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Chapter 2: Ancient Egypt

Chapter 2: Ancient Egypt

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Ancient 34–35 Brian Lawrence/Image

Sphinx and in , Egypt

3500 .C. 2500 B.C. 1500 B.C. 500 B.C.

c. 3100 B.C. c. 2540 B.C. c. 1500 B.C. 728 B.C. Great Queen of Kush unites Pyramid at defeats Egypt Giza built reigns 034-037 Ch2 CO-824133 7/14/04 6:50 PM Page 35

Chapter Overview Visit Chapter Preview jat.glencoe.com for a preview While the people of fought wars, people of Chapter 2. along ’s formed rich and powerful civiliza- tions. Read this chapter to learn how the people of Egypt and Kush built large that still stand today. View the Chapter 2 video in the History: Journey Across Time Video Program. The Nile The fertile land along the great Nile River supported . Egypt’s Old Kingdom During the Old Kingdom period, Egyptians built , great , and a strong kingdom. The Egyptian Many changes occurred during Egypt’s Middle and New Kingdoms. It expanded into a great empire as , , and blossomed. The Civilization of Kush South of Egypt a new civilization arose called Kush. Kushites adopted Egyptian ways and eventually conquered Egypt itself.

Organizing Information Make this foldable to help you organize the key events and ideas from and Kush.

Step 1 Stack Step 2 Fold down the top edges of the to Reading and two sheets of form four tabs. Align the edges so that all of the As you read the chapter, paper so that layers or tabs are the same distance apart. take notes under the the front sheet appropriate tabs.Write is one inch This makes all main ideas and key terms higher than the the tabs the under the “what” tab. same size. back sheet. Step 3 Crease the paper to hold the tabs in Step 4 Label the booklet as place, then staple them together. the top shown and take notes on the three thicknesses to create a layered . inside.

Staple Egypt Kush together along the fold. where? where? when? when? what? what?

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Predicting What Do You Predict? A prediction is a guess based on what you already know. Making predictions before you read can help you understand and remember what you read. How do you make predictions? Read the Main Ideas below. They were taken from the opening page of Section 2 on page 47. Use these main ideas to make predictions about what you will read in this chapter. Predict what the term “all-powerful” • Egypt was ruled by all-powerful means. . • The Egyptians believed in many What does “life after and goddesses and in life death” mean? after death for . Can you • The Egyptians of the Old Kingdom predict what built huge stone pyramids as tools the for their pharaohs. Egyptians used to build —from page 47 the pyramids?

As you read, check your predictions to see if they were correct.

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Making Predictions Read to Write Select one blue sub- Read the Main Ideas below from Section 1 of head in this chapter.

Egyptian National , /SuperStock this chapter. Without reading the text under that subhead, write a paragraph that you think might appear there. Check the facts in your paragraph to see if they are correct. • The Egyptian civilization began in the fertile Nile River valley, where natural barriers discouraged invasions. • The Egyptians depended on the Nile’s to grow their crops. • Around 3100 B.C., Egypt’s two kingdoms, and , were combined into one. • Egyptian was divided into social groups based on wealth and power. —from page 38

Make at least one prediction about each of the main ideas. Write down each prediction. Then, as you read this section, decide if your predictions were correct.

Before you read the chapter, skim the questions on pages 74–75 in the Chapter Assessment and Activities. Choose three questions and predict what the answers will be. 37 038-046 Ch2 S1-824133 3/9/04 1:42 AM Page 38

The Nile Valley

What’s the Connection? Locating Places In Chapter 1, you learned about Egypt (EE•jihpt) the early civilization in Mesopotamia. Nile River (NYL) At about the same time, another (suh•HAR•uh) civilization was forming near the Nile River. We call this civilization ancient Meeting People Egypt. Narmer (NAR•muhr) Focusing on the Your Vocabulary • The Egyptian civilization began in cataract (•tuh•RAKT) the fertile Nile River valley, where delta (DEHL•tuh) natural barriers discouraged (puh•PY•ruhs) invasions. (page 39) hieroglyphics (HY•ruh•GLIH•fihks) • The Egyptians depended on the Nile’s (DY•nuh•stee) floods to grow their crops. (page 41) • Around 3100 B.C., Egypt’s two major Reading Strategy kingdoms, Upper Egypt and Lower Organizing Information Create Egypt, were combined into one. a diagram to describe Egyptians’ (page 43) systems. • Egyptian society was divided into social groups based on wealth and power. (page 45) Irrigation

5000 B..C.. 4000 4000 B..C.. 3000 3000 B..C..

Memphis c. 5000 B.C. c. 4000 B.C. c. 3100 B.C.

N i Egypt is made Narmer le R . begins along up of two unites Nile River kingdoms Egypt

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Settling the Nile form wild called cataracts (KA•tuh• RAKTS). Because of the cataracts, large The Egyptian civilization began in the can use the Nile only for its last 650 miles fertile Nile River valley, where natural barriers dis- (1,046 km), where it flows through Egypt. couraged invasions. Reading Focus Did you know that the Nile River is A Sheltered Land In Egypt, the Nile runs longer than the Amazon, the , and every through a narrow, valley. Look at the other river in the world? Read on to find out when map below. You can see that the Nile looks ancient peoples first moved to its fertile banks. like the long stem of a . Shortly before the Nile reaches the Mediterranean , it Between 6000 B.C. and 5000 B.C., hunters divides into different branches that look and gatherers moved into the green like the flower’s blossom. These branches Nile River valley from less fertile areas of fan out over an of fertile soil called a Africa and southwest . They settled delta (DEHL•tuh). In down, farmed the land, and created several Motion dozen villages along the riverbanks. These Ancient Egypt c. 3100 B.C. people became the earliest Egyptians. 30°E

A Mighty River Although Egypt (EE•jihpt) was warm and sunny, the land received little Dead rainfall. For , the Egyptians had to rely Sea on the Nile River (NYL). They drank from it, LOWER EGYPT bathed in it, and used it for farming, cook- 30°N Giza ing, and cleaning. The river provided Great Pyramid Memphis and ARABIAN and supported and . To the

Egyptians, then, the Nile was a precious gift. N

i l e They praised it in a song: “Hail O Nile, who WESTERN R EASTERN i v DESERT e DESERT comes from the , who comes to give life r to the people of Egypt.” UPPER EGYPT Even today, the Nile inspires awe. It is the world’s longest river, flowing north from N Thebes the heart of Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. W E KEY First Cataract This is a distance of some 4,000 miles (6,437 S Nile Valley km). Traveling the length of the Nile would be like going from Atlanta, , to San 0 100 mi. 0 100 km Francisco, , and then back again. Second Cataract Azimuthal Equidistant projection The Nile begins as two separate . One river, the , has its source in the of eastern Egyptian civilization developed in the narrow Africa. The other, the Nile, strip of 20fertile°N land along the Nile River. starts in marshes in . 1. What physical features border the Nile River The two rivers meet and form the to the east and ? Nile just south of Egypt. There, nar- 2. About how far is it from the first cataract to the second cataract? row cliffs and boulders in the Nile Find NGS online map resources @ www.nationalgeographic.com/maps 39 038-046 Ch2 S1-824133 3/9/04 1:53 AM Page 40

Today, the Nile River valley makes up only about 3 percent of Egypt’s land, yet most Egyptians live and work in the area. How did the surrounding the Nile Valley help protect Egypt?

On both sides of the Nile Valley and its people of Mesopotamia. In that , few delta, deserts unfold as far as the eye can natural barriers protected the cities. The see. To the west is a vast desert that forms Mesopotamians constantly had to fight off part of the Sahara (suh•HAR•uh), the largest attackers, but Egypt rarely faced threats. As desert in the world. To the east, stretching to a result, Egyptian civilization was able to the Red Sea, is the . In some grow and prosper. places, the change from green land to - Despite their isolation, the Egyptians ren sand is so abrupt that a person can were not completely closed to the outside stand with one foot in each. world. The Mediterranean Sea bordered The ancient Egyptians called the deserts Egypt to the north, and the Red Sea lay “the Red Land” because of their burning beyond the desert to the east. These bodies heat. Although these vast expanses could of water gave the Egyptians a way to trade not support farming or life, they with people outside Egypt. did serve a useful purpose: they kept out- Within Egypt, people used the Nile for side armies away from Egypt’s . trade and transportation. from the Other geographic features also pro- north pushed sailboats south. The flow of tected the Egyptians. To the far south, the the Nile carried them north. Egyptian vil- Nile’s dangerous cataracts blocked enemy lages thus had frequent, friendly contact from reaching Egypt. In the north, the with one another, unlike the hostile relations delta marshes offered no for between the Mesopotamian -states. invaders approaching from the sea. In this Summarize What was regard, the Egyptians were luckier than the Egypt’s physical setting like?

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One reason for their success was the The River People wise use of irrigation. Egyptian The Egyptians depended on the Nile’s first dug basins, or -shaped holes, in floods to grow their crops. the earth to trap the floodwaters. The - Reading Focus When you hear about floods, do you ers then dug to carry water from the picture terrible damage and loss of life? Read on to basins to fields beyond the river’s reach. learn why the Egyptians welcomed, rather than feared, The Egyptians also built dikes, or earthen the . banks, to strengthen the basin . In time, Egyptian farmers developed In Chapter 1, you learned that the peo- other to help them in their work. ple of Mesopotamia had to tame the floods For example, they used a (shuh • of the and Rivers in order DOOF), a bucket attached to a long pole, to to farm. They learned to do so, but the lift water from the Nile to the basins. Many unpredictable rivers loomed as a constant Egyptian farmers still use this device today. threat.

Regular Flooding Like the Mesopotamians, the Egyptians also had to cope with river Hymn to floods. However, the Nile floods were much more dependable and gentle than the Nile those of the Tigris and the Euphrates. As a This passage is part of a hymn written around 2100 B.C. It shows how important the Nile result, the Egyptians were able to farm and River was to the people of ancient Egypt. live securely. They did not worry that sud- “You create the grain, you bring forth the , , heavy overflows would destroy their assuring perpetuity [survival] to the . If and crops, or that too little flooding you cease your toil and your work, then all that would leave their fields parched. exists is in anguish.” Every , heavy rains from central —author unknown, “Hymn to the Nile” Africa and melting from the high- lands of added to the of the Nile as it flowed north. From July to October, the Nile spilled over its banks. When the waters went down, they a layer of dark, fertile mud. Because of these deposits, the Egyptians called their land Kemet (KEH • meht), “the Black Land.”

How Did the Egyptians Use the Nile? The A shadoof Egyptians took advantage of the Nile’s floods to become successful farmers. They planted wheat, barley, and seeds in the How does this hymn show that the ancient wet, rich soil. Over time, they grew more Egyptians thought of the Nile as a ? than enough food to feed themselves and the animals they raised.

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Early Egyptians also developed geome- stood for objects and ideas. To communicate

try to survey, or measure, land. When the idea of a , for example, a scribe ti/CORBIS floods washed away boundary markers would draw a boat. Later, Egyptians created dividing one field from the next, the symbols that stood for sounds, just as the Egyptians surveyed the fields again to see letters of our do. Combining both where one began and the other ended. picture symbols and sound symbols created Egyptians used Papyrus (puh•PY•ruhs), a a complex that was later reed that grew along the Nile, to make called hieroglyphics (HY •ruh •GLIH•fihks). baskets, , and river rafts. Later, they In ancient Egypt, few people could read (bl)Giraudon/Art Resource, NY, (r)Gianni Dagli Or NY, (bl)Giraudon/Art Resource, used papyrus for papermaking. They did and write. Some Egyptian men, however, this by cutting strips from the stalks of the went to special schools located at Egyptian plant. Then they soaked them in water, temples to reading and writing and pounded them , dried them, and then learn to become scribes. Scribes kept joined them together to make paper. records and worked for the rulers, , and traders. Scribes also painstakingly What Were Hieroglyphics? The Egyptians carved hieroglyphics onto stone walls and used their papyrus rolls as writing paper. monuments. For everyday purposes, Like the people of Mesopotamia, the scribes invented a simpler script and wrote Egyptians developed their own system of or painted on papyrus. writing. Originally, it was made up of thou- Identify What crops did sands of picture symbols. Some symbols the ancient Egyptians grow?

From Farming to Food Harvesting wheat and turning it into bread was vital to the ancient Egyptians. Some people were full-time farmers, but many others were drafted by the to help during busy . The process began as showing wheat men cut the wheat with harvested wooden and women gathered it into bundles. Animals trampled the wheat to separate the kernels from the husks. The grain was then thrown into the air so the would carry away the lightweight seed coverings. Finally, the grain was stored in silos for later use.

Tomb painting showing Egyptian man and plowing and planting

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A United Egypt The Rise of Government The advances in farming, crafts, and trade created a need for Around 3100 B.C., Egypt’s two major government in Egypt. Irrigation systems kingdoms, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, were com- had to be built and maintained, and surplus bined into one. grain had to be stored and passed out in Reading Focus What types of services does your times of need. In addition, disputes over provide? Read on to find out about land ownership had to be settled. Gradually, (l)Caroline Penn/CORBIS, (others)Kenneth Garrett the government in ancient Egypt. government emerged to plan and to direct such activities. In Egypt, as in Mesopotamia, skillful The earliest rulers were village chiefs. farming led to surpluses—extra amounts— Over time, a few strong chiefs united of food. This freed some people to work as groups of villages into small kingdoms. The artisans instead of farmers. They wove strongest of these kingdoms eventually cloth, made , carved , or overpowered the weaker ones. By 4000 B.C., shaped into weapons and tools. Egypt was made up of two large kingdoms. As more goods became available, In the Nile delta was Lower Egypt. To the Egyptians traded with each other. Before south, upriver, lay Upper Egypt. long, Egyptian traders were carrying goods beyond Egypt’s borders to Mesopotamia. Egypt’s Ruling Families About 3100 B.C., the There they may have picked up ideas about two kingdoms became one. Credit for this writing and government. goes to Narmer (NAR • muhr), also known

Baking bread in pots

Wheat being harvested today Turning grain into bread was a long process. Women ground the grain into flour, then men pounded it until it became very fine. For the wealthy, seeds, , fruit, nuts, and herbs were added to the dough for flavor. Unfortunately, it was almost impossible to keep small stones and sand out of the flour. As a result, many Egyptians developed as these particles wore down their tooth enamel.

A replica of an ancient Connecting to the Past Egyptian bakery 1. How did the government ensure that enough people were available to harvest the wheat? 2. Why do you think seeds, fruit, and other additives were for the wealthy? 43 038-046 Ch2 S1-824133 6/30/05 5:46 PM Page 44

ComparingComparing MesopotamiaMesopotamia toto EgyptEgypt Mesopotamia Egypt Natural Defenses Flat mud plains; few Many defenses: Nile delta, natural defenses Sahara, Eastern Desert, and cataracts

Rivers Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Nile River

Floods Unpredictable, and a constant Dependable and regular; threat to the people not feared

Economy Farming and trade Farming and trade

Government City-state led by kings and priests; Villages led by chiefs, then united eventually formed into kingdoms; kingdoms later united and ruled by pharaohs

Work of Artisans Metal products, pottery, cloth Metal products, pottery, cloth

Advances • writing • Hieroglyphic writing • system based on 60 • 365-day calendar • 12-month calendar • Number system based on 10, • Wagon , plow, sailboat and • Medicine and first medical

The of both Mesopotamia and Egypt depended on rivers for fertile lands and irrigation. Narmer’s held together 1. Which civilization had greater natural long after his death. Members of his family defenses? Explain. passed the ruling power from father to son 2. Compare Use the chart to compare the to grandson. Such a line of rulers from one of the two civilizations. family is called a dynasty (DY • nuh • stee). When one dynasty died out, another took its place. as (MEE • neez). As king of Upper Over time, ancient Egypt would be Egypt, he led his armies north and took con- ruled by 31 , which together lasted trol of Lower Egypt. about 2,800 years. group Egypt’s Narmer ruled from Memphis, a city he dynasties into three main time periods built on the border between the two king- called kingdoms. The earliest period, the doms. To symbolize the kingdom’s unity, Old Kingdom, was followed by the Middle Narmer wore a double : the helmet- Kingdom and then the New Kingdom. Each like white crown represented Upper Egypt, marked a long period of strong leadership and the open red crown represented Lower and stability. Egypt. Define What is a dynasty?

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Early Egyptian Life Egypt’s Social Classes Egypt’s upper class was made up of nobles, priests, and other Egyptian society was divided into wealthy Egyptians who worked as the social groups based on wealth and power. government officials. They lived in cities and Reading Focus Did you play with or on large estates along the Nile River. They when you were young? Egyptian children did too. had elegant homes made of and mud Keep reading for more details about the Egyptians’ , with beautiful gardens and pools daily life. filled with fish and water lilies. Wealthy fam- ilies had servants to wait on them and to per- If you made a diagram of the different form household tasks. The men and women social groups in ancient Egypt, you would dressed in white clothes and wore find that they make a pyramid shape. At the heavy eye makeup and jewelry. top was the king and his family. Beneath Egypt’s middle class included people that level was a small upper class of priests, who ran businesses or produced goods. army commanders, and nobles. Next came They lived in much smaller homes and a larger base of skilled middle-class people, dressed more simply. Artisans formed an such as traders, artisans, and shopkeepers. important group within the middle class. At the bottom was the largest group— They produced linen cloth, jewelry, pottery, unskilled workers and farmers. and metal goods.

Ancient Egyptian society was highly structured. At the top Pharaoh was the pharaoh and his family. At the bottom was the group with the least wealth—unskilled workers. What group was just below the pharaoh in Egyptian Priests and society? nobles

Traders, artisans, shopkeepers, and scribes

Farmers and herders

Unskilled workers

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Farmers made up the largest group of Family Life In ancient Egypt, the father early Egyptians. Some rented their land from headed the family. However, Egyptian their ruler, paying him with a hefty portion women had more rights than females in of their crops. Most, however, worked the most other early civilizations. In Egypt, land of wealthy nobles. They lived in vil- women could own and pass on property. lages along the Nile, in one- huts with They could buy and sell goods, make wills, roofs made of palm leaves. They had a sim- and obtain divorces. Upper-class women ple diet of bread, , vegetables, and fruit. were in charge of temples and could per- Many of Egypt’s city dwellers were form religious ceremonies. unskilled workers who did physical labor. Few Egyptians sent their children to Some unloaded from boats and car- school. Mothers taught their daughters to ried it to markets. Others made and stacked sew, cook, and run a household. Boys mud bricks for . Workers lived in learned farming or skilled trades from crowded city neighborhoods. They had their fathers. Egyptian children had time small mud- homes with hard-packed for fun, as . They played with board dirt and a for the family’s games, dolls, spinning tops, and stuffed animals. On the flat rooftops, families leather balls. talked, played games, and slept. Women worked on the rooftops, drying fruit, mak- Identify Who made up the ing bread, and weaving cloth. largest group in Egyptian society?

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What Did You Learn? Reading Summary 1. What is papyrus and how did 4. Skills How did the Egyptians use it? Review the the geography of the Nile River 2. What rights did women have in valley to the growth of a • The deserts on either side of the civilization there? Nile Valley, along with the Nile ancient Egypt? cataracts and delta marshes, pro- Critical Thinking 5. Describe Describe the Egyptian writing system. tected Egypt from invaders. 3. Cause and Effect Draw a • The Egyptians became successful diagram to show three things 6. Analyze What was the signif- farmers using the Nile River’s that led to the growth of gov- icance of Narmer’s double floods and irrigation. ernment in ancient Egypt. crown? • About 3100 B.C., Narmer united 7. Predicting Use Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt. what you have learned in this section to write a paragraph • Egypt’s society was divided into Growth of Government in predicting what life might have upper-class priests and nobles, Ancient Egypt been like on an ancient middle-class artisans and mer- Egyptian farm. chants, and lower-class workers and farmers.

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Egypt’s Old Kingdom

What’s the Connection? Meeting People In Section 1, you learned that King (KOO•foo) Egyptian dynasties are divided into the Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, Building Your Vocabulary and New Kingdom. In Section 2, pharaoh (FEHR•oh) you will learn about the Egyptians’ (DEE•uh•tee) leaders, religion, and way of life in (ihm•BAHM•ihng) the Old Kingdom. (MUH•mee) pyramid (PIHR•uh• MIHD) Focusing on the • Egypt was ruled by all-powerful Reading Strategy pharaohs. (page 48) Organizing Information Use a • The Egyptians believed in many gods graphic organizer like the one below and goddesses and in life after death to identify the different beliefs in for the pharaohs. (page 49) Egypt’s religion. • The Egyptians of the Old Kingdom built huge stone pyramids as tombs for their pharaohs. (page 50) Egyptian beliefs Locating Places Giza (GEE•zuh)

2600 B..C.. 2400 2400 B..C.. 2200 2200 B..C.. Giza Memphis c. 2600 B.C. c. 2540 B.C. c. 2300 B.C.

N Old Kingdom Great Pyramid Old Kingdom i le R period begins at Giza built declines .

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sure that crops were planted as the pharaoh Old Kingdom Rulers directed. They also controlled trade and col- Egypt was ruled by all-powerful lected payments of grain from farmers. pharaohs. Why did Egyptians willingly serve the Reading Focus Would you want your student body pharaoh? One reason was that they believed president or your sports team captain to have unlimited the unity of the kingdom depended on a Sylvain Grandadam/Getty Images authority? Think what it would be like to have such a strong leader. Another was that they consid- leader as you read about the rulers of ancient Egypt. ered the pharaoh to be the son of Re (RAY), the Egyptian god. As a result, his subjects Around 2600 B.C., the period known as paid him the greatest respect. Whenever he the Old Kingdom began in Egypt. The Old appeared in public, people played on Kingdom lasted until about 2300 B.C. During flutes and . Bystanders along the those years, Egypt grew and prospered. The had to bow down and “smell the earth,” Egyptians built cities and expanded trade, or touch their heads to the ground. and their kings up a strong government. The Egyptians thought their pharaoh The Egyptian kings, or pharaohs (FEHR• was a god on earth who controlled Egypt’s ohs) as they were called, lived with their fami- welfare. He carried out certain rituals that lies in grand . In fact, the word pharaoh were thought to benefit the kingdom. For originally meant “great .” The pharaoh example, he drove a sacred around was an all-powerful ruler who guided Egypt’s Memphis, the city. The Egyptians every activity. His word was , and it had to believed this ceremony would keep the soil be obeyed without question. rich and ensure good crops. The pharaoh Pharaohs appointed many officials to was also the first to cut ripe grain. Egyptians carry out their wishes. These officials saw to believed this would bring a good harvest. it that irrigation canals and grain store- Analyze Why did the were built and repaired. They made pharaohs hold so much power?

The Great Sphinx, a huge with the head of a man (perhaps a pharaoh) and the body of a , stands guard outside the tomb of a pharaoh. What did the word pharaoh mean, and why was it used for Egypt’s rulers? 047-052 Ch2 S2-875047 9/7/06 8:37 PM Page 49

Egypt’s Religion The Egyptians believed in many gods and goddesses and in life after death for the pharaohs. Reading Focus Have you seen in horror movies? Maybe you’ve even wrapped yourself in strips of cloth to be a mummy for a costume party. Keep read- ing to find out how the ancient Egyptians made mum- mies, and why.

Religion was deeply woven into Egyptian . Like the people of Mesopotamia, the ancient Egyptians wor- shiped many (DEE•uh•teez), or gods and goddesses. The Egyptians believed these deities controlled the forces of and human activities. The main Egyptian god was the sun god Re. This was probably because of Egypt’s During the embalming process, the pharaoh’s , sunny and the importance of body was placed on a special . The chief embalmer was dressed as , the god of the sun for good harvests. Another major mummification. Why did the Egyptians god was (HAH • pee), who ruled the embalm the pharaoh’s body? Nile River. The most important goddess was (EYE • suhs). She represented the loyal wife and mother, and she ruled over the For centuries, Egyptians believed that dead with her husband (oh•SY•ruhs). only the pharaohs and an elite few could enjoy the . They also believed that Life After Death Unlike the Mesopota- the pharaoh’s spirit needed a body to make mians, who imagined a gloomy life after the journey to the afterlife. If the pharaoh’s death, the Egyptians took a hopeful view. body decayed after death, his spirit would They believed that life in the next world be forced to wander forever. It was vital would be even better than life on Earth. that a pharaoh’s spirit reach the next world. Following a long journey, the dead would There, the pharaoh would continue to care reach a place of peace and plenty. for Egypt. One of the most important To protect the pharaoh’s body, the written in ancient Egypt was the Book of the Egyptians developed a process called Dead. This was a collection of spells and embalming (ihm•BAHM•ihng). First, priests that Egyptians studied to obtain life removed the body’s organs. A special , after death. They believed that the god Osiris , was then applied to the body, and it would meet newcomers at the entrance to the was stored for a number of days to dry. After next world. If they had led good lives and this, the body was filled with and per- knew the magic spells, Osiris would grant fumes, then stitched closed. Next, it was them life after death. cleaned with oils and tightly wrapped with

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long strips of linen. The wrapped body was known as a mummy (MUH•mee). It was The Pyramids in several wooden , one fitting inside The Egyptians of the Old Kingdom built the other. The pharaoh was then ready for huge stone pyramids as tombs for their pharaohs. in a tomb. Reading Focus Do you think the or the White House will still be here in 4,000 years? The Egyptian Medicine In the course of giant pyramids of Egypt have stood for about that long. embalming the dead, the Egyptians learned Read to find out how and why they were built. much about the human body. Egyptian doc- tors used herbs and drugs to treat many dif- No ordinary tomb would do for a ferent illnesses. They grew skilled at sewing pharaoh of Egypt. Instead, the Egyptians up cuts and setting broken bones. built mountainlike pyramids (PIHR • uh • Some doctors focused on treating par- MIHDS) entirely of stone. These gigantic struc- ticular parts of the body, becoming the tures, the size of several city blocks, protected first specialists in medicine. Egyptians the bodies of dead pharaohs from floods, also wrote the world’s first medical books wild animals, and grave robbers. The pyra- on scrolls of papyrus. mids also held supplies that the pharaoh Identify Who were some might need in the spirit world, including of the Egyptians’ main gods and goddesses? clothing, , jewelry, and food.

Egypt’sEgypt’s ReligionReligion

Osiris

In this painting, the god Osiris (seated at right) watches as other -headed gods weigh a dead man’s and record the results. The scales have balanced, so the dead man may enter the . What was the ?

50 CHAPTER 2 Ancient Egypt (t)The , (b)Musee du , /Explorer/SuperStock 047-052 Ch2 S2-824133 3/9/04 2:49 AM Page 51

How Was a Pyramid Built? It took thou- for the walls, the Egyptians made advances sands of people and years of backbreaking in . They invented a system of labor to build a pyramid. Most of the work written based on 10. They also cre- was done by farmers during the Nile floods, ated fractions, using them with whole num- when they could not tend their fields. In bers to add, subtract, and divide. addition, surveyors, engineers, carpenters, After the pyramid site was chosen, and stonecutters lent their skills. workers went wherever they could find Each pyramid sat on a base, with stone—sometimes hundreds of miles away. the entrance facing north. To determine Skilled artisans used copper tools to cut the true north, the Egyptians studied the heav- stone into huge blocks. Other workers tied ens and developed principles of astron- the blocks to wooden sleds and pulled omy. With this knowledge, they invented a them to the Nile over a path “paved” with 365-day calendar with 12 months grouped logs. Next, they loaded the stones onto into 3 seasons. This calendar became the that were floated to the building basis for our modern calendar. site. There, workers unloaded the blocks To determine the amount of stone needed and dragged or pushed them up ramps to for a pyramid, as well as the angles necessary be set in place.

InsideInside aa PyramidPyramid

Ancient Egyptians buried their kings within large stone buildings called pyramids. 1 Air Shaft

2 King's Burial Chamber The king's mummified body was placed in a room at the pyramid's center.

3 Grand Gallery This tall, sloping held large blocks that sealed the tomb.

4 Queen's Burial Chamber This chamber held a statue of the king, not the queen's body.

5 Entrance 6 Underground Burial Chamber Sometimes kings were buried here instead.

7 Queen's Pyramids These smaller pyramids are believed to be tombs for the king's wives.

8 These tombs surrounding the pyramids held royal family members and other nobles.

9 Valley This temple may have been used for rituals before the king was buried. 047-052 Ch2 S2-824133 3/17/05 11:38 AM Page 52

The Great Pyramid About 2540 B.C., the Egyptians built the largest and grandest of the pyramids known as the Great Pyramid. It is located about 10 miles from the mod- ern city of Cairo. This pyramid, built for King Khufu (KOO•foo), is one of three still standing in Giza on the west of the Nile. It rises nearly 500 feet (153 m) above the desert, covers an area about the size of nine football fields, and contains more than 2 million stone blocks. Each block weighs an average of 2.5 tons. The Great Pyramid was the tallest struc- ture in the world for more than 4,000 years. It is equal to the size of a 48-story building and is the largest of about 80 pyramids found in Egypt. The Great Pyramid is truly a marvel because the Egyptians built it The pyramid shown above is that of King without using beasts of burden, special , son of Khufu. Although smaller than the tools, or even the wheel. Great Pyramid, Khafre’s pyramid was built on higher ground so as to appear taller. About Explain What was the pur- how tall is the Great Pyramid? pose of pyramids?

Study Central™ Need help with the material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com What Did You Learn? Reading Summary 1. How was stone for a pyramid 4. Math/ Link How did transported to the building site? the building of the pyramids Review the 2. What did Egyptians learn from lead to advances in science and The all-powerful rulers of Egypt, • embalming bodies? mathematics? called pharaohs, were believed to 5. Compare and Contrast be related to Egypt’s main god. Critical Thinking How did the Egyptians’ reli- • The Egyptians believed in many 3. Organize Information Draw gious beliefs compare to those gods and goddesses. They also a diagram like the one below. of the Mesopotamians? believed in life after death for the Fill in details about the 6. Persuasive Writing Suppose pharaoh, whose body would be pharaohs of the Old Kingdom you are an Egyptian pharaoh mummified before burial. and their duties. who wants a pyramid built to • The pyramids, built as huge stone house your tomb. Write a tombs for the pharaohs, required to the farmers and workers in many years and thousands of Pharaohs your kingdom explaining why it workers to construct. is their duty to build the pyra- mid for you.

52 CHAPTER 2 Ancient Egypt John Heaton/CORBIS 053-058 CH2 WL-824133 3/13/04 2:28 AM Page 53

Translated by Lise Manniche

Before You Read The Scene: This story takes place in ancient times in Egypt and in an area that is now . The Characters: The first characters introduced are the , his son, and the seven goddesses, who predict the prince’s death. When the prince travels, he meets Chief of Naharín and his daughter. The Plot: For many years, the king of Egypt protects his son from the death that was predicted for him. The prince convinces his father to let him travel. He meets a princess, and together they try to prevent his fate. Vocabulary Preview destiny: an already-determined fugitive: a person who runs course of events away or escapes ferried: carried by boat folly: a foolish action enchant: to cast a spell vessel: a container on something exalting: praising

In this story, a prince must avoid three types of animals because it was predicted that one of them would kill him. The people who love him try to prevent him from coming into contact with the animals, but the prince does not want to live in fear.

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As You Read This is one of the world’s oldest known fairy tales. It was written in hieroglyphics more than 3,000 years ago. The places in the tale are real, and the prince and princess may have been based on real people, as well. The ancient Egyptians often made important people the main characters in their stories. º There once was a king of Egypt who had no sons at all. So the king asked the gods of his time for a son and they decided that he should have one.... The seven Hathor goddesses1 came to decide the boy’s fate and they declared, “He is destined to be killed by a or a or a dog.” The people who were at the boy’s side heard this. They reported it to the king and his heart grew sad. The king had a house of stone built for the boy at the edge of the desert, supplied with servants and with all sorts of good things from the , for the child was not to go outside. There the boy grew up. One day he climbed up to the of the house and saw a dog following a man, who was walking along the road. “What is that?” he asked his servant.

1seven Hathor goddesses: goddesses who visited newborn children to discover their fates

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“It’s a dog,” the servant replied. of my daughter shall have her for “Let me have a dog like that,” the boy his wife.” said. The sons of all the chiefs had been The servant reported this to the king trying to reach the window each day for and the king said, “His heart is sad. Let many days when the prince passed by him have a bounding little puppy.” them. So they gave the boy a dog. They took the prince to their house, F In time, the young prince grew and they bathed him, they rubbed him restless and he sent a message to his with oil, and they bandaged his feet. They father, saying, “Why should I stay here gave fodder6 to his and food to his doing nothing? After all, my destiny has servant. They did for the been determined. Allow me to do as I young man. C wish until I meet my fate.” And to start a conversation, they said, The king replied saying “Let a “Where do you come from, you chariot2 be prepared for him, equipped handsome youth?” with all sorts of weapons, and assign a “I am the son of a officer from servant to accompany him.” Egypt. My mother died and my father G So they did as the king commanded took another wife. My stepmother grew and gave him all that he needed. Then they to hate me and I have fled her.” D ferried him across the Nile to the east bank They welcomed him and kissed him. and said to him, “Now go as you wish.” And the dog was with him. 6fodder: food for cattle, horses, and The prince traveled as he pleased northwards across the desert, living on the best of all desert game. Thus he came to the realm of the Chief of Naharín,3 who had no children— E except one daughter. He had built a house for her with a window cubits4 from the ground. The Chief of Naharín then sent for all the sons of all the chiefs of Kharu,5 saying, “He who can jump up to the

2chariot: a two-wheeled, -drawn car 3Naharín: an area east of the Euphrates River in present-day Iraq 4cubits: units of length based on the length of the from the elbow to the fingertips 5Kharu: an area in present-day 053-058 CH2 WL-824133 3/13/04 2:32 AM Page 56

Several days later the prince asked the A messenger went to inform her father. youths, “What are you doing here in “One of the young men has reached Naharín?” the window of your daughter,” the “The past three months we have messenger said. spent each day jumping, for the Chief of “Whose son is it?” the Chief of Naharín will give his daughter to the one Naharín inquired. who reaches her window,” they said. “He is the son of a chariot officer from “Oh, if only I could enchant my feet, I Egypt. He has fled from his stepmother.” would jump with you,” said the prince. The Chief of Naharín grew very The youths went off to jump, as it was angry. “Am I to give my daughter to a their daily custom, while the prince stood fugitive from Egypt? Send him !” at a distance, watching. “You must go back where you came From her window the daughter of the from,” the messenger said to the prince. Chief of Naharín gazed at him. But the princess clung to the prince, At last, when many days had passed, and she swore, “As Re lives, if they take the prince joined the sons of the chiefs. him from me, I will not eat, I will not He jumped and he reached the window , I will die within the !” of the daughter of the Chief of Naharín. When the messenger had reported She embraced him and she kissed him. everything she had said to her father, her father sent men to kill the prince then and there. Again the princess swore, “As Re lives, if they kill him, I shall die before sunset. I will not live an hour more than he!” They repeated this to her father, and the Chief of Naharín had the prince and his daughter brought before him. The young man impressed the Chief, who welcomed him and kissed him and said, “Now you are like my own son. Tell me about yourself.” “I am the child of a chariot officer from Egypt,” said the young man, “My mother died and father took another wife. She grew to hate me, and I have fled from her.” The Chief of Naharín gave his daughter to the prince, and he gave him a house and fields and herds and everything they needed.

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When they had lived together for A snake came out of its hole some time, the young man told his wife, intending to bite the prince, but the “I know my fate. I shall be killed by one vessels tempted it and the snake drank of three: a crocodile or a snake or a dog.” from them, got drunk and rolled over on K “Then,” she said, “the dog that follows its back to sleep. you everywhere must be killed.” His wife chopped the snake in three M “That would be folly,” he replied. “I pieces with her axe. Then she roused her will not have the dog killed for I have had husband and said to him, “See, your god it ever since it was a puppy.” has placed one of your fates in your So his wife began to watch over him hands. He is protecting you.” closely, and she did not allow him to go The prince made offerings to his god out alone. Re, adoring him and exalting his power It so happened that on the very day each day that passed. the prince had arrived in Naharín, the After some time, the prince went for a L crocodile, his fate, began to follow him. It stroll around his estate. His wife stayed at caught up with him in the town where the home, but his dog followed him. prince lived with his wife. Suddenly the dog turned on him and But there in the was a giant who the prince fled from it. would not let the crocodile out, and so He ran to the edge of the lake and the crocodile refused to let the giant out. jumped into water to escape the dog, but For three whole months they had been there the crocodile seized him and fighting all day long, beginning each day dragged him off to find the giant. at sunrise. The prince spent many pleasant days in his house, and in the evenings when the breeze died down, he went to . M One evening when sleep had overcome him, his wife filled a vessel with and another with beer. Then she sat down beside him, but she did not sleep. 053-058 CH2 WL-824133 3/13/04 2:35 AM Page 58

“I am pursuing you, for I am your fate,” said the crocodile. “Listen, for three whole months I have been fighting with the giant. I will let you go now if you will take my side and kill the giant when he returns to fight.” So the prince waited by the water all that night, and when dawn broke and a second day began, the giant returned. The giant began to fight the crocodile at once, but the prince stepped forward with his scimitar7 in his . He cut out the heart of the giant and the giant died. At that very moment the dog sneaked up behind the prince. It attacked him and tore him to bits and spread the pieces all about. When the prince failed to return, his wife set out to look for him. After seven days and seven nights in search for him, she came upon his remains. She collected all the pieces of her husband’s body and put them back together again—except for his heart. That she placed in a lotus flower which was blooming on the water. Lo and behold, the prince reappeared as he had been before. From that day on the prince and princess lived together happily until they crossed over to the fields of the blessed. º 7scimitar (SIH • muh • tuhr): a long sword with a curved blade

Responding to the Reading 1. How did the prince’s father and wife try to protect him? 2. How would this story be different if it were told from the point of view of the prince? 3. Evaluating Information Do you think the prince paid enough attention to the goddesses’ warning? Why or why not? Support your opinion with examples. 4. Drawing Conclusions Why do you think the prince lied to the Chief of Naharín about his parents? 5. Read to Write Suppose you are the prince, captive house, or the princess, captive in the tower. Write three diary entries about your daily life, your feelings about being kept away from society, and your hopes for the future.

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The Egyptian Empire

What’s the Connection? Locating Places During the Old Kingdom, Thebes (THEEBZ) Egyptians established their civilization. During the Middle Kingdom and the Meeting People New Kingdom, Egypt’s powerful (AHM•OHS) pharaohs expanded the empire by Hatshepsut (hat•SHEHP•soot) conquering other lands. III (thoot•MOH•suh) Akhenaton (AHK•NAH•tuhn) Focusing on the Tutankhamen • The Middle Kingdom was a (TOO •TANG•KAH•muhn) of peace, prosperity, and advances in Ramses II (RAM•SEEZ) the and architecture. (page 60) • During the New Kingdom, Egypt Building Your Vocabulary acquired new territory and reached tribute (TRIH•byoot) the height of its power. (page 61) (IHN•SEHNS) • Akhenaton tried to change Egypt’s Reading Strategy religion, while Tutankhamen is Categorizing Information Create famous for the treasures found in his a diagram to show the major tomb. (page 64) accomplishments of Ramses II. • Under Ramses II, Egypt regained territory and built great temples, but Ramses the empire fell by 1150 B.C. (page 65)

2400 B..C.. 1600 1600 B..C.. 800 800 B..CC..

Memphis c. 2050 B.C. c. 1500 B.C. c. 1279 B.C. Middle Kingdom Queen Hatshepsut Ramses II takes Thebes begins reigns the throne

N

i l e R .

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The Middle Kingdom The Middle Kingdom was a golden age of peace, prosperity, and advances in the arts and architecture. Reading Focus Have you heard older people talk about enjoying their “golden years”? can also experience such happy, productive times. In the fol- lowing paragraphs, you’ll learn why the Middle Kingdom was a golden age for Egypt.

About 2300 B.C., the pharaohs lost con- trol of Egypt as nobles battled one another for power. Almost 200 years of confusion followed. Finally, a new dynasty of pharaohs came to power. They moved their capital south from Memphis to a city called This artwork with inlay from the Middle Thebes (THEEBZ). There they restored order Kingdom period shows a funeral boat. How did and stability, ushering in a new period architecture change during the Middle Kingdom? called the Middle Kingdom. The Middle Kingdom lasted from about 2050 B.C. to 1670 B.C. During this time, than godlike figures. Poets wrote love Egyptians enjoyed a golden age of stability, songs and tributes to the pharaohs. prosperity, and achievement. A new form of architecture was also created. Instead of building pyramids, The Drive for More Land During the pharaohs had their tombs cut into cliffs Middle Kingdom, Egypt took control of west of the Nile River. This area became new lands. Soldiers captured Nubia to the known as the . south and attacked what is now Syria. The conquered peoples sent tribute (TRIH • Who Were the ? The Middle byoot), or forced payments, to the Egyptian Kingdom came to an end in 1670 B.C. pharaoh, enriching the kingdom. Within Nobles were again plotting to take power Egypt, the pharaohs added more waterways from the pharaohs. This time, however, and . They increased the amount of Egypt also faced a serious threat from out- land being farmed and built a between side. A people known as the Hyksos (HIHK• the Nile River and the Red Sea. SAHS), from , attacked Egypt.

The Arts Blossom During the Middle Kingdom, arts, literature, and architecture thrived. Painters covered the walls of tombs and temples with colorful scenes of the Web Activity Visit jat.glencoe.com deities and daily life. Sculptors created large and click on Chapter 2—Student Web Activity to learn more about ancient Egypt. carvings and statues of the pharaohs, showing them as ordinary people rather

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The Hyksos were mighty warriors. They crossed the desert in horse-drawn The New Kingdom and used weapons made of and During the New Kingdom, Egypt acquired iron. Egyptians had always fought on foot new territory and reached the height of its power. with copper and stone weapons. They were Reading Focus Do you know the of any no match for the invaders. women who hold political office? In ancient civiliza- The Hyksos ruled Egypt for about 120 tions, women rarely held positions of power. Read to years. Then, around 1550 B.C., an Egyptian learn how a woman became ruler of Egypt. prince named Ahmose (AHM • OHS) led an uprising that drove the Hyksos out of Ahmose’s reign in Egypt began a period Egypt. known as the New Kingdom. During this Identify Who were the time, from about 1550 B.C. to 1080 B.C., Egypt Hyksos? reached the height of its ancient glory.

Hieroglyphs and Computer Computer icons The ancient Egyptian system of writing was made up of hundreds of different characters called hieroglyphs. Each hieroglyph was a picture that represented a word. For example, a large circle with a smaller circle drawn in its center meant “sun.” Egyptian scribes carved hieroglyphic symbols on monuments and used them for everyday .

Today, millions of people use computer icons as symbols for words and even emotions in e- and other electronic communication. These icons are pictures—such as or paper clips—that represent other things. In what way are hieroglyphs and computer icons similar? Hieroglyphs

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tools, and weapons for gold, ivory, , A Woman Ruler About 1473 B.C., a queen (IHN SEHNS) named Hatshepsut (hat•SHEHP•soot) came and incense • , a material burned to power in Egypt. She ruled first with her for its pleasant smell. husband and then, after his death, on behalf Another product Egyptians wanted was of her young nephew. Finally she made wood. The Nile Valley had few trees, and the herself pharaoh. Hatshepsut became one of Egyptians needed wood for boats and other the few women to rule Egypt. items. The search for wood took Egyptian Hatshepsut was more interested in traders to the , where trade than conquest. During her reign, is located today. The region had Egyptian traders sailed along the east many trees, and its people, called the of Africa. They exchanged beads, metal Phoenicians, were famous for their wooden furniture. In Motion Trading brought great wealth to Egypt. Egyptian Kingdoms Hatshepsut used some of this wealth to build monuments. One of her greatest proj- 30°E 40°E ects was a huge temple and tomb in the limestone cliffs of the Valley of the Kings. SYRIA Expanding the Empire When Hatshepsut Mediterrranean Sea died, her nephew, Thutmose III (thoot • N MOH • suh), became pharaoh. Thutmose’s NILE DELTA WE armies expanded Egypt’s borders north to

S the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia. His 30 Giza °N ARABIAN troops also moved south and regained Memphis PENINSULA control of Nubia, which had broken LOWER 0 300 mi. from Egypt earlier. N EGYPT i 0 300 km le R Lambert Azimuthal R e Thutmose’s empire grew rich from . d Equal-Area projection S trade and tribute. In addition to claiming e Thebes a gold, copper, ivory, and other valuable goods from conquered peoples,

TROPIC OF CANCER KEY Egypt enslaved many prisoners of Old Kingdom war. These unfortunate captives UPPER Land added during Middle Kingdom EGYPT Land added during New Kingdom were put to work rebuilding Pyramids Thebes. They filled the city with

20°N beautiful palaces, temples, and monuments. had not been widespread in Egypt before. During the New Kingdom, however, it became common. Enslaved peo- During the Middle Kingdom, the capital of ple did have some rights. They could own Egypt moved from Memphis to Thebes. land, marry, and eventually be granted 1. Which kingdom included lands across the their freedom. Mediterranean Sea? 2. What physical feature makes up much of the Summarize Describe eastern border of the Middle Kingdom? Egyptian trade during the rule of Hatshepsut.

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HATSHEPSUT Hatshepsut Reigned 1473–1458 B.C. Hatshepsut was the daughter of King and Queen Aahmes. Even as a young princess, she was confident, describing herself as “exceedingly good to look upon ...a beautiful maiden” who was “serene [peaceful] of nature.” During her marriage to King Thutmose II, Hatshepsut influenced her husband’s decisions and hoped to someday have more power. She saw an opportunity when Thutmose died and declared herself pharaoh. Because the position of pharaoh was usually passed from father to son, Hatshepsut had to prove that she was a good leader. She often wore men’s clothing to convince the people that she could handle what had always been a man’s . “A dictator excellent Unlike other pharaohs, Hatshepsut avoided conquests. She focused her attention of plans” instead on expanding Egypt’s . She restored —Egyptian scribe quoted in Tides Egypt’s wealth through trade with Africa and Asia. Returning home from trading expeditions, cargo ships were loaded with ebony, gold, ivory, incense, and . During her reign, Hatshepsut also rebuilt many of Egypt’s great temples, including the temple at . In her temple at Deir el Bahri, the reliefs on the walls recorded the major events of Hatshepsut’s reign. Hatshepsut’s 21-year reign was peaceful, but her stepson, Thutmose III, was plotting against her. He overthrew Hatshepsut and her government. It is unknown how Hatshepsut died, but after her death, Thutmose III ordered that the reliefs and statues in Make a list of Hatshepsut’s strengths as a Hatshepsut’s temple be destroyed. leader. Then choose a present-day female leader and list her leadership strengths. Write a paragraph comparing their similarities and differences.

63 Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift,1929 (29.3.3) 059-067 Ch2S3-8241333/9/043:26AMPage64 1. Connecting to thePast 2. as awoman withtheheadofacat. often appears inpaintingsandstatues and andbeauty, grace, motherhood, Sherepresented goddess . associated themwiththe becausethey ’s body mummified. their grief andhadthe eyebrows toshow shaved their itsowners died, family’sEgyptian cat When an andcollars. rings, nose orgold , as such beautiful jewelry, statues were adornedwith Oftenthe statues ofcats. and carvings, , have found many wall archaeologists tombs, family pettogoddess. valued hunter toadored andtheirrole developed from tame, catsbecame several hundred years, Over supplies from miceandrats. grain of wildcatstoprotect villages’ valued Egyptians theability worshiped. catswere loved andeven Egypt, Cats inAncientEgypt Why first didancientEgyptians value cats? With what goddess didtheancient Egyptians associatecats? Egyptians Egyptians worshipedEgyptians In ancientEgyptian In ancient as acat depicted goddess Egyptian TEET muhn predecessor. The Legacies of Two Pharaohs a newdirection. the helpofhiswife, ing theempire. of itslandsinwestern Asia, greatly shrink- attacked Egypt. As aresult, Egyptlostmost mies from whatisnowTurkey, theHittites, and Akhenaton tooknoactionwhenene- experienced astheprieststheyreplaced, administrators heappointedwere notas he neglectedhisdutiesaspharaoh.The became sodevotedtohisnewreligion that the onlygod.Meanwhile, Akhenaton Egypt itself.Theyrefused toaccept Aton as on thegodsseemedtobeanattack a newcity. “Spirit of Aton.” Hebeganruling Egyptfrom “King Tut.” Read onto findoutmore abouthimandhis Egyptian pharaoh, theanswer you’re likely to getis Reading Focus treasures found inhistomb. religion, whileTutankhamen isfamous for the Akhenaton desses. Instead,onlyonegod,called Aton that sweptawaytheoldgodsandgod- introduced anewreligion an attempttomaintainhisownpower, power attheexpenseofpharaohs.In ized thatEgypt’spriestswere gaining A Religious Reformer (AH temples. Hethenchangedhisnameto positions, seizedtheirlands,andclosed Amenhotep removed manyfrom their Egypt’s priestsresisted thesechanges, About 1370 To mostEgyptians, Akhenaton’s attacks • • ee) HOH • tuhn) , Amenhotep triedtoleadEgyptin Akhenaton triedto changeEgypt’s • ( TEHP , was tobeworshiped.When , AHK If you askpeopleto namean ) • B came tothethrone. With NAH . C ., Amenhotep IV ., Amenhotep • tuhn) Amenhotep real- , which , means ( NEHF • uhr ( AH • •

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Tutankhamen’s The End of the New Kingdom gold mask Under Ramses II, Egypt regained terri- tory and built great temples, but the empire fell by 1150 B.C. Reading Focus Egypt remained mighty for thou- sands of years, but it finally fell to outsiders. Read to learn about Egypt’s last great pharaoh and the empire’s decline.

During the 1200s B.C., pharaohs worked to make Egypt great again. The most effective of these pharaohs was Ramses II (RAM • SEEZ). He reigned for a remarkable 66 years, from 1279 B.C. to 1213 B.C. During this time, Egyptian armies regained lands in western Asia and rebuilt the empire. Ramses also launched an ambitious building program, constructing The Boy King When Akhenaton died, his several major new temples. son-in-law inherited the throne. The new pharaoh, Tutankhamen (TOO • TANG • KAH • muhn), was a boy about 10 years old. He relied on help from palace officials and priests, who convinced him to restore the old religion. After ruling for only nine years, Tutankhamen died unexpectedly. He may have suffered a fall or been murdered; no one is sure. What is certain is that “King Tut,” as he is nicknamed, played only a small role in Egypt’s history. Why, then, is he the most famous of all pharaohs? The boy king cap- tured people’s imaginations after a British archaeologist, , found his tomb in A.D. 1922. The tomb contained the king’s mummy and incredible treasures, including a brilliant gold mask of the young pharaoh’s face. Carter’s find was a thrilling discovery, because most royal tombs in Egypt were looted by robbers long ago. Evaluate Why is Temple of Karnak Tutankhamen so famous today?

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Statue of Ramses II holding an offering RAMSES II table Reigned 1279–1213 B.C. Ramses II began his military training at a very young age. Ramses’ father, I, allowed his 10-year-old son to serve as a captain in his army. Seti also made his son coruler of Egypt. By the time Ramses was crowned pharaoh of Egypt, he was a great warrior and experienced leader. Nine kings who ruled after Ramses II named themselves in his honor. Many centuries later, archaeologists nicknamed “They all came bowing the pharaoh “Ramses the Great” because of his fame on the down to him, to his battlefield, his and restoration of buildings and monuments, and his popularity among the Egyptian people. His palace of life and subjects fondly called him “Sese,” an abbreviation of Ramses. satisfaction.” Ramses continued in his father’s footsteps by trying to —hieroglyphic restore Egyptian power in Asia. In the early years of his reign, by James B. Pritchard, he defeated forces in southern Syria and continuously battled Ancient Near Eastern Texts Egypt’s longtime enemy, the . Details about one costly battle with the Hittites were carved on temple walls, showing the Egyptians succeeding against great odds. During his 66-year reign, Ramses II undertook a large-scale building program. He could afford such an expensive plan because Egypt was very prosperous during his reign. He restored , completed the Temple of Karnak, and built himself a city with four temples as well as beautiful gardens and orchards. He is famous for the temple built at . It was carved out of a solid rock cliff and featured four huge statues of Ramses II, two on each side of the doorway. Ramses’ first wife, Queen , died early in his reign. Like other pharaohs, Ramses had many wives. Ramses II was proud of his large family, which included more than 100 children.

Use the Internet and your local library to learn about Mount Rushmore, a in . Describe Mount Rushmore, and then compare it to Ramses’ temple at Abu Simbel. of Ramses II

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Why Were Temples Built? Under Ramses Egypt’s Decline and Fall After Ramses II, II and other New Kingdom rulers, scores of Egypt’s power began to fade. Later pharaohs new temples rose throughout Egypt. Many had trouble keeping neighboring countries were built by enslaved people captured in under Egyptian control. Groups from the war. The most magnificent was Karnak at eastern Mediterranean attacked Egypt by sea, Thebes. Its huge columned hall decorated using strong iron weapons. The Egyptians with colorful paintings still impresses visi- had similar arms, but they paid dearly for tors today. them because Egypt lacked iron ore. Unlike modern churches, temples, and By 1150 B.C., the Egyptians had lost their , Egyptian temples did not hold empire and controlled only the Nile delta. regular services. Instead, most Egyptians Beginning in the 900s B.C., Egypt came prayed at home. They considered the - under the rule of one outside group after ples as houses for the gods and goddesses. another. The first conquerors were the Priests and priestesses, however, performed Libyans from the west. Then in 760 B.C., the daily temple rituals, washing statues of the people of Kush, a land to the south, seized deities and bringing them food. power and ruled Egypt for the next 70 The temples also served as banks. years. Finally, in 670 B.C., Egypt was taken Egyptians used them to store valuable over by the Assyrians. items, such as gold jewelry, sweet-smelling Identify What groups con- oils, and finely woven cloth. quered Egypt starting in the 900s B.C.?

Study Central™ Need help with the material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com

What Did You Learn? Reading Summary 1. What improvements did the 4. Evaluate What was unusual Middle Kingdom rulers make? about the reign of Hatshepsut? Review the 2. What purposes did temples • During the Middle Kingdom, Egypt 5. Analyze How did Akhenaton serve in Egypt? expanded its borders, and the arts upset the traditional order? flourished. Critical Thinking 6. Compare and Contrast • Under New Kingdom rulers, 3. Organizing Information Describe the similarities and Egypt built a strong empire and Create a chart like the one differences between the rule of expanded trade. below. Fill in details about Hatshepsut and Ramses II. • Akhenaton failed in his attempt Egypt’s Middle Kingdom and 7. Expository Writing Which to create a new religion. New Kingdom. of the rulers discussed in this section do you think had the Tutankhamen ruled briefly but Middle Kingdom New Kingdom gained fame because of treasures greatest effect upon Egyptian found buried with him. history? Write a short essay to explain your answer. • Ramses II was Egypt’s last great pharaoh. In the 900s B.C., Egypt lost power to outside invaders.

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The Civilization of Kush

What’s the Connection? Meeting People In Sections 1, 2, and 3, you (KAHSH•tuh) learned about the rise and fall of Piye (PY) civilizations in ancient Egypt. Another civilization in early Africa Building Your Vocabulary was Kush. It was located near Egypt savanna (suh•VA •nuh) and was very similar. Reading Strategy Focusing on the Compare and Contrast Use a Venn • To the south of Egypt, the diagram like the one below to show settled in farming villages and the similarities and differences became strong warriors. (page 69) between and Meroë. • The people of Kush devoted themselves to ironworking and grew wealthy from trade. (page 70) Napata Meroë Locating Places Nubia (NOO••uh) Kush (KUHSH) (KAR•muh) Napata (NA•puh•tuh) Meroë (MEHR•oh•ee)

800800 B..C.. 700 700 B..C.. 600 600 B..C.. 500 500 B..C..

N i c. 750 B.C. 728 B.C. c. 540 B.C. le R . Kashta of Piye of Kush Kush moves Kush conquers defeats Egyptians capital to Meroë Napata part of Egypt Mero¨e

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grew crops, but they were also excellent Nubia hunters, skilled at using the . To the south of Egypt, the Nubians set- Soon the Nubians began forming armies tled in farming villages and became strong warriors. known for their fighting skills. Reading Focus Are you on good terms with your neigh- bors? It’s not always easy—for individuals or countries. The Kingdom of Kerma The more pow- Read on to find out about the Egyptians’ neighbors to the erful Nubian villages gradually took over south and the ways the two civilizations mixed. the weaker ones and created the kingdom of Kerma (KAR • muh). Kerma developed The Egyptians were not alone in settling close ties with Egypt to the north. The along the Nile River. Farther south, in Egyptians were happy to trade for Kerma’s present-day , another strong civiliza- cattle, gold, ivory, and enslaved people. tion arose. This was in a region called They also admired Nubian skills in warfare Nubia (NOO•bee•uh), later known as Kush and hired Nubian warriors to fight in their (KUHSH). armies. Historians do not know exactly when Kerma became a wealthy kingdom. Its people arrived in Nubia. Evidence suggests artisans made fine pottery, jewelry, and metal that cattle herders arrived in about 2000 B.C. goods. Like Egyptian pharaohs, the kings of They grazed their herds on the savannas Kerma were buried in tombs that held pre- (suh•VA •nuhs), or grassy plains, that stretch cious stones, gold, jewelry, and pottery. These across Africa south of the Sahara. Later, peo- items were as splendid as those found in ple settled in farming villages in Nubia. They Egypt during the same period.

In this wall painting, four Nubian princes offer rings and gold to an Egyptian ruler. What kingdom was formed when more powerful Nubian villages took over weaker ones?

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Why Did Egypt Invade Nubia? As you The Rise of Kush learned earlier, the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III sent his armies into Nubia in The people of Kush devoted them- the 1400s B.C. After a 50-year war, the king- selves to ironworking and grew wealthy from trade. dom of Kerma collapsed, and the Egyptians Reading Focus Do you and your friends ever trade took control of much of Nubia. They ruled video games or CDs? Trading may be a casual activity the Nubians for the next 700 years. for you, but it was very important to ancient peoples. During this time, the people of Nubia Read to find how Kush took advantage of its location along an important . adopted many Egyptian ways. They began to worship Egyptian gods and goddesses As Egypt declined at the end of the New along with their own. They learned how Kingdom, Nubians saw their chance to to work copper and bronze and changed break away. By 850 B.C., a Nubian group to fit their own lan- had formed kingdom of guage. As people and goods continued to Kush. For the next few centuries, powerful pass between Nubia and Egypt, the two Kushite kings ruled from the city of Napata mixed. (NA•puh•tuh). Identify Where was Kush Napata was in a favorable location. It located? stood along the upper Nile where trade caravans crossed the river. Caravans soon carried gold, ivory, valuable , and Kush Kingdom c. 250 B.C. other goods from Kush to Egypt.

Mediterranean Sea 30°E 40°E

30°N

Memphis N i l e R ARABIA EGYPT . R Thebes e d KEY S Kush e SAHARA a

20°N 0 300 mi. Napata N 0 300 km Mero¨e Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection WE

S

10°N These Kushite pyramids were much smaller and had more steeply sloped sides than Egyptian Kush developed along the Nile River to the south of Egypt. pyramids. How else was 1. Which of Kush’s capital cities was closest to Meroë rebuilt to look Egypt? like an Egyptian city? 2. Based on its location, where might trade that passed through Kush have come from?

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In time, Kush became rich enough and strong enough to take control of Egypt. About 750 B.C., a Kushite king named Selecting a Kashta (KAHSH • tuh) headed north with a powerful army. His soldiers began the New King conquest of Egypt that his son Piye (PY) When their king died, the Kushites asked completed in 728 B.C. Piye founded a the god Amon-Re to appoint a new leader. dynasty that ruled both Egypt and Kush “[The Kushite officials said] ‘We have come to you, O Amon-Re . . . that you might give to us from Napata. a lord. . . . That beneficent office [helpful task] The kings of Kush greatly admired is in your hands—may Egyptian culture. In Napata they built you give it to your son white sandstone temples and monuments whom you love!’ similar to those of the Egyptians. The Then they offered the Kushites also built small pyramids in which king’s brothers before to bury their kings. The of these pyra- this god, but he did not mids can still be seen today. take one of them. For a second time there was offered the king’s The Importance of Iron Kush’s rule in brother . . . Aspalta . . . Egypt did not last long. During the B.C., [Amon-Re said] ‘He is the Assyrians invaded Egypt. Armed with your king.’” iron weapons, they drove the Kushites back Lion statue —author unknown, to their homeland in the south. c. 600 B.C., in honor of “The Selection of Aspalta Despite their losses, the Kushites gained King Aspalta as King of Kush” something from the Assyrians—the secret of making iron. The Kushites became the first Africans to devote themselves to iron- Do you think Aspalta was qualified to be working. Soon, farmers in Kush were using king? Why or why not? iron for their hoes and plows instead of copper or stone. With these superior tools, they were able to grow large amounts of grain and other crops. access to the Nile River for trade and trans- Kush’s warriors also began using iron portation. The rocky desert east of Meroë, spears and swords, increasing their military however, contained rich deposits of iron power. Meanwhile, traders from Kush car- ore. As a result, Meroë became not only a ried iron products and enslaved people as trading city but also a center for making far away as Arabia, , and . In iron. return, they brought back , , With their growing wealth, Kush’s and other goods. kings rebuilt Meroë to look like an Egyptian city. Small pyramids stood in the A New Capital About 540 B.C., Kush’s rulers royal graveyard. A huge temple sat at the left Napata and moved farther south to be end of a grand avenue lined with sculp- out of the Assyrians’ reach. In the city of tures of rams. Sandstone palaces and red- Meroë (MEHR • oh • ee), they set up a royal brick houses had walls decorated with court. Like Napata, the new capital had paintings or blue and tiles.

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Building a Profitable Trade Meroë became Kushite King the center of a huge trading network that stretched north to Egypt’s border and south The Kushite king into central Africa. Kush’s traders received was one of the most skins and valuable woods from the powerful leaders in interior of Africa. They traded these goods, Nubian history. During his reign, the kingdom along with enslaved workers and their own grew and prospered. iron products, to people throughout the He built many large Mediterranean and the Indian area. temples in and Kush remained a great trading power around Egypt and Kush. What for some 600 years. By the A.D. , though, kingdom replaced the kingdom began to weaken. As Kush Kush? declined, another kingdom rose to take its place. The kingdom is called Axum and was located in what is today the of . Around A.D. 350, the armies of Kushite king Axum burned Meroë to the ground. You Taharqa will read more about the kingdom of Axum when you study Africa. Explain How did Kush become a wealthy kingdom?

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What Did You Learn? Reading Summary 1. Who were the Nubians? 4. Geography Skills Why Review the 2. What were the Kushites’ most was Napata’s location advantageous? • In the Nile Valley to the south of important economic activities? Egypt, the Nubians founded the Critical Thinking 5. Analyze How did the Kushite kingdom of Kerma and traded kings demonstrate their admi- 3. Sequencing Draw a diagram ration for Egyptian culture? with the Egyptians. to show events that led up to the Kushite conquest of Egypt. 6. Compare Describe the simi- larities between Kush and • The Kushites set up a capital at Egypt. Meroë that became a center for ironmaking and the base of a 7. Persuasive Writing Create huge trading network. an advertisement that could have been used in ancient Egypt and Kush to promote the many uses of iron. Kush Conquest of Egypt

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Study anywhere, anytime! Download quizzes and flash cards Section The Nile Valley to your PDA from glencoe.com.

Vocabulary Focusing on the cataract • The Egyptian civilization began in the fertile Nile River valley, where natu- delta ral barriers discouraged invasions. (page 39) papyrus • The Egyptians depended on the Nile’s floods to grow their crops. (page 41) hieroglyphics • Around 3100 B.C., Egypt’s two major kingdoms, Upper Egypt and Lower dynasty Egypt, were combined into one. (page 43) • Egyptian society was divided into social groups based on wealth and power. (page 45) Section Egypt’s Old Kingdom

Vocabulary Focusing on the pharaoh • Egypt was ruled by all-powerful pharaohs. (page 48) deity • The Egyptians believed in many gods and goddesses embalming and in life after death for the pharaohs. (page 49) mummy • The Egyptians of the Old Kingdom built huge stone pyramid pyramids as tombs for their pharaohs. (page 50) Section The Egyptian Empire

Vocabulary Focusing on the tribute • The Middle Kingdom was a golden age of peace, prosperity, incense and advances in the arts and architecture. (page 60) Tutankhamen’s • During the New Kingdom, Egypt acquired new territory gold mask and reached the height of its power. (page 61) • Akhenaton tried to change Egypt’s religion, while Tutankhamen is famous for the treasures found in his tomb. (page 64) • Under Ramses II, Egypt regained territory and built great temples, but the empire fell by 1150 B.C. (page 65) Section The Civilization of Kush

Vocabulary Focusing on the savanna • To the south of Egypt, the Nubians settled in farming villages and became strong warriors. (page 69) • The people of Kush devoted themselves to ironworking and grew wealthy from trade. (page 70) 73 073-075 CH2 CRA-824133 3/22/04 8:55 AM Page 74

Review Vocabulary Section 2 • Egypt’s Old Kingdom Match the definitions in the second to 10. What were the Egyptians’ religious beliefs? the terms in the first column. Write the letter of 11. Where did Egyptians of the Old Kingdom each definition. bury their pharaohs? ___ 1. savanna a. area of fertile soil at Section 3 • The Egyptian Empire the end of a river 12. Why was the Middle Kingdom called a golden age? ___ 2. tribute b. reed plant used to make baskets, rafts, 13. Why are Akhenaton and Tutankhamen and paper well-known? Section 4 • The Civilization of Kush ___ 3. cataract c. grassy plain 14. Where did the Nubians live? ___ 4. delta d. rapids 15. What made the Kushites wealthy? ___ 5. hieroglyphics e. Egyptian writing system Critical Thinking ___ 6. pharaoh f. forced payments 16. Describe Identify the four social groups ___ 7. papyrus g. title for Egyptian in ancient Egypt, and explain who leaders belonged to each group. 17. Synthesize How do you think religious Review Main Ideas leaders reacted to Akhenaton’s changes? Section 1 • The Nile Valley 18. Analyze Do you agree that Egyptian civi- 8. What natural barriers protected Egypt lization can be called “the Gift of the from invasion? Nile”? Explain. 9. What factors divided Egyptians into social 19. Compare In what ways did Meroë look groups? like an Egyptian city?

Predicting What Do You Predict?

Read these sentences from page 72. 20. Based on what you know about the loca- As Kush declined, another kingdom rose to tion of Ethiopia and the culture of Kush take its place. The kingdom is called Axum and Egypt, predict what the kingdom of and was located in what is today the country Axum might be like. Check your predic- of Ethiopia. Around A.D. 350, the armies of tions when you read about medieval Axum burned Meroë to the ground. You will Africa. read more about the kingdom of Axum when you study Africa. To review this skill, see pages 36–37.

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Self-Check Quiz To help prepare for the Geography Skills Chapter Test, visit jat.glencoe.com Study the map below and answer the following questions. 21. Location The Nile empties into what ? Using Technology 22. Movement Why would ancient Egyptians 26. Developing Multimedia Presentations find it easier to travel north and south than Use the Internet and your local library to to travel east and west? find out more about the reign of one of the 23. Human/Environment Interaction Why Egyptian pharaohs. Create a computer is most farming in ancient Egypt and in slide show presentation that includes present-day Egypt done along the Nile? details about the pharaoh’s reign and life. Include an illustrated time line of significant Ancient Egypt events.

30°E Linking Past and Present KEY 27. Organizing Information Nile Valley Use the Internet Mediterranean Sea and atlases to locate present-day countries that rely heavily on a major river. Make a NILE DELTA chart listing the country, the river, the LOWER EGYPT river’s length and average depth, and how N 30° Giza the people of that country use the river. Great Pyramid Memphis and Sphinx

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i l e WESTERN R EASTERN Red Sea i v DESERT e DESERT r Analyze N UPPER EGYPT 0 100 mi. W E Thebes The Greek noticed 100 km S 0 that the Nile was different from other Azimuthal Equidistant projection rivers. “The Nile, when it floods, spreads over not Read to Write only the Delta but parts of what are called 24. Descriptive Writing Imagine you are an and Arabia for two days’ journey in ancient Egyptian pharaoh. You are making either direction, more or less....This that I plans that your followers will carry out have mentioned was the subject of my after your death. Describe the types of persistent asking why, and also why it is items you want buried with you in your that it is the only river that has no breezes pyramid. Then explain what people from blowing from it.” later centuries will know about you if they —Herodotus, The History, 2.19 find those items. 25. Using Your Use your foldable to describe one of the civilizations from the chapter, including such things as religious 28. According to Herodotus, how much life, family life, and contributions. A class- land does the Nile cover when it mate should identify which civilization you floods? are describing. Then your classmate will 29. What two questions does Herodotus describe a civilization, and you will identify ask about the Nile? it. When you are finished, discuss similari- ties and differences among the civilizations.

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