HIS 1111 World History I Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt The Egyptians were the first to create a high civilization that was stable enduring and secure Theirs was one of the longest lived in human history lasting more than 3 000 years and spanning 30 dynasties Geography of Ancient Egypt The Nile River s gentle flooding is seasonal predictable and controllable Navigable in both directions the Nile is a natural highway stretching almost 600 miles to the First Cataract Protective frontiers Mediterranean Sea western desert marshes of Suez Ancient Egypt Egyptian civilization centered on the life giving water and flood silts of the Nile River with most of the population living in Lower Egypt where the river splits to form the Nile delta Most of the pyramids built during the Old Kingdom are clustered south and west of Cairo Early Dynastic Egypt Early Dynastic Period c3 100 2 600 B C E c3 100 BCE Menes united Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt This union is symbolized by the double diadem worn by the pharaoh Old Kingdom Egypt The divine institution of the pharaoh mummification pyramids hieroglyphs Great Pyramids at Giza Statue of King Menkaure and His Queen During the Old Kingdom kings eventually called pharaohs were regarded as gods divine instruments who maintained the fundamental order and harmony of the universe and wielded absolute power Seated and standing statues of kings were commonly placed in Egyptian royal tombs Seen here are the standing portraits of King Menkaure and his queen Khamerernebty from the fourth dynasty By artistic convention rulers were shown in rigid poses reflecting their timeless nature Husband and wife show no emotion but are seen looking out into space Erich Lessing Art Resource NY Middle Kingdom Egypt New concern for the welfare of the people cult of Osiris ethics resurrection theme final judgment of all by Osiris Middle Kingdom Egypt Cult of Osiris Weighing the heart of the akh against the feather of truth Final Judgment by Osiris Judgment before Osiris Illustration from a Book of the Dead Dynasty 19 1285 B C Painted papyrus British Museum London Second Intermediate Period Invasion by the Hyksos the Shepard Kings Ancient Hebrews seek refuge migrate into Nile delta region land of Goshen New Kingdom Egypt Drive out Hyksos with new military Hebrews enslaved Armies venture out of Nile Valley into Near East conquer an empire that extended as far as Mesopotamia Became for a time the strongest power in ancient world Egyptian Empire c 1 450 BCE Source http xenohistorian faithweb com worldhis piclist html New Kingdom Egypt Akhenaton c 13641347 B C E Deposed Amon cult instituted monotheistic cult of Aton Established new capital at Akhetaten Nofretete Nofretete wife of Akhenaten Name the beautiful has come Strong position partly ruled with her husband Famous bustMuseum in Berlin New Kingdom Egypt Ramses II c 1 2791213 B C E 19th Dynasty Last of the conquering pharaohs Restored Egyptian power regained control of Palestine Possibly the pharaoh confronted by Moses Unable to reestablish the earlier empire Nubians in Egypt During the New Kingdom Egypt expanded to include Palestine and Syria to the north and the kingdom of Nubia to the south Nubia had emerged as an African kingdom around 2300 B C E Shown here in a fourteenth century B C E painting from an Egyptian official s tomb in Nubia are Nubians arriving in Egypt with bags and rings of gold Nubia was a major source of gold for the Egyptians Erich Lessing Art Resource NY Egypt in Eclipse Rule by several dynasties 1 085 c800 B C E Libyans Nubians Conquered by Assyria 8th Century B C E Conquered by Persia c 525 B C E Conquered by Alexander c330 B C E Came under Roman rule 31 B C E