EGYPT CIVILISATION

Mục lục
1. KEYWORDS
2. Pharaoh Hierarchy
3. Polytheism religion
4. Pyramids
5. Mummification
6. Papyrus paper
7. The role of Nile River (câu hỏi cbi bài Egypt)
8. Details
9. Society + Economy
10. Culture
11. History
12. Science
I. KEYWORDS (bản 99% theo sách)
1. Pharaoh hierarchy
- Egyptian society had a simple structure in the Old and Middle Kingdoms;
basically, it was organized along hierarchical lines with the god-king at the top.
- The king was surrounded by an upper class of nobles and priests who participated
in the elaborate rituals of life that surrounded the pharaoh.
- The third class, Regional governors (scribes) were appointed by the Pharaoh to
oversee provinces and report directly to him. Soldiers also play important role but be
considered as lower than governors
- Below the upper classes were merchants and artisans.
 Merchants:
 Engaged in an active trade up and down the Nile + in town and
village markets.
 Some also engaged in international trade
 Egyptian artisans: made an incredible variety of well-built and
beautiful goods
- By far the largest number of people in Egypt simply worked the land. In theory,
the king owned all the land but granted portions of it to his subjects.
- Most of the lower classes were serfs, or common people bound to the land, who
cultivated the estates. They paid taxes in the form of crops to the king, nobles, and
priests; lived in small villages or towns; and provided military service and forced
labor for building projects.
- The lowest class were farmers and Slaves
2. Polytheism religion
- Def: Polytheism is a religious belief system that worships multiple deities
- The Egyptians were polytheistic and had a remarkable number of gods associated
with heavenly bodies and natural forces, hardly unusual in view of the importance to
Egypt’s well-being of the sun, the river, and the fertile land along its banks.
 The sun was the source of life and hence worthy of worship.
The sun god:
 took on different forms and names, depending on his specific
role.
 was worshiped as Atum in human form and also as Re, who
had a human body but the head of a falcon.
 River and land deities included Osiris and Isis with their child Horus,
who was related to the Nile and to the sun.
 Osiris: became especially important as a symbol of resurrection
or rebirth.
 The dead, embalmed and mummified, were placed in tombs (in
the case of kings, in pyramidal tombs), given the name of
Osiris, and by a process of magical identification became
Osiris. -> They could then be reborn.
3. Egyptian pyramids
- Overall information:
 Def: Pyramids were tombs for the mummified bodies of the pharaohs.
 One of the great achievements of Egyptian civilization
 Occurred in the time of the Old Kingdom. (from around 2630 B.C.E to
1640 B.C.E)
 Were built as part of a larger complex of buildings dedicated to the
dead.
- The area included:
 a large pyramid for the king’s burial
 smaller pyramids for his family, and mastabas
 rectangular structures with flat roofs, as tombs for the pharaoh’s noble
officials.
 treasure and items the pharaohs would need in the afterlife
- The tombs:
 were well prepared for their residents, their rooms furnished
 There are at least 118 identified Egyptian pyramids, and the most
famous pyramids are the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Pyramid of
Khufu
-> Meaning of the pyramid:
 Was not only the king’s tomb -> also an important symbol of royal
power.
 Still stands as a visible symbol of the power of Egyptian kings and the
spiritual conviction that underlay Egyptian society.
 Representation of the advanced engineering techniques and the ability
of ancient Egyptians
 4. Mummification technique
- Def: is a process to preserve the physical body after death, the Egyptians practiced
mummification, a process of slowly drying a dead body to prevent it from
decomposing.
- Characteristics:
 Special workshops, run by priests
 Primarily for the wealthy families
 The most refined method follows (các bước)
 Draw out the brain
 Extract internal organs -> 4 special jars
 Cover with natron, a type of natural salt
 Fill with spices and wrap with layers of linen soaked in resin
 Lifelike mask placed over the head, shoulders
 Sealed in case and placed in its tomb
- Explain: (Giải thích vì sao ướp xác)
 The Egyptians believed that human beings had two bodies: a physical
one and a spiritual one (called the ka).
 If the physical body was properly preserved and the tomb was
furnished with all the objects of regular life -> The ka could return,
surrounded by earthly comforts, and continue its life despite the death
of the physical body.
5. Papyrus papers
- Def: a paper made from the reeds that grew along the Nile.
- Made by slicing the plant's stem into thin strips, which were then soaked, flattened,
and dried in the sun
- Used for:
 Writing
 They were the primary writing material in ancient Egypt.
 Most of the ancient Egyptian literature that has come down to
us was written on papyrus rolls and wooden tablets
 Art
 Since they are durable
 Had a distinctive texture that was ideal for painting

II. Question: The role of Nile River

The Nile River was extremely important to ancient Egypt, and is often referred to as the
"lifeblood" of civilization. The river provided several key resources that were essential
for the growth and prosperity of the kingdom.
 Agriculture::
 Surrounded by desert and high temperature -> the demand for water for
existence
  Provided water for irrigation, which allowed the ancient Egyptians to
cultivate crops in the fertile Nile Valley.
 The river would flood annually, depositing nutrient-rich silt onto the
farmland
-> allowing for the growth of abundant crops such as wheat and barley.
- Transportation:
 The Nile River served as a transportation route for goods and people.
 Boats and barges were used to transport goods such as grain, stone, and
papyrus,
 Served as a means of communication between different parts of the
kingdom and with other regions outside Egypt
-> Nile river links some regions, migrants traveled to the Nile valley and introduce
some new agricultural methods; introduction of new agricultural products: wheat,
barley
- Architecture:
 A means of transporting materials for building projects, for ex: pyramids,
normal house...
 Annual flooding made people learn how to cope with it. Since then, they
could develop new skills, from ship and boat building to methods for
agriculture adaptation.
- A source of fish and other aquatic resources: an important part of the ancient Egyptian
diet.
- Economy:
 Providing sustenance, transportation, and trade opportunities -> helped to
sustain civilization for thousands of years.
-> The Nile River was a crucial factor in the economic development of ancient Egypt.
- Religion and mythology:
 They believed that the Nile was a god
 Its annual flooding was seen as a symbol of the god's power and
benevolence.
 Considered to be the source of life and fertility, as the fertile soil and water
provided by the river allowed for bountiful harvests.
- Nile river played a role in creating states and recognizing official authorizes, which led
to a need for maintaining order and organizing community projects leading to the
government emergence
- Based on the flood, Egyptians calculated days and seasons, which led to the creation of
calendar
-> Overall, the Nile River was a crucial element of ancient Egyptian civilization,
providing the resources necessary for the development of a complex and sophisticated
society.
-> Therefore, there is a saying: "Without the Nile River, there is no
Egypt"
III. Details
 1. Society and Economy in Ancient Egypt
a, Society/ Pharaoh Hierarchy
- Egyptian society had a simple structure in the Old and Middle Kingdoms; basically, it
was organized along hierarchical lines with the god-king at the top.
- The king was surrounded by an upper class of nobles and priests who participated in the
elaborate rituals of life that surrounded the pharaoh.
-> This ruling class ran the government and managed its own landed estates, which
provided much of its wealth.
- The third class, Regional governors (scribes) were appointed by the Pharaoh to oversee
provinces and report directly to him. Soldiers also play important role but be considered
as lower than governors
- Below the upper classes were merchants and artisans.
 Merchants:
 Engaged in an active trade up and down the Nile as well as in town
and village markets.
 Some also engaged in international trade; they were sent by the king
to Crete and Syria, where they obtained wood and other products.
 Egyptian artisans: made an incredible variety of well-built and beautiful
goods
- By far the largest number of people in Egypt simply worked the land. In theory, the
king owned all the land but granted portions of it to his subjects. Large sections were in
the possession of nobles and the temple complexes.
- Most of the lower classes were serfs, or common people bound to the land, who
cultivated the estates. They paid taxes in the form of crops to the king, nobles, and
priests; lived in small villages or towns; and provided military service and forced labor
for building projects.
b, Economy
- Agriculture:
 Based mainly on agriculture, with the Nile River playing a vital role in the
fertility of the land.
 Grew crops such as wheat, barley, flax, and vegetables.
 Raised animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats.
- Trade:
 Another important aspect of the ancient Egyptian economy.
 The Egyptians traded with neighboring regions such as Nubia, Libya, and
the Near East, exchanging goods such as gold, ivory, and spices.
- Craftsmanship:
 Highly valued in ancient Egypt.
 Skilled artisans created pottery, jewelry, furniture, and other luxury items,
which were often traded or used as offerings to the gods.
- The government:
 Played a significant role in the economy, controlling resources such as land
and labor
  Oversaw irrigation projects, and taxation
 The pharaohs and high-ranking officials owned large estates and employed
farmers and laborers to work the land.
- The lowest class were farmers and Slave
2. The Culture of Egypt
Egypt produced a culture that dazzled and awed its later conquerors. The Egyptians’
technical achievements, especially visible in the construction of the pyramids,
demonstrated a measure of skill unequaled in the world at that time. To the Egyptians, all
of these achievements were part of a cosmic order suffused with the presence of the
divine.
Spiritual Life in Egyptian Society
Religion was an inseparable element of the entire world order to which Egyptian society
belonged.
a, Polytheistic (đa thần)
- The Egyptians were polytheistic and had a remarkable number of gods associated with
heavenly bodies and natural forces, hardly unusual in view of the importance to Egypt’s
well-being of the sun, the river, and the fertile land along its banks.
 The sun was the source of life and hence worthy of worship.
The sun god:
 took on different forms and names, depending on his specific role.
 was worshiped as Atum in human form and also as Re, who had a
human body but the head of a falcon.
 River and land deities included Osiris and Isis with their child Horus, who
was related to the Nile and to the sun.
 Osiris: became especially important as a symbol of resurrection or
rebirth.
 The dead, embalmed and mummified, were placed in tombs (in the
case of kings, in pyramidal tombs), given the name of Osiris, and by
a process of magical identification became Osiris. -> They could
then be reborn.
 The flood of the Nile and the new life it brought to Egypt were
symbolized by Isis gathering all of Osiris’ parts together and were
celebrated each spring in the Festival of the New Land.
b, The Pyramids
- Overall information:
 Def: Pyramids were tombs for the mummified bodies of the pharaohs.
 One of the great achievements of Egyptian civilization
 Occurred in the time of the Old Kingdom.
 Were built as part of a larger complex of buildings dedicated to the dead.
- The area included:
 a large pyramid for the king’s burial
 smaller pyramids for his family, and mastabas
  rectangular structures with flat roofs, as tombs for the pharaoh’s noble
officials.
- The tombs:
 were well prepared for their residents, their rooms furnished
 stocked with numerous supplies: chairs, boats, chests, weapons, games,
dishes, and a variety of foods.
- The largest and most magnificent pyramid: The Great Pyramid
 was built under King Khufu, at Giza around 2540 B.C.E.
 covers 13 acres, measures 756 feet at each side of its base, and stands 481
feet high.
 Its four sides are almost precisely oriented to the four points of the
compass.
 The interior included a grand gallery to the burial chamber, which was built
of granite with a lidless sarcophagus for the pharaoh’s body.
 No pyramid built later ever matched its size or splendor.
-> Meaning of the pyramid:
 Was not only the king’s tomb -> also an important symbol of royal power.
 Still stands as a visible symbol of the power of Egyptian kings and the
spiritual conviction that underlay Egyptian society.
 Could be seen from miles away -> a visible reminder of the glory and might
of the ruler who was a living god on earth.

c, Mummification
- Def: To preserve the physical body after death, the Egyptians practiced mummification,
a process of slowly drying a dead body to prevent it from decomposing.
- Characteristics:
 Special workshops, run by priests
 Primarily for the wealthy families
 The most refined method follows (các bước)
 First of all they draw out the brain through the nostrils with an iron
hook
 Then they make an incision in the flank with a sharp Ethiopian stone
through which they extract all the internal organs.
 The liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines were placed in four special
jars that were put in the tomb with the mummy.
 The priests then covered the corpse with a natural salt that absorbed
the body’s water.
 Later, they filled the body with spices and wrapped it with layers of
linen soaked in resin.
 At the end of the process, which took about seventy days, a lifelike
mask was placed over the head and shoulders of the mummy, which
was then sealed in a case and placed in its tomb.
- Explain: (Giải thích vì sao ướp xác)
  The Egyptians believed that human beings had two bodies: a physical one
and a spiritual one (called the ka).
 If the physical body was properly preserved and the tomb was furnished
with all the objects of regular life -> The ka could return, surrounded by
earthly comforts, and continue its life despite the death of the physical
body.
d, Art and Writing
Art
- Functional:
 Egyptian art was largely functional, commissioned by kings or nobles for
use in temples and tombs.
 Wall paintings and statues of gods and kings in temples:
 served a strictly spiritual purpose.
 were an integral part of the performance of ritual to preserve the
cosmic order and hence the well-being of Egypt.
 The mural scenes and sculptured figures found in the tombs: had a specific
function -> to assist the journey of the deceased into the afterworld.
- Formulaic:
 Egyptian art was also formulaic.
 Artists and sculptors were expected to observe a strict canon (tuân thủ quy
tắc về tỉ lệ) of proportions that determined both form and presentation.
-> This canon gave Egyptian art a distinctive appearance for thousands of years.
 Combining the profile, semi profile, and frontal views (góc nghiêng, bán
nghiêng, chính diện) of the human body in relief work and painting in order
to represent each part of the body accurately.
-> Result: art that was highly stylized yet still allowed distinctive features to be
displayed.
Writing
Emerged in Egypt during the first two dynasties.
Hieroglyphs (chữ tượng hình)
- Def: Hieroglyphs were sacred characters used as picture signs that depicted objects and
had a sacred value at the same time.
- The Greeks called Egyptian writing hieroglyphics, meaning ‘‘priest-carvings’’ or
‘‘sacred writings.’’
- Were later simplified into two scripts for writing purposes >< never developed into an
alphabet.
- Were initially carved in stone -> later written on papyrus.
Papyrus:
- a paper made from the reeds that grew along the Nile.
- Most of the ancient Egyptian literature that has come down to us was written on papyrus
rolls and wooden tablets.
3. History
- The history of Ancient Egypt spans from the early prehistoric settlements of the
northern Nile Valley to the Roman conquest of Egypt in 30 BC.
- Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150-2613 BCE)
 Egypt was unified under the rule of the first pharaoh, Narmer.
- The Old Kingdom (c. 2613-2181 BCE):
 Construction of monumental pyramids
 The development of a complex bureaucracy.
- The Middle Kingdom (c. 2055-1650 BCE)
 Expansion of Egyptian territory
 Development of literature, art, and architecture.
- The New Kingdom (c. 1550-1070 BCE):
 The rule of powerful pharaohs such as Hatshepsut and Ramses II
 The rise of monotheism under Akhenaten.
- The Late Period (c. 664-332 BCE)
 The decline of Egyptian power and the rise of foreign invasions.
- The Graeco-Roman Period (c. 332 BCE-395 CE) marks the period of Egyptian history
when Egypt was under the control of various foreign

PHÒNG TRỪ CÔ HỎI KĨ TỪNG GĐ

According to the Egyptians’ own tradition, their land consisted initially of numerous
populated areas ruled by tribal chieftains. Around 3100 B.C.E., the first Egyptian royal
dynasty, under a king called Menes, united Upper and Lower Egypt into a single
kingdom. Henceforth, the king would be called ‘‘king of Upper and Lower Egypt,’’ and a
royal crown, the Double Crown, was created, combining the White Crown of Upper
Egypt and the Red Crown of Lower Egypt. Just as the Nile served to unite Upper and
Lower Egypt physically, the kingship served to unite the two areas politically.
The Old Kingdom encompassed the third through sixth dynasties of Egyptian kings,
lasting from around 2686 to 2180 B.C.E.
- It was an age of prosperity and splendor, made visible in the construction of the greatest
and largest pyramids in Egypt’s history.
- The capital of the Old Kingdom was located at Memphis, south of the delta.
Egyptian kings:
 Have absolute power
 Rule not arbitrarily but according to set principles.
The chief principle (Ma’at):
 A spiritual precept that conveyed the ideas of truth and justice and
especially right order and harmony.
 To ancient Egyptians, this fundamental order and harmony had existed
throughout the universe since the beginning of time.
 Pharaohs were the divine instruments who maintained it and were
themselves subject to it.
- Although theoretically absolute in their power, in practice Egyptian kings did not rule
alone. Initially, members of the king’s family performed administrative tasks, but by the
fourth dynasty, a bureaucracy with regular procedures had developed.
- Especially important was the office of vizier, ‘‘steward of the whole land.’’ Directly
responsible to the king, the vizier was in charge of the bureaucracy.
- For administrative purposes, Egypt was divided into provinces, or nomes as they were
later called by the Greeks twenty-two in Upper Egypt and twenty in Lower Egypt.
 A governor, called by the Greeks a nomarch was head of each nome and
was re- sponsible to the king and vizier.
 Nomarchs, however, tended to build up large holdings of land and power
within their nomes, creating a potential rivalry with the pharaohs.
The Middle Kingdom
Despite the theory of divine order, the Old Kingdom eventually collapsed, ushering in a
period of disarray.
-> A new royal dynasty managed to pacify all Egypt and inaugurated the Middle
Kingdom, a period of stability lasting from around 2055 to 1650 B.C.E.
- Egyptians later portrayed the Middle Kingdom as a golden age, a clear indication of its
stability. Several factors contributed to its vitality.
The nome structure:
 Was reorganized
 The boundaries of each nome were now settled precisely
 the obligations of the nomes to the state were clearly delineated
 Nomarchs were confirmed as hereditary officeholders but with the
understanding that their duties must be performed faithfully.
The Middle Kingdom was characterized by a new concern of the pharaohs for the people.
In the Old Kingdom, the pharaoh had been viewed as an inaccessible god-king. Now he
was portrayed as the shepherd of his people with the responsibility to build public works
and provide for the public welfare.
4. Science
- Astronomy:
 Ancient Egyptians were skilled astronomers and were able to predict
seasonal floods and the annual movement of stars.
 They built several observatories and used the movement of stars to create
their calendar.
- Mathematics:
 Ancient Egyptians were skilled mathematicians
 Used a decimal system for counting and measuring.
 Used geometry to construct pyramids, temples, and other structures.
 Idea about pi.
 Their own counting system (1 flower = 1000; 1 finger = 10000; 1 frog =
100,000)
- Medicine:
 Ancient Egyptians made significant contributions to the field of medicine.
  They were skilled surgeons and were able to perform complex surgeries,
including brain surgery.
 Had a thorough understanding of the human body
 Used natural remedies to treat various illnesses.
-> Overall, ancient Egyptians were highly skilled and innovative in their scientific
knowledge and practices.