Ancient Egypt Flashcards
(35 cards)
Who is Khufu?
What is the great pyramid?
Khufu (2609 BC - 2584 BC)
He was the son of Sneferu and Queen Hetepheres I, and is believed to have had three wives. He is famous for building the Great Pyramid at Giza, one of the seven wonders of the world.
The great pyramid is the largest of all the pyramids in Egypt and it dates to about 2550 BCE.
Around 140 such structures exist throughout the country and they span a time period from about 2600 to about 1550 BC.
When the plural form, pyramids it refers to the three highest ones, Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure and all of these are also at Giza. The Great Sphinx belongs to the overall Giza plan as well.
The site had continuous use for millennia and that was important. Priests and religious functions still functioned there almost 2000 years after it was built.
There is also evidence much later that the Greeks visited Egypt as tourists. And, of course, the pyramid was one of their favorite spots.
Who is Boy King Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun, or King Tut as he is also known, was the last of his dynasty of pharaohs. He ruled as a boy only for a short time. He is most famous because his tomb was discovered almost intact and full of treasures in 1922.
Who is Ramesses II?
Ramesses II (c. 1279–1213 BC): Ramesses II, or Ramesses the Great, is the most common figure for the Exodus pharaoh as Rameses is mentioned in the Bible as a place name (see Genesis 47:11, Exodus 1:11, Numbers 33:3, etc).
Country span approx. 3400 years:
- The Old Kingdom, 2625 to 2130 BCE > Dynasty 3-6
- The First Intermediate Period, 2130 to 1980 BC > Dynasty 7-11
- The Middle Kingdom, 1980 to 1630 BCE > Dynasty 11-14
- The Second Intermediate Period, 1630-1539 > Dynasty 14- 17
- The New Kingdom from about 1539 to 1075 BCE > Dynasty 18-20
- The Third Intermediate Period, 1075 to 656 BCE, Dynasty 21- 25
332 BCE, when Alexander the Great conquered Egypt
47 BCE, Julius Caesar took control of Egypt, and subsequently named Cleopatra its ruler.
After his death in 40 BCE, Cleopatra eventually allied herself with Marc Antony, another Roman but their forces succumbed to Caesar’s successor Augustus. And he led the Romans to victory over Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. Once Augustus conquered Egypt, he annexed it to the Roman Empire, and then he controlled the greatest empire of the east and the west.
Egypt’s history goes back even earlier than the dynasties, with clearly defined periods, such as the Chalcolithic and the Neolithic, with defined cultures, dating to times prior to 5000 BCE.
Who is Manetho, and what are dynasties?
Manetho an Egyptian priest who lived in Egypt around the third century BCE, compiled a history of the kings who had ruled the country
He described the dynasties, sets of rulers that belonged to the same family. In Ancient Egypt the bloodline was not always followed when choosing the next ruler, so technically the term is not correct.
Although many of those lists of dynasties stopped at 30, some other authors introduced more dynasties:
- Thirty-first dynasty. It consisted of only a few Persian Kings who conquered and then ruled Egypt for a short period of time.
- Thirty-second dynasty, Macedonian Dynasty, to account for the rule of Alexander the Great, who took over Egypt in 332 BCE, and a few others who followed after his death at that time.
- Thirty-fourth dynasty, general Ptolemy (general of Alexander the Great), who proclaimed himself Ptolemy I in 305 BCE, and became the first of a long line of rulers of dynasty 34, all of whom were related directly to him.
This last group was therefore a dynasty, even in today’s understanding, since it consisted of individuals all from the same family. It ended almost three hundred years later with the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BCE, who became the last of the line to rule.
Most rulers were native Egyptians, but there are exceptions:
15th/ 16th Hyksos (Western Asiatic people)
22nd Libyan
25th Nubian
Were the old Egyptians interested in there own history?
Scriptures related to the old Egyptian Kings, can be found on many Egyptian items. The Egyptians were keenly aware of their own history.
Before Egyptian writing as we know it, drawing and artwork was made, expressing historical facts like names of kings. The earliest of which appeared around 3400 BCE. These drawings were made throughout old Egyptian history.
We cannot trust that everything that was written and drawn is accurate, as sometimes the old Egyptians had reasons to want to manipulate how history is being seen.
* Tutankhamun was associated with an unpopular movement.
* Hatshepsut referred to herself as the King, not the Queen.
History only mentioned the Kings and Queens that behaved ;)
What is the significance of Tomb U-j at Abydos
The earliest known Egyptian writing was discovered in Tomb U-j at Abydos dating to 3320 BC. The size of the tomb, its contents, and the amount of labor its construction and furnishing required has led scholars to propose that it belonged to a single ruler who reigned over a sizable territory.
From Dynasty 0, around 3200, we see major developments such as larger monuments, and the Egyptians began to produce large scale human and animal statuary. All of these creations indicate a large and diverse society capable of working together on projects of significant size that, in some cases, lasted for years. And they, too, suggested strong central control.
This development goes parallel to the emergence of an early society.
* more social structure
* religious and political ideology
* economic expanse
* motivation to expand
Who is King Narmer
The historian, Manetho, identifies the first ruler in this list, the one who organized the legendary two lands into a single, unified state as King Menes, possibly. He used to be identified as Narmer, but not all Egyptologists would agree. Later kings take on the phrase the Uniter of the Two Lands. And eventually you can find it in inscriptions and even on furniture and other surfaces.
King Narmer was likely the first ruler of the 2 lands> Egypt is now unified.
Now there is new imagery. The king wears two different crowns each designating one of the two original lands now unified in a single state. They’re called Upper and Lower Egypt, referring to the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom.
Who are the two protective deities of the kings?
Wadjet the cobra goddess, and it refers to the north.
Nekhbet, the Vulture Goddess, refers to the South.
The Old Kingdom
The Old Kingdom, 2625 to 2130 BCE > Dynasty 3-6
Religious doctrine develops significantly. The cult of the sun and its major god, Ra, became a central element of the belief system. As we can see in royal names of the Old Kingdom, which incorporated the element Ra. Khafra and Menkaure, Sahure and Neferefre. It also appears in the title of the king, Son of Re, a phrase that identifies the king with that solar god, from the Fourth Dynasty on.
The time period also focused on the god of the afterlife, Osiris, and elements of both gods, Osiris and Ra, turn up in the pyramid texts.
The introduction of the pyramid texts at Saqqara at the end of the Fifth Dynasty. They can consist of hundreds of spells created for the rulers use, and they would help ensure his transition to a divine afterlife.
The bond linking the 2 lands weakened so as the power of the Pharaohs > weaker kings led to stronger local political heads. Old texts also seem to indicate a variety of problems; environmental/ economical/ war.
Middle Kingdom
The Middle Kingdom, 1980 to 1630 BCE > Dynasty 11-14
Midway through the 11th dynasty, a king by the name of Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II came to the throne of a divided land and through his reign, he was able to reunite the country. He ruled the country from the south.
Amenemhat I, the first ruler of dynasty 12, initiated a move back to the Memphite area in the north. This further secured the reunification of the two lands. The 12th Dynasty especially, was known for the establishment of a strong, centralized government and administration.
The next dynasty, the 13th, was a unified kingdom, however it consisted of many kings, more than 50. And most of them had short reigns and were unable to maintain strength in the south against the Nubians.
And in the north they faced the rising population of Asiatic peoples emigrating into the Delta area. Eventually this later group became powerful enough to set up a separate 14th dynasty, and soon the Semitic Hyksos took over and set up a rival 15th dynasty that spanned most of Egypt. Except in the south, where the native Egyptians were able to set up a 17th dynasty. Eventually the Hyksos united with the Nubians of Kush against Egypt. This chaotic time period is now referred to as the second intermediate period.
The New Kingdom
The New Kingdom from about 1539 to 1075 BCE > Dynasty 18-20
The history of this period is marked by the appearance of several powerful royal figures whose distinctive personalities, beliefs, and actions greatly affected the direction that Egypt’s civilization took during this time.
In the eighteenth dynasty, Egypt’s borders were extended in every direction. The military rule of Thutmosis III, whose prowess was unlike that of any other leader, is sometimes referred to today as Egypt’s Napoleon
Amenhotep III, leader in the dynasty, maintained the advances of his predecessors and ushered in a long peaceful reign that relied in large part on international diplomacy as never before. A long peace existed within Egypt and the country experienced a golden age of arts and literature.
After the death of Amenhotep III, his son and successor, Amenhotep IV, soon advanced a revolutionary idea and system. His changes affected all areas of Egyptian life and beliefs but it did not last, and his son and eventual successor, Tutankhamun, would help lead the counter reformation that would restore traditional ideology to Egypt.
Ramesses II is known as the longest ruling Pharaoh; he reigned into his 67th year. He extended the empire to such a degree that military action with Western Asia was constant.
The rulers of the Twentieth Dynasty were not as successful as their predecessors, except for Ramesses III, known as the last great warrior Pharaoh.
Kingship came into being and at the same time as the gods
The hierarchie in the divine world was basically the same as on earth. It was strong, with on top the sun God/ Pharaoh. Like a mirror.
Actually.. what is the relationship between power and religion?
Religious beliefs matter for economic outcomes. They reinforce character traits such as hard work, honesty, thrift, and the value of time. Otherworldly compensators — such as belief in heaven, hell, the afterlife — can raise productivity by motivating people to work harder in this life.
Religion and political power intertwined in early civilizations, shaping governance and social structures. Rulers claimed divine authority through concepts like the divine right of kings, Mandate of Heaven, and sacred kingship, legitimizing their rule and maintaining control.
https://www.hoover.org/research/religion-and-economic-development#:~:text=Religious%20beliefs%20matter%20for%20economic,work%20harder%20in%20this%20life.
Another way to see it is that the power comes from God, rather than religion being used as an instrument to gain power. Religion historically has had much political & economic power.
> One way that religion gets power through is fear. The fear of an eternal punishment and the chance to receive an ultimate reward are very tempting to some people. Also fear of abandonment. If you don’t believe, you don’t belong. Godly fear..?
What means a sun circle with a duck in front of it?
it means the son of Re
What is the structure of a king relief?
- At the top is the divine embodiment of the king, in the form of the divine falcon,Horus.
- His birth and personal name follows in the open space below.
- And at the lowest level is a two dimensional rendering of the royal palace facade.
Duties and responsibilities of the Pharaoh
- Head of the government, there was a whole structure, bureaucracy.
- Head of the army
- High Priest of every god
- It was Pharaoh’s task to make the world function.
- A link with the divine and actual world.
- Divine himself through the ritual of coronation.
How did people view there gods?
- The mass knew everything about the royal family. Also the bad things.. imperfect and human. It was the same with the gods, no one is perfect.
- They had B-days.. so dying seems possible too?
- The Egyptians conceived that cosmic elements were to be a series of different Gods each incorporating an aspect of the eternal cycle of the sun.
- A clear hierarchy existed among the various divinities and the structure seemed similar to that used on earth with human kind.
- Most of the deities in the divine world had particular roles in a bureaucracy that mirrored the one in the earthly world. For example, in regard to official documentation, Thoth functioned as the scribe and messenger of the gods.
- It is important to note that none of the images of gods were interpreted to be the actual god. The image was to provide the people with an approachable and recognizable form of the divine.
- During certain holidays the image of the god would be brought forth from within the shrine and carried outside for view and worship by the people.
In many cases, this was the only time that private citizens had access to their gods. - Some amulets represented a sign of devotion to and respect for the power of a particular god. But they could also become a means of protection such as the sacred Eye of Horus. Many amulets took the form of animals or parts, and these can be seen as symbols of particular deities
Who was the god of the sun
The sun was called the god Khepri, that’s when the sun emerged in the morning, when he came into being in the eastern horizon.
He was Re, the sun god as he travel towards mid day and then in the evening he becomes Atum. When he proceeded to the western horizon to set and then disappear into the night sky. During which time, he battles his eternal enemy Apophis the serpent.
And then he would re-emerge or be reborn in the eastern horizon in the next morning.
When the Pharoah died.
Pharaoh’s were very invested in creating a good picture, and a having nice tomb ready. But life was hard at that time. A lot of princes did not make the throne. Also some Pharaohs died before there tomb was ready, so they swapped.
What are Cosmogonies?
The Egyptians associated creator gods with different geographic areas and they developed separate myths and creation theologies. They are now called cosmogonies. The major religious centers, such as Heliopolis, Hermopolis, and Memphis, each had specific doctrines.
Hermopolis is a site in middle Egypt, and it is the center of another version of creation. In this one, the god Thoth who was linked to wisdom, writing and the moon, led an Ogdoad, a group of eight deities divided into four sets of couples. This account focuses on making order out of a chaotic universe at the point when creation began.
What is the story of Osiris?
This legendary historical king or god is tricked by his brother Set. He then dismembers him. (In the story the Egyptians are very clear about the word they use to describe this action, they avoid the words to kill or die.)
The story continues with two of Osiris’ sisters, Isis, who was also the wife of Osiris, and Nephthys. They take on the responsibility of finding all of the parts of the former king, their brother. They assemble them and revivify him so that he can impregnate Isis and bear the legitimate next king, Horus, his son.
The idea of mummification is incorporated in this story. Isis sews Osiris’s body parts together and then the two sisters wrap the limbs with linen.
Each king who takes over the throne is Horus, and when he dies he is Osiris, and the cycle continues.
How could people attain an afterlife?
The creation myths describe the earliest periods in the memory of human kind as pure chaos and they record that out of this disorder came some form of harmony. The resulting state of calm than became the world as the Egyptians knew it. The gods were responsible for maintaining order and presenting it to the king and he in turn reinforces that very same process by presenting Maat to the gods. The process is illustrated in the scene of weighing the heart. Passing this step successfully was critical in attaining an afterlife.
So important was the concept of order and balance in the universe, that it was deified as a goddess and her name was Maat.
How could a god or goddes be associated with another?
Sometimes they are in family pairs, or duos that reflect two opposing elements of the environment such as light and darkness, air and moisture. These combinations of deities indicate the Ancient Egyptian need or desire to organize as much as possible. Both in the world they lived in as well as the perceived world of the gods that they envisioned.
Sometimes one god became an extension of another, and the elements of each would become unified in the composite figure. This unification also meant that the temple and it’s priesthood were joined. And this would make the combined deity and its staff more politically powerful.
Sometimes a single god was linked to a specific element, but, occasionally, a few gods could represent a single aspect of nature.
Were there god catagories?
There were Gods in different categories. For example, the phrases local and district gods are recorded in both the royal pyramid text and biographical inscriptions.
The grouping funerary deities was perhaps the most populated class of all. Osiris, Isis and their sister Nephthys, the gods Horus and Anubis, they all can appear in tombs, as well as elsewhere.
The Egyptians had no difficulties with their gods functioning in more than one capacity. Ra, for example, was instrumental not only as a funerary deity, but a national one as well. But he is most often amalgamated with another god, like Amun-Re, or represented as an aspect of the sun in its many forms. The actual disk of the sun indicates Ra as well.
Another classification actually combines two types. One, Egyptian deities that had some role in foreign lands, and two, foreign deities that gained some status in ancient Egypt.
We see that, during the time when Pharaohs extended the countries control of and influence of over foreign areas, the settlements they established outside Egypt often would require access to native deities
especially in the new kingdom and later. During these times, foreign deity’s begin to make appearances on Egyptian monuments within their borders
Pharaoh also organised religion to worship themselves.
Not only did kings take on divine status, private citizens occasionally approached the level of a God. In these cases, however, the individuals attained this position only after death. In many ways, we can compare them to the concept of sainthood.
