Ancient Egypt Culture Society The Daily Life of

Ancient Egypt Culture & Society The Daily Life of Ancient Egypt 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires 1

Overview ¬ Population ¬ Language ¬ Social structure ¬ Divine kingship ¬ Arts and leisure ¬ Cosmology 24 -Nov-20 Skiffs in Nile Swamps Saqqara Mastaba 6 th Dynasty, 2300 BC GNED 002 - Ancient Empires 2

Population ¬ Numbers – Old Kingdom • 1 - 2 million – Roman Empire • 7 million ¬ Immigration – Nubians, Asiatics, Greeks – Small numbers, acculturated easily 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires Nubian tribute 3

Language ¬ Afro-Asiatic Egyptian language ¬ Five Ancient Language Periods – – – papyrus Old Egyptian (Predynastic Old Kingdom) Middle Egyptian (Middle Kingdom) Late Egyptian (New Kingdom) Demotic (Ptolemy to Middle Ages) Coptic Egyptian (Middle Ages to 1600’s) • replaced by Arabic ¬ Hieroglyphic (picture writing) – evolved into demotic (cursive writing) ¬ Literacy – Grew with growth of central administration “doctor” 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires scribe 4

Writing ¬ Hallmark of administrative class ¬ Hieroglyphic: picture writing Rosetta Stone – From Old Kingdom – Rosetta Stone: same text in Egyptian hieroglyphic, Egyptian demotic, and Greek – Cursive script 2500 BC ¬ Records, literature, hymns & prayers, technical manuals ¬ Papyrus workshops in temples: copying traditional texts 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires scribe 5

Social Structure ¬ Upper – pharaoh & court – high-level officials ¬ Middle – – lower-level officials local leaders, wealthy farmers priests & professionals artisans Royal couple ¬ Lower – common folk (majority) ¬ Slaves – Limited to captives, criminals 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires Sulptors 6

Divine Kingship ¬ Pharaoh son of Sun God - Re – Sent to maintain ma’at: divinely authorized order of universe – People’s link with gods – Rule ensured security, prosperity – Source of law, authority ¬ Centralized Power – All Egypt belongs to Pharaoh – Strong monarchy = strong central government ¬ Capital Cities – Old Kingdom: Memphis (near Cairo) – Middle & New Kingdom: Thebes (Luxor) 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires 7

Nomes and Cities 1 st nome - Saqqara ¬ 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 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires 8

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 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires 9

Bedouins The Imperial Military ¬ Old & Middle Kingdoms – Limited contact with other civilizations • Defense against desert raiders – Small standing army of professional soldiers • Local militia when needed ¬ New Kingdom – Expanded Empire • Nubia, Nubia Middle East – Trade, not territory • Access to resources e. g. Lebanese cedar 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires Egypt’s Kingdoms 10

The Army of Egypt ¬ Weapons – Striking weapons • club, mace, axe, sword, spear – Throwing weapons • javelin, bow, slingshot – Shield, helmet, armour – chariot after Hyksos invasion ¬ New Kingdom Army – Mercenaries – Nobility as officers – Use of specialized forces: sappers (military engineers), trenchers, shock troops – Rewards for excellence: land, slaves, social position 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires 11

Shipping and Trade ¬ Ships – River boats – Seafaring traders – Naval vessels ¬ Trade Routes – – Nubia: gold Sinai: copper, gems Canaan: cedar Punt: Punt ostrich eggs, ivory 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires 12

Artisans ¬ Carpenters – cabinet making, furniture ¬ Sculptors ¬ Stonemasons Chair for King Tut – tomb & temple complexes ¬ Goldsmiths – jewellry, funeral masks ¬ Weavers – linens ¬ Potters 24 -Nov-20 Funeral mask of Psusennes 21 st dynasty GNED 002 - Ancient Empires 13

Nefertari playing Senet Leisure ¬ Zoos & parks – gardens in house courtyard – animals & birds garden with fish pond ¬ Hunting & fishing – royal leopard hunts ¬ Games – ball, board – sports – toys ¬ Banquets – games, music, dancing 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires 14

Music ¬ Strings – Harps, lyres, lutes ¬ Percussion – Drums, rattles, cymbals ¬ Wind – Flutes, trumpets, oboes ¬ Vocal music 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires 15

Cosmology ¬ Religion rooted in landscape of Nile – Vision of cosmic order – Recurrent cycles, periodic renewal ¬ Pharaoh as Chief Priest – Temples, gifts to gods, tomb monuments – Required great wealth • Continuity of divine kingship • Ensure renewal of life 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires Menkaure and goddesses 16

Amen Gods of Ancient Egypt 1. Amen (Amon) – 2. Anubis – 3. Mother goddess of fertility & nature Anubis Isis Re (Ra) – 5. Jackal head, conductor of souls Isis – 4. Creation deity of Thebes creator, sun god Osiris – 24 -Nov-20 god of dead, underworld GNED 002 - Ancient Empires Osiris Re 17

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. 24 -Nov-20 GNED 002 - Ancient Empires Bes 18

Obsession with Afterlife canopic jar ¬ Death as hazardous journey to afterlife – Book of the Dead: ritual & prayer to protect soul – Weighing of deceased’s heart – Shabti: figurine servant as companion (also ushabti) ¬ Mummification – Organs removed to canopic jars – Body dried in natron • Naturally occurring • Salt & sodium carbonate – Sarcophagus: decorated casket in Sarcophagus of Tutankhamen 24 -Nov-20 tomb GNED 002 - Ancient Empires 19 shabti