Ancient Egypt
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Ancient Egypt Central Question… deities art Pharaoh laws afterlife Spirit Ba/ka politics nature ethics THE NILE was considered the SOUL as it was the source of life and path to immortality Egyptians lived on Eastern side but buried on Western side River was symbol of passage of one life to next (eternity) Yearly flooding – essential for agriculture Creation story began in swirling waters of the Nile when god Horus gave power to Pharaohs Click here for Creation Story Egyptian Deities What did the (gods and goddesses) resemble? Why? Why have so many gods and goddesses? The deities married, had families and children- why? O-D-H Activity What do you observe? What do you deduce? What do you hypothesize? Egyptian God- THOTH God of Wisdom, Time, Writing Represented by a male body with the head of an Ibis. Ibis=stork like bird with long legs and beak to catch fish in mud Ibis, symbolized wisdom because beak shaped like a pen and dips in the mud as if it was ink O-D-H Activity What do you observe? What do you deduce? What do you hypothesize? Egyptian God- OSIRIS • God of Vegetation and Underworld • Represented by a male body with a greenish complexion and usually depicted wrapped in white linen • The greenish complexion draws the connection with vegetation Notice: Osiris’ legs • Wrapped in white linen like a are bound together mummy to connect with the like a mummy underworld different from most Gods Goddess: Ma’at Ma’at- represented truth, righteousness and justice GUIDING QUESTIONS How would the concept of ma’at create balance and order in Egypt? How would ma’at affect everyone (from the Pharaoh to the people)? What is the connection of ma’at to life and the afterlife? Egyptian Theocracy A theocracy is a form of government in which the government (in ancient Egyptian case- the Pharaoh) claims to rule on behalf of a god or deities Think aloud: -Why would a king promote the belief that he had the support of the gods? -How would theocracy create the idea of “divine kingship”? -How would the concept of ‘divine kingship’ affect the status of the pharaoh? How did Pharaoh's rule? • absolute rulers of the land • believed to be the earthly embodiment of the god Horus who was the son of Amon-Re. Therefore they had the divine right to rule • This allowed the Pharaoh to move between god and their people (hourglass analogy) • People followed their orders because they believed they were from god = cult like status in life and in death • No one would challenge the King’s authority and he could rule in relative peace Fun Fact… -The throne passed on to eldest son of Principal Queen who was usual the eldest daughter of the previous king therefore the king’s __________ What do you observe? What do you deduce? What do you hypothesize? Afterlife: How is death is a new beginning? • mummification = significance and connection to nature •Monuments = significance of stone •Items in tomb = significance Education All children, regardless of social class, received some education Followed a moral and ethical guide “Instructions in Wisdom” Goal for education was to ensure youth exhibited self control and good manners Education respected for creating a well rounded individual Egyptian Art: “Funerary Scene” Ka (soul /spiritual duplicate) ba (personality) akh (form mummy took in afterlife) ankh (the key of life) Anubis, Ma’at, Ammit, Thoth, Horus, Osiris BIG IDEA… deities art Pharaoh laws Spirit Ba/ka afterlife politics nature ethics .