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Ancient Egypt Culture JM - F2014-1
Ancient Egypt Culture JM - F2014-1
Population
Language
Social structure
Divine kingship
Arts and leisure
Cosmology Skiffs in Nile Swamps
Saqqara Mastaba
6th Dynasty, 2300 BC
Numbers
– Old Kingdom
• 1 - 2 million
– Roman Empire
• 7 million
Immigration
– Nubians, Asiatics,
Greeks
– Small numbers,
acculturated easily
Nubian tribute
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Language
Nomes
– Provinces of Ancient Egypt
– Lower Egypt: 20, Upper Egypt: 22
– Nomarchs
• provincial governors
• supervised irrigation & dams, dispensed justice
Cities
– Pharaonic capitals
• No archaeology: still occupied
• Essential wealth in land & products
– Provincial capitals
• Religious and economic centres for region,
frontier fortresses
• Nubia ruled directly by viceroy of pharaoh
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Royal Bureaucracy
Writing records
– Land, labour, products, people
– Taxes up to 50%
Administration
– Palace, bureaucracy, army
– Built & maintained temples, monuments
to pharaoh
Simple geography of Nile lands easy
to administer
State monopoly over key sectors of
economy
– Some local private enterprise
Ships
– River boats
– Seafaring traders
– Naval vessels
Trade Routes
– Nubia: gold
– Sinai: copper, gems
– Canaan: cedar
– Punt:
Punt ostrich eggs, ivory
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Artisans
Carpenters
– cabinet making, furniture
Sculptors
Stonemasons Chair for
King Tut
– tomb & temple complexes
Goldsmiths
– jewellry, funeral masks
Weavers
– linens
Funeral mask of
Potters Psusennes 21st dynasty
Leisure
garden with
Zoos & parks fish pond
– gardens in house courtyard
– animals & birds
Hunting & fishing
– royal leopard hunts
Games
– ball, board
– sports
– toys
Banquets
– games, music, dancing
Strings
– Harps, lyres, lutes
Percussion
– Drums, rattles,
cymbals
Wind
– Flutes, trumpets, oboes
Vocal music
1. Amen (Amon)
– Creation deity of Thebes
2. Anubis
– Jackal head, conductor of souls
3. Isis Anubis
– Mother goddess of fertility & Isis
nature
4. Re (Ra)
– creator, sun god
5. Osiris
– god of dead, underworld
Osiris Re
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Temple of Amon
- Luxor
Ritual
Temple Cults
– God statue in inner room
– Priests serve daily needs
Festivals
– Boat litter carried god statue in public
Household Altars
– Offerings to
• Bes, god of marriage & family
• Local gods
• Family ancestors
Magic
– Amulets : An amulet (Latin amuletum) can be any object whose
most important characteristic is its alleged power to protect its owner from
danger or harm.
Bes
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Obsession with Afterlife
canopic jar