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For such an old civilization, Ancient Egypt is one of the most intriguing civilization to study. Just a few of the many questions that people ask are:

How were the pyramids built? What happened to the Sphinx's nose? Why did they write using hieroglyphics

instead of letters and numbers? Why did they use mummification? Why did they have such a distinct social class system? Why did they believe in having so many Gods and Goddesses?

Over and over again, people have tried to find the answers, but these are questions that have puzzled everyone for thousands and thousands of years!

Picture from

:http://www.artswallpapers.com/travel_wallpapers/ancient_egypt/02/ancient_egypt800.jpg

Gods and GoddessesGods and Goddesses Religion was a significant

aspect of the Ancient Egyptian people’s lives. If there was something they didn’t understand or knew little about, they would create a god that explained its existence or occurrence. As an example: the Egyptians didn’t understand why the sun came out every day, so they created a sun god named Ra.

There are possibly 2 000 gods and goddesses-some of whom helped in creation, while others simply represent plants and animals. There is a god for almost every part of the Egyptians life

They also have a story – one that features all of the main gods in creation. This link will take you to the story: http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/gods/ story/main.html

All pictures from: http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/gods/explore/main.html

Ra-the sun god

Amun-king of the gods

Atum-first god on earth

Nephthys-goddess of the dead

Horus-protected the ruler

Bastet – protected the Egyptians

The Sphinx

The Sphinx is a structure which has represented Egypt for thousands of years. With the head of a man and the body of a lion, the structure is made completely out of limestone. Its entire length is over 150 feet and it sits beside the Pyramids of Giza. It was built over 4500 years ago in Lower Egypt and symbolizes strength and wisdom. The Egyptians also believe that the Sphinx represents the sun god, Ra.

Many people believe that the face has similarities to the face of Pharaoh Khafre - ruler of the 4th dynasty – and that the body has some resemblance to Khafre’s brother, Pharaoh Djedefre. The Sphinx was buried from centuries of blowing, dessert sand, but in 1904 the statue was uncovered. Since then, the Egyptians themselves have restored it.

Some people believe that the Sphinx was built by Khafre (who also built the 2nd largest pyramid of Giza) because it sits on the rock directly in front of Khafre’s pyramid; however, no one knows for sure.

Pictures from: http://www.guardians.net/egypt/sphinx/

HieroglyphicsHieroglyphicsDid You Know…?• Ancient hieroglyphics has more than 2 000 different characters • Hieroglyphics evolved from the Greek Word Script• Hieroglyphic writing is like pictures put together to make a word.

The symbols are made into words which are then put into sentences.

• Egyptians have used at least 4 different scripts over 3,000 years. • Hieroglyphics are the most famous and sacred of all writing. • In ancient times, it was used only to record information about the

pharaohs or the religion, but as it evolved, people started writing about other things such as government.

One of the many theories to explain how hieroglyphics came to be the writing of the Egyptians can be seen at: http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/writing/story/main.html

All pictures from: http://imc.mbhs.edu/arts/egypt/assignment.htm

Old Kingdom existed from 2700-2200 BCE

Capital city of Old Kingdom was first named White-Wall, later changed to Memphis

During the Old Kingdom there was a change from step pyramids to pyramids with flat sides

The 4th, 5th and 6th dynasty took place during the Old Kingdom

http://library.thinkquest.org/J002046F/old_kingdom.htm

Middle Kingdom existed from 2050-1800 BCE

Capital city changed from Memphis to Thebes during Middle Kingdom

11th, 12th and 13th dynasty took place during this time period

3 different kinds of graves: tombs, surface graves and shaft graves

Osiris became god of the necropolises

Sobekneferu, daughter of Amenemhat III, was the only female pharaoh and was the last one in the 12th dynasty

http://www.metmuseum.org/TOAH/HD/mking/hd_mking.htm

Existed from 1550-100 BCE 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties were

part of New Kingdom In 1522 BC, many victories were

won which lead Egypt to a time of peace and prosperity

For nearly 500 years of this period there was wealth, peace, and stability in the political system

New Kingdom pharaohs are the most well-known

Many significant rulers , Tutankhamen, the most famous to our modern world

Rameses II was main person in 19th dynasty

In 20th dynasty, Rameses III was the last great king.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/nking/hd_nking.htm

Ancient Egyptians viewed the world in very different ways than we did. One huge difference was their lifestyle of worshipping the gods and the way they looked to their gods for help. Their entire civilization depended on the environment and the way if was so predictable. They looked to the gods to make sure that it happened just right every year.

Another very important view for the Ancient Egyptians was that they believed that to be allowed into an afterlife, they had to have a life worthy of it. The Egyptians had to worship the goddess Maat – a goddess created to be a form of truth, justice and arrangement of the world - and then she world let them into the afterlife.

Indus River Valley and Mesopotamia learned many things, which they then passed on to Ancient Egypt such as:

The use of the wheel to pull ploughs, carts, war chariots Improved process of pottery making by inventing a kiln Learned that by mixing copper and tin, it made bronze. Could then make

stronger tools, boats and land vehicles By studying the stars they created a calendar of when to till, plant and

harvest crops Developed a number system – symbol of the number and symbol of

objectIndus River Valley - p. 101, World History: Societies of the Past

Skills in building and planning layout of city Engineering skills plus knowledge of water, tides and currents let them

make a dock Homes had bathrooms connected to underground drains called Soak-Pits Invented wells deep enough to get clean water from the earth

Mesopotamia – p. 65, World History: Societies of the Past

Inter-Connectedness Inter-Connectedness Indus River Valley, Mesopotamia to EgyptIndus River Valley, Mesopotamia to Egypt

Inter-ConnectednessInter-Connectedness AncientAncient Egypt to Greece, RomeEgypt to Greece, Rome

There were quite a few skills and ideas that Ancient Egypt passed on to Rome and Greece. The following are just a few of them:

A shadif to give water to the fields by the Nile Mummification Invention of tools (levels, plumb lines, squares) and construction

techniques such as ramps for building the pyramids Drugs such as castor oil, senna, opium and mercury Wooden boats Papyrus for writing on and for constructing the boats Sun dials and water clocks to tell time Mathematics, especially geometry, used in architecture and

surveying techniques An accurate 12 month, 365 day calendar based on astronomy

Ancient Egypt - p. 87, World History: Societies of the Past

Facts about Ancient EgyptDid you know… Ancient Egypt was one of the first civilizations to use

mummification A pharaoh’s hair would never be seen. They would either wear a

crown or a head dress to cover it Both men and women wore eye make-up. Believed it had healing

power. Early medicine was made with mouldy foods and soil. Infections

usually treated with mouldy bread Slaves were used as a police force. They often collected the

taxes fro the pharaoh The first pyramid (step pyramids of Djoser) originally had a 34

foot wall around it. It had 15 doors but only 1 opened When a body was mummified, all internal organs were taken out

and put into its own jar Cement was first invented by the Egyptians First to create glass and faience

Extra Pictures

Ancient Egypt is a very old civilization which is completely unlike the world we live in today. Ancient Egyptians believed many things that we do not, their clothes were quite different than ours, and there is quite a contrast from their government to ours, but these differences make this civilization so interesting.

There are things we have leaned from them, such as mathematics and the 365 day calendar, but other things we leave, letting them have their own beliefs and ideas of living.

Ancient Egypt is a very intriguing civilization largely due to the differences and the questions that remain unanswered.

Picture from:http://www.jewelinfo4u.com/Ancient_Egyptian_Jewelry_styles_and_trends.aspx

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<http://www.greatscott.com/hiero/hiero_over.html>3. Crystal, Ellie. Social Systems in Ancient Egypt. 2007. 19 Jan 2009

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5. Hooker, Richard. The Middle Kingdom. 6 June 1999. 7 Jan 2009 http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/EGYPT/MIDDLE.HTM

6. Kahn, Charles and Osborne, Ken. World History: Societies of the Past. Portage and Main Press. 2005 7. Kinnaer, Jacques. The Ancient Egypt Site. 2 July 2008. 9 Jan 2009

<http://www.ancient-egypt.org/index.html>8. Roehrig, Catharine H. Egypt in the Middle Kingdom (2030–1640 B.C.). In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.

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9. Rymer, Eric. Religion of Ancient Egypt. 2000. 7 Jan 2009 <http://historylink101.net/egypt_1/religion.htm> 10. Shaw, Ian. The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. 2000. 9 Jan 2009 <http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/egyptperiods/p/021608OldKingdm.htm> 11. The Trustees of the British Museum. The British Museum. 1999. 7 Jan 2009 <http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/gods/explore/main.htm>l