SECTION 4 EGYPTIAN ACHIEVEMENTS BIG IDEA The Egyptians

SECTION 4: EGYPTIAN ACHIEVEMENTS

BIG IDEA The Egyptians made lasting achievements in writing, architecture, and art.

MAIN IDEA The Egyptians developed a writing system using hieroglyphics.

Topics in the Section: Egyptian Writing - Writing in Ancient Egypt The Rosetta Stone Egyptian Texts

EGYPTIAN WRITING

Egyptian Achievements: Hieroglyphs one of the world’s first writing sytems • Egyptians created hieroglyphics, which means “to teach”, as a form of writing. – The Egyptians had over 600 symbols – mostly pictures of objects. – 3300 B. C. the Egyptians wrote on stone of other hard material. Later they developed papyrus, which is a paper-like material made from reeds

At first hieroglyphics were carved in stone.

Egyptians invented one of the world’s first writing systems, using a series of images, symbols, and pictures called hieroglyphics (hy-ruh-GLIH-fiks).

Hieroglyphics – The ancient Egyptian writing system that used picture symbols.

Each symbol represented one of more sounds in the Egyptian language.

Hieroglyphs • Hieroglyphs – Pictures that were used to write the ancient Egyptian language – Originally used to keep records of the king’s possessions. Scribes could easily make these records by drawing a picture of a cow or a boat followed by a number. • As the language became more complex, more pictures were needed. Eventually the language consisted of more than 750 individual signs.

Later, they were written with brushes and ink on papyrus (puh-PY-ruhs).

Papyrus How to make papyrus paper http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=_FNtq. Akzpu. U

Papyrus – a long-lasting, paper–like material made from reeds that the ancient Egyptians used to write on.

Because papyrus didn’t decay, many ancient Egyptian texts still survive, including government records, historical records, science texts, medical manuals, and literary works such as The Book of the Dead.

The Book of the Dead Many texts are still available today, including the famous The Book of the Dead, which is about the afterlife.

CARTOUCHE Hieroglyphics could be written either horizontally or vertically. They could be written from right to left or from left to right. These options made hieroglyphics flexible to write but difficult to read. The only way to tell which way a text is written is to look at individuals symbols.

The Rosetta Stone • Today we are able to translate Hieroglyphics into English because of the discovery of Rosetta Stone. Hieroglyphs <-------- During Napoleon's Invasion of Egypt Discovered in 1799 <-------- Demotic <--------It was called the Rosetta Stone because it was found in the city of Rosetta Greek Carved in 196 BC

Rosetta Stone -A huge stone slab inscribed with hieroglyphics, Greek and a latter form of Egyptian that allowed historians to understand Egyptian writing

The discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799 provided the key to reading Egyptian writing, as its text was inscribed both in hieroglyphics and in Greek.

Video Clip: The Rosetta Stone Click Picture to See the Video Clip

Achievements • Pyramids There were about 80 along the banks of the Nile River. The largest is the Great Pyramid, built by King Khufu in about 2600 B. C. It stands about 481 feet high and covers 13 acres. The pyramids functioned as huge burial tombs for the Egyptians’ dead pharaohs and queens. • Ship-building They used the Nile River like a highway to transport people and goods to foreign lands. The first ships were made out of bundles of papyrus reeds tied together to make a canoe-like vessel. As the ship trade flourished, the hulls of the ships were made of cedar, and oars and sails were added for greater speed. • Hieroglyphics These were pictures and symbols that served as one of the first written languages in the world. • Calendars were developed in 4241 B. C. with 365 days in a year. It was based on the flooding of the Nile River. New Years was on June 1, not January 1!

READING CHECK • (COMPARING ) How is our writing system similar to hieroglyphics?

Temple of Karnak

EGYPT’S GREAT TEMPLES

MAIN IDEA The Egyptians created magnificent temples, tombs, and works of art.

Topics in the Section: Temples, Tombs, and Art - Egypt’s Great Temples Egyptian Art

Egyptians also built massive temples. Those that survive are among the most spectacular sites in Egypt today Egyptians believed that temples were the homes of the gods. People visited the temples to worship, offer the gods gifts, and ask for favors.

Egyptian architects are known not only for the pyramids but also for their magnificent temples.

The temples were lavishly designed with numerous statues and beautifully painted walls and pillars.

Many Egyptian temples shared similar features……………. . They had rows of sphinxes – Imaginary creatures with bodies of lions and heads of other animals or humans – they lined the path leading to the entrance

SPHINXES Sphinxes and obelisks were usually found near the entrances to the temples.

Sphinx - an imaginary creature with a human head and the body of a lion that was often shown on Egyptian statues

The entrance to many of temples have huge, thick gate. On either side of those gates might stand an OBELISK, a tall, four sided pillar that is pointed on top.

OBELISKS

OBELISK – a tall, pointed four-sided pillar in ancient Egypt.

TEMPLE OF KARNAK -Huge columns supported the temple’s roof -Columns were covered with paintings and hieroglyphics, -Statues of gods and pharaohs often stood along the walls as well. -The sanctuary, the most sacred part of the building, was at the far end of the temple

ABU SIMBEL - Carved out of a sandstone cliffs - Four 66 foot-tall statues show Ramses as pharaoh. -Nearby are some smaller statues of his family

TEMPLE AT LUXOR - City of 100 gates - Monuments include the Temple of Hatshepsut

EGYPTIAN ART

EGYPTIAN ART Egyptians were masterful artists, Egyptians painted lively, colorful scenes on canvas, papyrus, pottery, plaster, and wood. Detailed work also covered the walls of temples and tombs. The temple art was created to honor the gods, while the tomb art was intended for the enjoyment of the dead in the afterlife.

Ancient Egyptians were masterful artists and many of their greatest works are found in either the temples or the tombs of the pharaohs.

Most Egyptians however, never saw these paintings, because only kings, priests, or other important people could enter these places.

The subjects of Egyptian paintings vary widely. Some paintings show important historical events, such as the crowing of kings and the founding of temples. Others illustrate major religious rituals. Still other painting show scenes from everyday life, such as farming or hunting.

Egyptian paintings depict a variety of subjects, from crowning kings to illustrating religious rituals to showing scenes from daily life.

The paintings also have a particular style with people drawn as if they were twisting as they walked, and in different sizes depending upon their stature in society.

Distinctive Style Egyptian painting has a distinctive style. People’s heads and legs are always seen from the side, but their upper bodies and shoulders are shown straight on. In addition, people do not always appear the same size. Important figures such as a pharaohs appear huge in comparison to others. In contrast, Egyptian animals are usually drawn realistically.

In contrast, animals appear more realistically.

Other New Technologies • Shipbuilding – – Wooden boats Multiple-oars Sails Rope trusses to strengthen hulls

Egyptians were also skilled stoneworkers. Many tombs included huge statues and detailed carvings on the walls. They also made beautiful objects out of gold and precious stones. They made jewelry for both women and men. This included necklaces, collars, and bracelet. The Egyptians also used gold to make burial items for their pharaohs.

The Egyptians were also skilled stone and metal workers, creating beautiful statues and jewelry.

The Egyptians were also skilled stone and metal workers, creating beautiful statues and jewelry.

READING CHECK • (SUMMARIZING ) What types of artwork were contained in Egyptian tombs?