Ancient AfricaAncient Africa

The Neolithic RevolutionThe Neolithic Revolution

The gradual shift The gradual shift homo sapiens homo sapiens made made from nomadic hunter-gatherers to from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled peoples who farmedsettled peoples who farmed

Domestication of animals: the taming Domestication of animals: the taming of animals for human purposesof animals for human purposes

The Emergence of CivilizationThe Emergence of Civilization

Civilizations often arise in river Civilizations often arise in river valleys because ofvalleys because of– Fertile soilFertile soil- Easy access to trade and transportation Easy access to trade and transportation

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The Nile River Valley was excellent for The Nile River Valley was excellent for development of civilizationdevelopment of civilization

The Nile River ValleyThe Nile River ValleyThe Gift of the Nile: The Gift of the Nile: – From late spring From late spring

through summer, through summer, heavy tropical rains heavy tropical rains and melting snow and melting snow add to the volume of add to the volume of the Nilethe Nile

The river overflows its The river overflows its banks and floods the banks and floods the land nearbyland nearbyWhen the floodwaters When the floodwaters recede, thick deposits recede, thick deposits of of siltsilt are left, used for are left, used for fertilization of soilfertilization of soil

Egyptian CivilizationEgyptian CivilizationEgyptian people relied on the Egyptian people relied on the Nile for their livelihoodNile for their livelihood Early Egyptians set up a Early Egyptians set up a monarchymonarchy, where their rulers , where their rulers were regarded as divinewere regarded as divinePharaohs- Pharaohs- Egyptian Kings, Egyptian Kings, believed to be descendent believed to be descendent from gods (Theocracy: from gods (Theocracy: combination of religion and combination of religion and government) government) Dynasty- Dynasty- Pharaoh’s son Pharaoh’s son would become Pharaoh, etc.- would become Pharaoh, etc.- passed down through the passed down through the family family Pharaoh assisted by large Pharaoh assisted by large bureaucracybureaucracy- people who - people who helped him make and enforce helped him make and enforce lawslaws

Wonders of Ancient Egypt

The Sphinx and the Great Pyramid

Pyramids were used to bury Pyramids were used to bury pharaohspharaohsPharaohs were mummified, Pharaohs were mummified, embalmed, and buried with their embalmed, and buried with their most prized possessions, food, and most prized possessions, food, and jewels, which Egyptians believed jewels, which Egyptians believed they would need in the afterlifethey would need in the afterlifeSphinx- head of a pharaoh, body of Sphinx- head of a pharaoh, body of a liona lion– Built to protect the tombs of the Built to protect the tombs of the

pharaohs buried in pyramids pharaohs buried in pyramids

Purpose of PyramidsPurpose of Pyramids

Almost all royal tombs, Almost all royal tombs, including pyramids, had a including pyramids, had a mortuary temple where mortuary temple where priests were supposed to priests were supposed to take care of the king's soultake care of the king's soulPyramid complexes also Pyramid complexes also contained other tombs or contained other tombs or smaller pyramids smaller pyramids belonging to the king's belonging to the king's wives and family members. wives and family members. There were also pits dug There were also pits dug for boats, which were the for boats, which were the boats that carried the dead boats that carried the dead king in his funeral, or were king in his funeral, or were symbolic boats for his symbolic boats for his journey through the journey through the afterlife.afterlife.

Cultural Diffusion and TradeCultural Diffusion and TradeAs years passed, Egypt As years passed, Egypt expanded its boundaries expanded its boundaries from the Nile delta from the Nile delta southwardsouthwardEgypt slowly became an Egypt slowly became an EmpireEmpireTrade with other ancient Trade with other ancient empires led to empires led to cultural cultural diffusion, diffusion, the sharing of the sharing of ideas and customs ideas and customs between groups of peoplebetween groups of peopleAt the height of its glory, At the height of its glory, Ancient Egypt was home Ancient Egypt was home to 5 million peopleto 5 million people

Religion Religion Egyptians were Egyptians were polytheistic, worshipping polytheistic, worshipping many godsmany gods– Ra (sun), Osiris Ra (sun), Osiris

(underworld), Aman Re (underworld), Aman Re (creator god) (creator god)

– Gods based on nature and Gods based on nature and animals animals

Religion guided all aspects Religion guided all aspects of daily lifeof daily lifeDue to extensive Due to extensive hieroglyphs left behind by hieroglyphs left behind by the Egyptians, the world the Egyptians, the world then was able to read the then was able to read the Egyptian Book of the Egyptian Book of the Dead, Dead, discussing how to discussing how to reach a happy afterlifereach a happy afterlife

MummificationMummificationmummificationmummification - -

embalmment and embalmment and drying a dead body drying a dead body and wrapping it as a and wrapping it as a

mummy mummy

Embalmment-Embalmment-preservation (of a preservation (of a

dead body) by treating dead body) by treating with balsams and with balsams and drugs and other drugs and other

chemicalschemicals

King TutKing Tut

Who was he?Who was he? King Tutkanhamen was the King Tutkanhamen was the

most famous Egyptian most famous Egyptian pharaohpharaoh

Tut became a boy king at the Tut became a boy king at the age of nine. age of nine.

King Tut died (we believe) by King Tut died (we believe) by the age of 19 the age of 19

King Tut’s tomb was King Tut’s tomb was discovered completely intact discovered completely intact by archaeologists by archaeologists

Almost all of the possessions Almost all of the possessions he was buried with survived he was buried with survived

Many other pharaoh tombs Many other pharaoh tombs were broken into by grave were broken into by grave robbersrobbers

Hieroglyphics Hieroglyphics The Ancient Egyptians The Ancient Egyptians developed one of the developed one of the first writing system, first writing system, hieroglyphshieroglyphs, carving , carving picture symbols onto picture symbols onto pieces of slatepieces of slateHieroglyphs were not Hieroglyphs were not interpreted for interpreted for hundreds of years hundreds of years until 1799 when the until 1799 when the Rosetta StoneRosetta Stone was was found, translating the found, translating the hieroglyphs into Greekhieroglyphs into Greek