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    Ancient Egypt

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    api-347951553
    The document provides an overview of ancient Egyptian history from the Predynastic Period through the Old Kingdom. It describes how early agricultural communities established two kingdoms in Egypt that were later united under King Menes. During the Archaic Period, King Menes founded Memphis as the capital and established the foundations of Egyptian society. The Old Kingdom marked the peak of pyramid building, including the iconic Great Pyramids at Giza. However, overspending on pyramids and a growing nobility/priesthood weakened later Old Kingdom pharaohs' power.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Ancient Egypt

    Uploaded by

    api-347951553
    135 views3 pages
    The document provides an overview of ancient Egyptian history from the Predynastic Period through the Old Kingdom. It describes how early agricultural communities established two kingdoms in Egypt that were later united under King Menes. During the Archaic Period, King Menes founded Memphis as the capital and established the foundations of Egyptian society. The Old Kingdom marked the peak of pyramid building, including the iconic Great Pyramids at Giza. However, overspending on pyramids and a growing nobility/priesthood weakened later Old Kingdom pharaohs' power.

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    The document provides an overview of ancient Egyptian history from the Predynastic Period through the Old Kingdom. It describes how early agricultural communities established two kingdoms in Egypt that were later united under King Menes. During the Archaic Period, King Menes founded Memphis as the capital and established the foundations of Egyptian society. The Old Kingdom marked the peak of pyramid building, including the iconic Great Pyramids at Giza. However, overspending on pyramids and a growing nobility/priesthood weakened later Old Kingdom pharaohs' power.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    135 views3 pages

    Ancient Egypt

    Uploaded by

    api-347951553
    The document provides an overview of ancient Egyptian history from the Predynastic Period through the Old Kingdom. It describes how early agricultural communities established two kingdoms in Egypt that were later united under King Menes. During the Archaic Period, King Menes founded Memphis as the capital and established the foundations of Egyptian society. The Old Kingdom marked the peak of pyramid building, including the iconic Great Pyramids at Giza. However, overspending on pyramids and a growing nobility/priesthood weakened later Old Kingdom pharaohs' power.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    The first

    in a two-
    part
    series

    For almost
    30
    centuries,
    ancient
    Egypt was
    the
    leading
    civilization
    in the Mediterranean world. From the great pyramids of the Old Kingdom
    through the military conquests of the New Kingdom, Egypt has entranced
    archaeologists and historians. It even has its own field of study, Egyptology.

    We learn about ancient Egypt from the monuments, objects and artifacts
    found at archaeological sites, covered with hieroglyphs that have only
    recently been deciphered. These pieces of history show a culture rich in art,
    architecture and religious traditions.

    Predynastic Period (5000-3100 B.C.)

    Few written records or artifacts have been found from the period before
    dynasties, or family lines that ruled Egypt. The period included at least 2,000
    years of development of the Egyptian civilization.

    Late Stone Age communities in northeastern Africa exchanged hunting for


    agriculture. The change allowed the development of Egyptian arts and crafts,
    technology, politics and religion.
    Around 3400 B.C., two kingdoms were established: the Red Kingdom to the
    north and the White Kingdom in the south. A southern king, Scorpion, made
    the first attempts to conquer the northern kingdom around 3200 B.C. A
    century later, King Menes subdued the north and united the country,
    becoming the first king of the first dynasty.

    Archaic (Early Dynastic) Period (3100-2686 B.C.)

    King Menes founded the capital of ancient Egypt at what would become
    Memphis, in the north. The period saw the development of the foundations of
    Egyptian society, including the ideology of kingship. To the Egyptians, the
    king was a godlike being, closely identified with the all-powerful god Horus.
    The earliest known hieroglyphic writing also dates to this time.

    Most ancient Egyptians were farmers living in villages, and agriculture


    formed the economic base of Egypt. The annual flooding of the great Nile
    River provided irrigation and fertilization. Farmers each year sowed the
    wheat after the water receded and harvested it before the high temperatures
    and drought returned.

    Old Kingdom: Age of the pyramid builders (2686-2181 B.C.)

    The Old Kingdom began with the third dynasty of pharaohs, or kings. Around
    2630 B.C., King Djoser asked Imhotep, an architect and priest, to design a
    monument for him. The result was the worlds first major stone building, the
    Step-Pyramid near Memphis. Pyramid-building reached its peak with the
    construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza, outside Cairo. Built for Khufu, who
    ruled from 2589 to 2566 B.C., the pyramid was later named as one of the
    ancient worlds Seven Wonders. Two other pyramids were built at Giza for
    later leaders.

    During the third and fourth dynasties, Egypt enjoyed a time of peace and
    wealth. The pharaohs held absolute power and provided a stable
    government. Foreign military campaigns in Nubia (present-day Sudan and
    southern Egypt) and Libya added to the wealth.

    Over the fifth and sixth dynasties, the kings' wealth was depleted, partially
    due to the expense of pyramid-building. Their power faltered with the
    growing influence of the nobility and the priesthood for the sun god Ra, or
    Re.

    After the death of King Pepy II, who ruled for some 94 years, the period
    ended in chaos.

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