Download Egypt Old Kingdom notes

Egypt’s Old Kingdom
Pg. 47-52
Old Kingdom Rulers
• When: 2600 BC/BCE to 2300 BC/BCE
• Egypt grew and was prosperous.
• Cities built up, trade expanded, and government
grew.
• Pharaohs, or Egyptian kings, ruled.
• Pharaohs guided all activities and their word was
law.
• They made sure things were built and up kept.
Also made sure crops were planted and
overlooked trade and taxes on farmers.
Old Kingdom Rulers
• People were willing to serve the Pharaoh
because they believed unity of the kingdom
depended on a strong leader.
• People also believed Pharaohs were the son of
Re, the Egyptian sun god.
• Pharaohs had a lot of respect, people had to
bow down and often played music in his
presence.
• Pharaohs were viewed as gods on earth.
Egypt’s Religion
• People of Ancient Egypt were polytheistic,
meaning they believed in many gods and
goddesses, or deities (like Mesopotamia).
• Main Egyptian god was RE, the Sun god.
• Hapi was another important god, who ruled
the Nile River.
Life After Death
• Egyptians were hopeful
Egypt’s Religion
Life After Death
• Egyptians believed life after death would be
better than life on earth.
• Egyptians often believed that only Pharaohs
and the elite only enjoyed the after life.
• Believed that the Pharaoh needed a body to
reach the next world, so they protected the
body.
Egypt’s Religion
Life After Death
• Egyptians developed embalming, process to
preserve the body after death.
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Remove the organs of the body.
A salt, natron, place on the body.
Body was stored for a couple of days.
Body filled with spices and perfumes and stitched
close.
– Body then cleaned (w/oils) and tightly wrapped in
linen.
– A mummy was now formed.
Egypt’s Religion
• Mummified bodies were then placed into
wooden coffins.
Egyptian Medicine
• From embalming the dead, Egyptians learned
about the body and how to sew up cuts and
set broken bones.
• Egyptians wrote the first medical books.
The Pyramids
• Ordinary tombs were seen as unsuitable for
Pharaohs.
• Egyptian decided to build pyramids (huge stone
tomb) for their pharaohs resting spot.
• Pyramids were built to protect the bodies of
Pharaohs from flood, animals, and grave robbers.
• Items that maybe needed for the after world,
such as clothing, jewelry, and food were also left.
The Pyramids
How was a Pyramid Built?
• Needed thousands of people a labor.
• Most work done by farmers during flood season.
Carpenters, engineers and stonecutters helped.
• Created the 365 day/12 month calendar system
based on their study of the stars/Astronomy.
• Made advancements in math: written numbers
based on 10, fractions and adding and
subtracting them from whole numbers.
The Pyramid
• Would travel hundreds of miles to find stone
for the pyramid.
• Moved stone on path of logs and on barges
down the Nile.
• Then blocks were moved up a ramp and set in
place.
Great Pyramid
• 2540 BC/BCE Great Pyramid built. Largest of
the 80 pyramids in Egypt.
The Pyramids
• Great Pyramid built for King Kufu (2589-2566
BC/BCE) and is found in Giza along the Nile.
• Equals the size of a 48 story building.
• Pyramid is special because it was believed to
be done without special tools, the wheel, or
pack animals.
Great Pyramid at Giza