Ancient Egyptian Artifact Display

Project Selection Due date:

Friday, January 9th

Completed Project Due:

Tuesday, February 3rd

Components:

• 1) Create an artifact representing Egyptian culture. Your artifact should look as authentic as possible. Select your materials carefully and plan in advance…DO NOT wait until the last minute!

• 2) Create a museum plaque. A sample will be shown to you on the next slide. Make sure to give credit to any sources you used.

How does the display work?

• Team Vista and Team Mosaic will create hand-made artifacts that be placed out on display for the school to see in the area of the PAC

• Our team will be invited to come through and view the museum display.

• Parents will invited to come and see our museum as well.

Sample Museum Plaque

• Freestanding description of your chosen artifact written in paragraph form. Sources must be cited.

Topic Choices

Egyptian Sarcophagus

•A SARCHOPHAGUS is a stone coffin. Scholars believe that early limestone coffins had the properties to dissolve the body quickly, hence the translation of sarcophagus to "flesh eater." The earliest stone coffins were in use among the Egyptians of the 3rd Dynasty. Your job will be to create your own sarcophagus!

All About King Tut

• Although he died mysteriously at a young age, King Tut (Tutankhamen) is one of the best-known Egyptian pharaohs. Research his life and create a story board that tells the story of his brief life.

Egyptian Pyramids

• When pharaohs died in ancient Egypt during the Old Kingdom, pyramid-shaped tombs were built to protect them in the afterlife. Research the use of the pyramids, how they were built, and why this structure symbolized the importance of the pharaoh in both life and death. Create a realistic pyramid of your own.

Pharaoh’s Crown

• Way back in Egypt’s history, there were two different areas called Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. Eventually, these two parts of Egypt were combined by the pharaoh Menes. Crowns symbolized which part of Egypt the pharaoh ruled. Eventually the crowns were merged to show power over both parts of Egypt. Research the design and use of the crowns, and create a crown of your own.

Egyptian Obelisk

• An obelisk is a tall, narrow, four-sided, tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top.

• Obelisks were prominent in the architecture of the ancient Egyptians, who placed them in pairs at the entrance of temples.

• The obelisk symbolized the sun god Ra.

• Research the significance of an obelisk and build one of your own.

Cartouche

• In Egyptian hieroglyphics, a cartouche is an oblong enclosure with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name, coming into use during the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty under Pharaoh Sneferu.

• Create your own cartouche for display and research how cartouches were used in Ancient Egypt.

History of the Rosetta Stone

• The Rosetta Stone is an ancient Egyptian artifact which was instrumental in advancing modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing. The stone is from the Ptolemaic Era with carved text made up of three translations of a single passage: two in Egyptian language scripts (hieroglyphic and Demotic) and one in classical Greek.

• Research the discovery of the Rosetta stone and design an artifact of the stone yourself

Funeral Masks

• Funerary masks and other facial coverings for mummies emphasized the ancient Egyptian belief in the delicate transition from this world to the afterlife. The masks played the role of transforming an important person from their mortal to their divine state.

• For your project, research the use of funeral masks and create one of your own.

Build Your Own Papyrus Boat

• Egyptians were the first to develop river craft and there were many types built for various uses. Food, troops, cattle, stone, and funeral processions were all carried on the Nile and through its canals. These boats were made of bundles of bound papyrus reeds which grew along the Nile.

• For your project, design your own papyrus boat and research the many uses of this vessel in ancient Egypt.

Egyptian Geography

• In some of our first class activities, we will be finding out more about the geography of Ancient Egypt. If you choose this for your project, you will be making a relief map of the Nile region, pointing out key geographical features and cities of importance.

Farming and the Egyptian Calendar

• The ancient Egyptians only had three seasons, and all were based on the Nile River. Research these three seasons and their importance, and build a three dimensional model demonstrating your knowledge about Egyptian farming.

Make Your Own Crook and Flail

• The crook (heka) and the flail or flabellum (nekhakha), are two of the most prominent items in the royal regalia of ancient Egypt. Research is limited on this subject, but there should be enough to complete a museum plaque. Build your own crook and flail for display.

Make a Water Clock

• The water clock was invented in Ancient Egypt. The water clock was used to tell time and to measure speeches in the courtroom. The water clock works in an interesting way. It is a instrument for measuring time by the flow of water through a small hole. Hours were marked on the sides of either sides of the bowl that received the water.

• Create your own ancient water clock and research its uses in ancient Egypt.

Tomb of Tutankhamen

• The discovery of King Tut’s tomb is a fascinating story. Research how and when this tomb was found, build a model of it, and write a description of the tomb for your museum plaque.

• Note: the previous activity is all about Tut’s life whereas this project deals exclusively with his tomb and what we have been able to learn from it.

The Great Sphinx

• The Great Sphinx of Giza is a statue of a reclining lion with a human head that stands on the west bank of the Nile, near modern-day Cairo in Egypt. It is the largest monolith statue in the world. It is believed to have been built by ancient Egyptians in the third millennium B.C.

• Build a replica of the Great Sphinx and research its importance in Ancient Egypt.

Funerary Boats

Funeral boats were very elegant and took the pharaoh to the grave.  The funeral boats were buried with the pharaoh.  The Egyptians only used chisels to cut boats from wood.  Khufu’s boat was 141 feet long and did not even have a nail in it. 

What Interests You?

• Take a moment to review all of the choices. • List your top three.• Bring home your project contract and make sure

your parents read over it with you. • PROJECT SELECTION MUST BE MADE BY

FRIDAY• REMEMBER: START EARLY, FINISH EARLY!!