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Dive into the fascinating history of Ancient Egypt, a civilization that flourished for over 3,000 years. From its emergence around 3500 BC to its independence for 2,000 years, Ancient Egypt showcased remarkable creativity through its architectural wonders, such as the pyramids, and advancements in writing, religion, and mathematics. Explore the major periods including the Old, Middle, New Kingdoms, and the Late Period, while examining the impact of geography and the balance of power within its society. Discover how stability influenced innovation and the enduring legacy of Egyptian culture.
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Egypt • Began about 3500BC • Independent for 2000 years • 31 dynasties • 4 great kingdoms or periods • Old Kingdom • Middle Kingdom • New Kingdom • Late Period (non-independent) • Geography was a blessing and a downfall
Geography and Stability The Nile River • Predictable and gentle flooding • Replenished the soil, thus allowing for 3000 years of continual planting • Consistent flood times • Consistent flood amounts • Planned irrigation • Allowed for enough crops for a very large population
Geography and Stability Isolation • Only realistic route for an invader is over the Isthmus of Suez • Egypt able to defend it • Egypt was not influenced by outsiders for 1000s of years • Even when Egypt became dominated by outside rulers, it held onto its own laws, culture, religion and kings.
Creativity • Creativity and Change • Old Kingdom was uniting and conquering • Temples and religion demanded creativity • Surplus of labor. The Pharaoh put them to work on elaborate construction projects. • Stagnant but Stable • Middle and New Kingdoms • Fear of upsetting the profitable system, Egypt stopped creativity • Delicate balance between gods, nature, and choices of the people • Pharaohs lost the ability to bring change
Creativity “The cost of Egyptian survival was the loss of its creativity.” -Dr. Strong
Pre-Dynastic Period 3500-3100 B.C. • Time of tribal and nomadic wanderings • The Egypt territory was divided roughly to upper and lower Egypt • Simple boats made of reeds sailed on the Nile
Old Kingdom(3100 - 2200 BC) • Menes combined the upper and lower kingdoms into one (powerful ruler) • Memphis-capital • Creativity: • Papyrus • Hieroglyphics • Pyramids (Architecture and Engineering) • Religion (Pharaoh was part god) • Calendar • Mathematics • Art
Old Kingdom(3100 - 2200 BC) Papyrus and Hieroglyphics • Papyrus first made during time of Menes • Easy material for writing • Hieroglyphics: Sacred writings • Used for over 2000 years • Done by priests • Usually concerned Pharaohs
Old Kingdom(3100 - 2200 BC) Pyramids: Pharaoh burial place • Built by both slaves and Egyptians • Created a strong relationship between the people and the government • Make-work projects • Extensive engineering used to build pyramids larger and higher • Built pyramids of Giza and step pyramids
Old Kingdom(3100 - 2200 BC) Religion: • Principal gods: Osiris (father), Isis (mother), Horus (son), Set (evil), Amon-Re, Aten (later)
Old Kingdom(3100 - 2200 BC) Religion: • Be buried on Egyptian soil • Be properly prepared (embalming) • Pyramid built for afterlife • Must preserve name in writing • Judgment and afterlife
O my heart of my being! Do not rise up against me as a witness,Do not oppose me in the tribunal, do not rebel against me before the guardian of the scales!
Old Kingdom(3100 - 2200 BC) Calendar and Mathematics • Created a calendar with 12 months of 30 days each, which equals 360 days a year. To match solar year they had 5 days of holidays at the end of the year. • Created a numbering system based on 10 • Used accumulation and place holders
Old Kingdom(3100 - 2200 BC) Art • Representational rather than realistic • Standardized poses • Generic faces
Old Kingdom(3100 - 2200 BC) The Old Kingdom was the Golden Age for Egypt. Why? • Energy from forming a new country? • Innovation from conquering? • Leadership of Pharaohs • Strong leaders who know how to motivate their people are capable of great accomplishments
Middle Kingdom(2000 - 1800 BC) Creativity? Not much. • Tried to recapture Old Kingdom’s glory • Not able to build a conquering army • No massive public works projects (lack of funds) • Capital moved to Thebes for new temple, it was never completed. • Weak Pharaohs forced to share power with priests and landholders • Ended with an invasion • Invasion by the Hyksos (Shepherd Kings or Semitic people) • Hyksos ruled from 1800 to 1550 BC • Joseph, son of Jacob, is believed to have lived during this time.
New Kingdom(1550 - 1050 BC) • Began with overthrow of the Hyksos. The pharaoh knew not Joseph (Exodus 1:8) • Ended with the Third Intermediate Period, led by foreign rulers and internal fighting • Creativity • Temples • Luxor and Karnak • Strong pharoahs Luxor
New Kingdom(1550 - 1050 BC) • Strong Pharaohs • Akhenaton (monotheistic)
New Kingdom(1550 - 1050 BC) • Strong Pharaohs • Queen Hatshepsut
New Kingdom(1550 - 1050 BC) • Strong Pharaohs • Rameses II (military) • Moses' enemy?
Late Period (700 - 332 BC) • Capitals – Tanis and then Alexandria • War – internal and external • Government fractured • Ruled by outside rulers • Libyans • Persians • Greeks (Ptolemy) • Egypt given as a gift to Ptolemy, a general to Alexander the Great • Last of the Ptolemies was Cleopatra • Romans
Egypt – Overall Creativity • Development and organization period was high creativity • Later periods were weak kings, strong priests, and low creativity • Trying to move to the past • Religious conservatism • Isolation • What societies today have these characteristics?