The Old Kingdom

Question 1

When did the Old Kingdom start and end ?

Answer 1

2686 BC to 2181 BC

Question 2

Which dynasties were formed during the

Old Kingdom ?

Answer 2

The Third to the Sixth Dynasties

Question 3

What is the Old Kingdom otherwise known as ?

Answer 3

The ‘Age of the Pyramid Builders’ or

‘Age of the Pyramids’

Question 4

Who designated the era ‘Old Kingdom’ and when ?

Answer 4

Historians in the 17th century

Question 5

Who was the first ruler to commission the building of Egypt’s first pyramid ?

Answer 5

Pharaoh Djoser

Question 6

What is the name given to Djoser’s first pyramid ?

Answer 6

The Step Pyramid

Question 7

Where can the Step Pyramid be found ?

Answer 7

Saqqara

Question 8

What is the name of the highest official or vizier to serve Pharaoh Djoser ?

Answer 8

Imhotep

Question 9

What was Imhotep also known as ?

Answer 9

The ‘Father of Medicine’

Question 10

What became of the former rulers of various Egyptian states when power was passed to Djoser ?

Answer 10

They became governors or tax officials

Question 11

Which pharaoh began the Forth Dynasty ?

Answer 11

Sneferu

Question 12

What else did Sneferu do for the Old Kingdom ?

Answer 12

He brought the Old Kingdom to its peak

Question 13

Sneferu was responsible for the building of numerous pyramids. What are the 3 most famous ?

Answer 13

1. The Meidum pyramid
2. The Red pyramid
3. The Bent pyramid

Question 14

Which of Sneferu’s sons built the ‘Great pyramid of Giza’ ?

Answer 14

Khufu

Question 15

What did Khufu’s son Khafra build ?

Answer 15

The Sphinx

Question 16

In addition to architecture, what else was extremely important in the Old Kingdom ?

Answer 16

Art

Question 17

In which areas of art did the artists of the Old Kingdom perfect their techniques ?

Answer 17

Sculptures, Relief and paintings

Question 18

What materials did artists uses to construct life-sized structures ?

Answer 18

Copper, stone and wood

Question 19

What was the majority of art in the Old Kingdom centred on ?

Answer 19

Life after death and how to achieve it

Question 20

What other items became popular in artistic circles in the Old Kingdom ?

Answer 20

Jewellery, carved furniture and other decorative items

Question 21

Into which country did the military of the Old Kingdom expand Ancient Egypt’s interests ?

Answer 21

Today’s Sudan

Question 22

In which Dynasty did the construction of pyramids start to diminish ?

Answer 22

The Fifth Dynasty

Question 23

Instead of building pyramids where did the Egyptians of the Fifth Dynasty channel their efforts towards ?

Answer 23

Constructing Sun temples

Question 24

The Sun temples were built to worship which god ?

Answer 24

The sun god Ra

Question 25

Apart from building sun temples, what other avenue did they turn their efforts towards ?

Answer 25

The trade market

Question 26

Name some of the commodities that the Fifth Dynasty Egyptians traded in ?

Answer 26

Myrrh - Frankincense - Copper - Gold - Ebony - Ivory - Cedar

Question 27

What did the Egyptians build when they were inspired by the trade they were carrying out ?

Answer 27

Ships

Question 28

Why did they build ships for trading ?

Answer 28

To widen their trading activities

Question 29

What commodity did Egypt trade in with Somalia ?

Answer 29

Ivory and Ebony

Question 30

What was Somalia known as during the | Fifth Dynasty ?

Answer 30

The Kingdom of Punt

Question 31

From which country did Egypt trade for cedar ?

Answer 31

Lebanon

Question 32

When did the rulers power begin to weaken ?

Answer 32

During the Sixth Dynasty

Question 33

Who started to gain strength when the rulers power began to dwindle ?

Answer 33

The regional governors

Question 34

What were the regional governors otherwise known | as ?

Answer 34

Nomarchs

Question 35

What did the regional governors begin to create ?

Answer 35

Local Dynasties

Question 36

What sort of power did the regional governors of the regional governors have ?

Answer 36

Powers independent of the ruler

Question 37

While the regional governors were gaining power | what were the rulers preoccupied with ?

Answer 37

Flood control of the river Nile and building canals amongst other interests

Question 38

What happened towards the end of the | Sixth Dynasty ?

Answer 38

Egypt fell into civil war

Question 39

Who was the long reigning pharaoh during the civil | war of the Sixth Dynasty ?

Answer 39

Pepi II

Question 40

For what reason did this civil war start ?

Answer 40

Because there was no clear plan on who would succeed Pepi II

Question 41

What happened shortly after the period of civil war ?

Answer 41

A drought gripped Egypt

Question 42

What was the consequence of the drought ?

Answer 42

It prevented the River Nile from flooding normally

Question 43

What was the outcome of having a civil war, no clear plan and a drought in Egypt ?

Answer 43

The Old Kingdom collapsed

Question 44

What happened when the Old Kingdom collapsed ?

Answer 44

Ancient Egypt was thrown into famine and war

Question 45

Which period followed the Old Kingdom ?

Answer 45

The First Intermediate Period