Earlier Egypt
Discover the mysteries of one of the earliest civilizations in history.
Byjessica Van Dop Jesus
The date is
2490 B.C. While thousands of labourers in Egypt build enormous stone blocks
into a pyramid, wooden boats ply the Nile River. This 200-foot-tall monument
honours Menkaure, a pharaoh. The Great Pyramid at Giza, the tallest of the
three, stands at around 480 feet. It was built there by this pharaoh's
grandfather Khufu and his father Khafre. The pyramids, which are made of
polished white l The
Egyptians building the pyramids are contributing to the development of one of
the world's longest-lasting cultures, one that will survive for more than 3,000
years. Ancient Egyptians produced wonders of art and engineering that continue
to astound us today.
Egypt's ancient history.
Egypt was
populated as early as 6000 B.C. Small communities eventually amalgamated to
form governments, and eventually two kingdoms were formed in Egypt: Lower
Egypt, which spanned the Nile River Delta from the Mediterranean Sea in the
north to the Nile Valley in the south, and Upper Egypt, which included the rest
of the country. (Since the Nile River runs from south to north, ancient
Egyptians referred to the southern region of the nation as "up.")imestone,
appear to gleam in the sunlight.
These two
areas were merged into one nation around 3100 B.C., and historians start the
lengthy history of ancient Egypt here, separating it into various eras. (They
frequently lack precise dates for historical occurrences. As a result, some of
the years have a "ca" next to them. Its acronym is "circa,"
which means "around."
Between
approximately 3100 and 2575 B.C., or the Early Dynastic Period, These early
pharaohs made an effort to maintain their rule over the two countries. They
justified this by asserting that the Egyptian people should respect them since
the falcon deity Horus was keeping watch over them. Additionally, they kept
records using hieroglyphic writing to document events.
The Old
Kingdom, which lasted for roughly 425 years (from about 2575 B.C. to around
2150 B.C.), was when the pharaohs had the resources and authority to erect
pyramids in their honour. For this reason, the Old Kingdom is also known as the
"Age of the Pyramids." At this time, the sun deity Ra was primarily
linked with the pharaohs; this practise persisted throughout the majority of
Egypt's history.
200-year-long First Intermediate Period (about 2130 to 1938 B.C.):
Egypt's famine caused
these pharaohs to lose their authority. Local leaders started running their own
towns instead, and they stopped supplying grain to the government. These local
authorities eventually created sovereign states.
between
approximately 1938 B.C. and 1630 B.C., the Middle Kingdom: Around 1938 B.C.,
Mentuhotep II reunited the land and began a period noted for producing some of
Egypt’s greatest pieces of art. For the first time, Egyptians produced literature
for leisure, and pharaohs began work on the Karnak Temple in what is now the
modern city of Luxor.
Between
around 1630 and 1540 B.C., during the Second Intermediate Period, weak pharaohs
once more lost authority. The Hyksos, an invasion force from western Asia,
governed the north, and the Kush, a kingdom south of Egypt, took charge in
Upper Egypt.
From
approximately 1540 B.C. to 1075 B.C., under the New Kingdom: Some of Egypt's
most well-known monarchs were installed after Egyptians regained power: Hatshepsut,
a female pharaoh, ruled for 21 years; Akhenaten attempted to found a new
religion; and Tutankhamun, a boy king, ruled for 10 years. More monuments to
himself were erected by Ramses II than by any other pharaoh. Egypt during this
time was at its height of power and prosperity.
Between
around 1075 and 656 B.C., the Third Intermediate Period saw hunger, drought,
and foreign invasions. But some pharaohs were successful. King Taharqa, a
foreigner from the Kush kingdom south of Egypt, rebuilt ruined temples and even
started constructing pyramids once more after roughly 800 years.
From
approximately 656 B.C. to 332 B.C., or the Late Period, Egyptian natives were
the last to dominate ancient Egypt.
King Darius I took charge, leading an army from Persia (today's Iran).
Egypt during
the Macedonian and Ptolemaic periods, roughly 300 years ago (332 to 30 B.C. ):
Alexander the Great overthrew the Persian kings in 332 B.C. and subsequently
handed power to the Greek commander Ptolemy I Soter. After then, Greek pharaohs
dominated Egypt. The most recent, Cleopatra VII, lost a battle to the tyrant
Octavian of Rome. For the next 600 years, Egypt would be governed by the
Romans.
Ancient Egyptian daily life.
Ancient
Egyptians were mostly farmers. They resided close to the Nile River in mud
brick homes with their families.
Every year,
the Nile floods, leaving behind good soil for the cultivation of papyrus,
wheat, barley, lettuce, and other crops. The Egyptians were able to cultivate
more food, such as grapes, apricots, olives, and beans, as they learnt how to
transport river water to their farms.
Farmers
could not care for their crops during the flood season. Some chose to work on
the construction of pyramids, tombs, and monuments. Priests, physicians, and
scribes were among the other professions practised by others.
Compared to women in other ancient cultures.
Egyptian women enjoyed greater independence.
They typically shared the same rights as males and may serve as scribes,
priests, and physicians, among other professions. Women could be home and
business owners.
Ancient
Egyptians enjoyed themselves as well! They enjoyed playing board games, making
music, dancing, and swimming and canoeing in the Nile.
The next life In fact,
Egyptians were so content with life that they thought the hereafter would be nearly identical, but for the absence of sorrow, ailment, and bothersome mosquitoes. There, even animals like cats, dogs, or monkeys would accompany the group.
Mummification,
the preservation of a body, was a crucial aspect of how Egyptians thought their
spirit would enter the afterlife. Tombs were also. These burial chambers were
stocked with all the necessities, including food, entertainment and even
knickers!
The gods of ancient Egypt allegedly assisted mortals in the afterlife.
Some, such as the
jackal-headed deity Anubis, assisted in leading travellers to the underworld,
where they would be judged by the god Osiris, the lord of the underworld.
The
Egyptians thought other deities also provided for them in daily life. For
instance, the goddess Tefnut made it rain, while Osiris' wife, the goddess
Isis, assisted in treating human illness.
Power
pyramid.
See how the
pyramid changed throughout time by clicking through this gallery.
the relevance of ancient Egypt.
Today, Egypt
receives millions of visitors each year who come to view the pyramids, tombs,
and temples. But this ancient civilisation left behind more than just these
monuments.
It is
believed that the first civilisation to count a year using 365 days was the
ancient Egyptians, whose astronomers developed a calendar quite similar to our
own, based on the revolution of the sun. They were also mathematicians of the
highest order; according to historians, division and multiplication were
invented by these people. (Plus, without a lot of maths, how else would they
have found out how to construct pyramids?)
This culture
was also among the first to use a form of writing known as hieroglyphic
writing, in which symbols rather than letters stand in for words or sounds.
(These folks even made writing materials from the papyrus plant.) Most temples
and tombs have hieroglyphs carved onto them to record names and dates, recount
historical events like battles, and provide guidance for the afterlife.