outcome. Preparing for the journey of the soul The ancient Egyptians believed that a dead person had a number of souls. Two of these were the ka and the ba. The ka, or person’s life force, stayed within the tomb, getting strength from the food and drink left there. The ba, or person’s character, set off on its journey towards the afterlife, returning to the tomb to rest each night. To do these things, the soul needed a body. So dead people’s bodies were carefully preserved, or embalmed, so they did not rot. An embalmed body is called a mummy. Mummies were buried with lots of possessions that the person’s soul might need in the afterlife. They included food and drink, clothing, perfume, furniture, jewellery and special charms called amulets. Sometimes small wooden or stone figures representing servants doing things such as making bread, ploughing a field or sailing a ship were placed in tombs. As well, prayers, hymns and magic spells from the 200 such texts in the Book of the Dead were often written on a scroll of papyrus and buried with the mummy or carved in hieroglyphics on the walls of the tomb. These texts were thought to protect the soul from evil and guide it through the afterlife. The figurines were thought to come to life in the tomb and carry out the wishes of the dead person. 38 SOSE ALIVE 1 © John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd Text Area: 280 mm Deep x 215 mm Wide UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS ANCIENT EGYPT 07 Page 39 Monday, August 5, 2002 5:07 PM The gods of the ancient Egyptians There were many deities in ancient Egypt, each looking after some particular area of people’s lives. For example, the god Hopi was responsible for the Nile River. Some gods were portrayed as humans and some as animals. Others were a mixture of both — usually animal heads on human bodies. Herodotus observed how important cats were to the ancient Egyptians. They were thought to protect people’s homes. It is no wonder they were chosen as one of the animals to be associated with a god. What happens when a house catches fire is most extraordinary: nobody takes the least trouble to put it out, for it is only the cats that matter; everyone stands in a row, a little distance from his neighbour, trying to protect the cats, who nevertheless slip through the line, or jump over it, and hurl themselves into the flames. This causes the Egyptians deep distress. All the inmates of a house where a cat has died a natural death shave their eyebrows . . . Name of god Responsibility Associated animal or symbol Re God of creation; god of the sun The sun Osiris God of the dead; god of the afterlife; a judge in the underworld Pharaoh mummy Seth God of confusion and chaos Hippopotamus Isis Mother goddess; goddess of fertility; wife of Osiris Woman wearing a throne as a crown Horus God of the sky; guardian of the pharaoh Falcon Thoth God of the scribes; god of wisdom and knowledge; god of time Man having the head of an ibis Anubis God of embalming; god of tombs and burials Man having the head of a jackal Hathor Goddess of beauty and love; goddess of the sky Woman with cow horns on her head AT U N After a dead person’s body was mummified, a funeral ceremony was held. The body was carried in a boat across the Nile and buried on the western bank, where the sun set. This was the direction in which the next world was believed to lie. Important people such as pharaohs were buried in elaborate underground tombs consisting of many rooms and tunnels. Poorer people were buried in the hot, dry sands to help preserve their bodies. R A LI REMEMBER 1 What does embalming mean? 2 Which Egyptian deity was associated with each of the following animals: jackal, hippopotamus, ibis, falcon and cow? CREATE 3 Look carefully at source B. (a) What do you think these ‘servants’ are doing? (b) Using plasticine or clay, make your own set of figurines suitable for a pharaoh’s tomb. Display your completed models around the classroom. 4 Draw your own version of a monster Egyptian god. PARTICIPATE Interpret a painting (p. 63) 5 Study source A carefully. Discuss the following as a class. (a) Who is the heart-gobbling monster? Why do you think he looks so ugly? (b) Who are the figures along the top of the picture? (c) Where is the god Osiris? What do you think his role is in this procedure? (d) Will the soul who owned this heart be joining Osiris in the afterlife? (e) Which figures do you think might be the god Anubis, the god Thoth and the god Horus? What do you think each god is doing? CONNECT 6 Conduct some Internet research on the role of cats in ancient Egypt. Be prepared to present a two-minute talk to the class on your findings. Osiris Horus Hathor Thoth ✓checklist I can: Anubis describe some of the religious practices of ancient Egypt interpret a painting to discuss beliefs of ancient Egyptians present a short talk on why cats were important in ancient Egypt. 39 ANCIENT EGYPT © John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd T Go to worksheet 8 S Text Area: 280 mm Deep x 215 mm Wide UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS ANCIENT EGYPT 10 Page 44 Monday, August 5, 2002 5:09 PM Tutankhamen revealed T HE DISCOVERY OF the tomb of Tutankhamen was the key archaeological find of the twentieth century — but not because of the man or the size of his tomb. Tutankhamen was still a teenager when he died, and the tomb had only four chambers. It was important because its contents were untouched. More than 5000 objects were found, some of them priceless. We can only imagine what might have been found in the large tombs of more famous pharaohs if they had not been robbed. An archaeologist’s dream In 1922 the British archaeologist Howard Carter found the tomb of Tutankhamen. He had looked for it for years in the Valley of the Kings without success. Then he decided to dig up an area around some old workers’ huts. To his excitement, a step was uncovered, carved into the rock. More digging revealed the sealed entrance to a passageway that carried the seal of Tutankhamen. Yet more digging to remove the tonnes of rubble in the passageway revealed the stone door to the tomb. A hole was cut in the door and Carter inserted a lit candle into the darkness behind. He later said: ‘At first I could see nothing . . . But presently, as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues and gold — everywhere the glint of gold.’ The antechamber, the first chamber Carter entered, contained about 700 pieces of furniture including stools, beds and gold couches with animal heads, chairs, a chariot (in bits) and two black and gold life-size statues either side of the entrance. There were also jars of oil, lamps, vases, musical instruments, board games and clothing. This side chamber contained about 600 items, including pieces of wooden furniture, baskets of food, jars of wine and oil. About 200 000 tonnes of rubble had to be removed from this passageway to reach Tutankhamen’s tomb. 44 SOSE ALIVE 1 © John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd The face and shoulders of Tutankhamen’s mummy were covered with a mask of solid gold. It was decorated with blue glass and semi-precious stones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli. Text Area: 280 mm Deep x 215 mm Wide UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS ANCIENT EGYPT 10 Page 45 Monday, August 5, 2002 5:09 PM The boy-pharaoh Tutankhamen Tutankhamen became pharaoh in 1361 BC when about 9 years old. He was soon married to a daughter of the previous pharaoh Akhenaten. Akhenaten had caused unrest in Egypt by forcing people to worship only one god, the sun disk god Aten. Translated inscription Tutankhamen had carved into a stone column I found the temples fallen into ruin, with their holy places overthrown and their courts overgrown with weeds. I reconstructed their sanctuaries, I endowed the temples and made them gifts of all precious things. I cast statues of the gods in gold and electrum, decorated with lapis lazuli and all fine stones. Tutankhamen died in 1352 BC when he was about 18, leaving no heir. It is not known why he died. The discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb was described in the Illustrated London News of 9 December 1922 as ‘the most sensational Egyptological discovery of the century’. Inside the gold-covered burial chamber, some five metres long and 3.5 metres wide, were three other decorated chambers, each inside the other. The inner one was a stone sarcophagus, carved with Tutankhamen’s name. Inside this were three elaborately decorated body-shaped coffins. The inner one, made of 1100 kilograms of gold, contained Tutankhamen’s mummy. The treasury chamber contained the pharaoh’s treasures. In it was the gold-lined shrine holding the Canopic jars. Inside these jars were the pharaoh’s mummified internal organs. The chamber also contained gold statues including one of the god Anubis (who guarded the treasures), as well as boats, weapons, a golden throne and chests of jewellery. REMEMBER 1 Why was the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb such a rare find? 2 What was Tutankhamen’s main achievement during his short reign and what were some of the things he did to achieve this? UNDERSTAND 3 Write a letter that Howard Carter might have written home to his family in England the day after he saw the contents of Tutankhamen’s tomb by candlelight. INVESTIGATE Interpret an artwork (p. 63) 4 Study source A carefully and complete the following. (a) List some of the more important objects found in each of the four rooms of Tutankhamen’s tomb. (b) Why do you think the objects in the antechamber and side chamber were so jumbled up? (c) Who do you think the two statues at the door to the burial chamber are, and what is their purpose? (d) How many different types of objects can you identify? Suggest what might have been packed into boxes, chests and bags. CONNECT 5 To get an update on Tutankhamen, go to www.jaconline.com. au/ history/ancient/ index.html and click on the A Hip Pharaoh Bulletin under Ancient Egypt. ✓checklist I can: describe Tutankhamen’s achievements as a pharaoh analyse a painting to find information on how pharaohs were buried explain why the discovery of this tomb was such an important find. 45 ANCIENT EGYPT © John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd