Ancient Egypt Culture & Society The Daily Life of Ancient Egypt

30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires 1

Overview

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Population

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Language

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Social structure

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Divine kingship

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Arts and leisure

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Cosmology

30-Apr-20 Skiffs in Nile Swamps 6 th Saqqara Mastaba Dynasty, 2300 BC GNED002 - Ancient Empires 2

Population

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Numbers

– Old Kingdom • 1 - 2 million – Roman Empire • 7 million 

Immigration

– Nubians, Asiatics, Greeks – Small numbers, acculturated easily 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires Nubian tribute 3

Language

“doctor”    Afro-Asiatic Egyptian language Five Ancient Language Periods – Old Egyptian (Predynastic Old Kingdom) – Middle Egyptian (Middle Kingdom) – Late Egyptian (New Kingdom) – Demotic (Ptolemy to Middle Ages) – Coptic Egyptian (Middle Ages to 1600’s) • replaced by Arabic  Hieroglyphic (picture writing) – evolved into demotic (cursive writing) Literacy – Grew with growth of central administration 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires papyrus scribe 4

Writing

   Records, literature, hymns & prayers, technical manuals  Hallmark of administrative class

Hieroglyphic:

picture writing – From Old Kingdom – Rosetta Stone: same text in Egyptian hieroglyphic, Egyptian demotic, and Greek – Cursive script 2500 BC

Papyrus

workshops in temples: copying traditional texts 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires Rosetta Stone scribe 5

Social Structure

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Upper

– pharaoh & court – high-level officials 

Middle

– lower-level officials – local leaders, wealthy farmers – priests & professionals – artisans 

Lower

– common folk (majority) 

Slaves

– Limited to captives, criminals 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires Royal couple Sulptors 6

Divine Kingship

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Pharaoh son of Sun God - Re

– Sent to maintain

ma’at

– People’s link with gods : divinely authorized order of universe – Rule ensured security, prosperity – Source of law, authority

Centralized Power

– All Egypt belongs to Pharaoh – Strong monarchy = strong central government

Capital Cities

– Old Kingdom: Memphis (near Cairo) – Middle & New Kingdom: Thebes (Luxor) 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires 7

Nomes and Cities

1st nome - Saqqara 

Nomes

– Provinces of Ancient Egypt – Lower Egypt: 20, Upper Egypt: 22 – Nomarchs • provincial governors • supervised irrigation & dams, dispensed justice 

Cities

– Pharaonic capitals • No archaeology: still occupied • Essential wealth in land & products – Provincial capitals • Religious and economic centres for region, frontier fortresses • Nubia ruled directly by viceroy of pharaoh 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires 8

Royal Bureaucracy

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Writing records

– Land, labour, products, people – Taxes up to 50%   Simple geography of Nile lands easy to administer 

Administration

– Palace, bureaucracy, army – Built & maintained temples, monuments to pharaoh State monopoly over key sectors of economy – Some local private enterprise 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires 9

The Imperial Military

Bedouins 

Old & Middle Kingdoms

– Limited contact with other civilizations • Defense against desert raiders – Small standing army of professional soldiers • Local militia when needed 

New Kingdom

– Expanded Empire •

Nubia

, Middle East – Trade, not territory • Access to resources e.g. Lebanese cedar 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires Egypt’s Kingdoms 10

The Army of Egypt

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Weapons

– Striking weapons • club, mace, axe, sword, spear – Throwing weapons • javelin, bow, slingshot – Shield, helmet, armour – chariot after Hyksos invasion  New Kingdom Army – Mercenaries – Nobility as officers – Use of specialized forces: sappers (military engineers), trenchers, shock troops – Rewards for excellence: land, slaves, social position 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires 11

Shipping and Trade

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Ships

– River boats – Seafaring traders – Naval vessels 

Trade Routes

– – – –

Nubia

: gold

Sinai

: copper, gems

Canaan

: cedar

Punt

: ostrich eggs, ivory 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires 12

Artisans

 Carpenters – cabinet making, furniture  Sculptors  Stonemasons – tomb & temple complexes  Goldsmiths – jewellry, funeral masks  Weavers – linens  Potters Chair for King Tut Funeral mask of Psusennes 21st dynasty 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires 13

Nefertari playing Senet

Leisure

 Zoos & parks – gardens in house courtyard – animals & birds  Hunting & fishing – royal leopard hunts  Games – ball, board – sports – toys  Banquets – games, music, dancing garden with fish pond 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires 14

Music

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Strings

– Harps, lyres, lutes 

Percussion

– Drums, rattles, cymbals 

Wind

– Flutes, trumpets, oboes 

Vocal music

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Cosmology

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Religion rooted in landscape of Nile

– Vision of cosmic order – Recurrent cycles, periodic renewal 

Pharaoh as Chief Priest

– Temples, gifts to gods, tomb monuments – Required great wealth • Continuity of divine kingship • Ensure renewal of life Menkaure and goddesses 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires 16

Gods of Ancient Egypt

Amen 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

– Amen (Amon) Creation deity of Thebes –

Anubis

Jackal head, conductor of souls –

Isis

Mother goddess of fertility & nature –

Re (Ra)

creator, sun god –

Osiris

god of dead, underworld Isis 30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires Osiris Anubis Re 17

Temple of Amon - Luxor

Ritual

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Temple Cults

– God statue in inner room – Priests serve daily needs 

Festivals

– Boat litter carried god statue in public 

Household Altars

– Offerings to • Bes, god of marriage & family • Local gods • Family ancestors 

Magic

– Amulets : An

amulet

( Latin

amuletum

) can be any object whose most important characteristic is its alleged power to protect its owner from danger or harm.

30-Apr-20 GNED002 - Ancient Empires Bes 18

shabti

Obsession with Afterlife

canopic jar  Death as hazardous journey to afterlife – Book of the Dead: ritual & prayer to protect soul – Weighing of deceased’s heart –

Shabti

: figurine servant as companion (also

ushabti

)  Mummification – Organs removed to canopic jars – Body dried in natron • Naturally occurring • Salt & sodium carbonate – Sarcophagus: decorated casket in tomb 30-Apr-20 Sarcophagus of Tutankhamen GNED002 - Ancient Empires 19