Geography
To the Egyptians themselves, their land was simply known as Kemet. What does this mean?
Black Land (for the rich dark soil along the Nile). The deserts on either side were called the "Red Land" because it was a deadly place of hot burning sand.
Ancient Egyptians believed in many gods, what is the term for this?
Polytheism
What does the word "hieroglyphs" mean?
Sacred writing - they believed it conveyed the words of the gods.
Most likely, the people that worked on building the pyramids were ______.
After a pharaoh died, who was next in line for power?
His son or another male family member.
How long is the Nile River (in miles)?
Around 4000 miles.
What are the names of the sun god, the underworld god, and the mother goddess of Egypt?
Ra, Osiris, Isis
What is papyrus made out of?
Papyrus reeds.
Most pyramids were built as tombs for who?
Pharaohs
What did the Egyptians believe was special about their pharaohs?
They were descended from gods.
An area of sediment (soil or minerals carried by water) deposited at the mouth of a river.
A delta
Ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife, but in order to prepare they needed to preserve their bodies. What were their bodies soaked in?
Natron (salt compound)
When did hieroglyphic writing first begin? (about how many years ago)
About 5,000 years ago. It was used for 2,000 years.
How much did each stone weigh? (what was the range of weight)
From 2.5 to 80 tons.
What color crowns did the rulers of Upper vs. Lower Egypt wear?
Lower Egypt - Red
Upper Egypt - White
How were boats able to go both north and south on the Nile?
The river flowed north, winds carried them south.
Why did the bodies need a mask?
Their souls needed a way to recognize their own body.
What three languages were on the Rosetta Stone?
Greek, Hieroglyphs, Demotic
The Sphinx stands in front of the pyramid of Pharaoh Khafre. It is made of limestone and has the head of a _______ and the body of the ________.
The Sphinx has the head of a pharaoh (or a person with a headdress) and the body of a lion. Rumors circulated that the tail may be from a serpent.
What were the names of the two Roman men who were persuaded by Cleopatra to help put her in power of Egypt?
Julius Caesar and Mark Antony
What are the two main sources of water that make up the Nile River?
The White Nile and the Blue Nile.
Why was the heart left inside the body?
They believed it was the center of intelligence and feeling and that it was essential in the afterlife.
The ancient Egyptian writing system was complex, with over ______ hieroglyphs that represented words, ideas, or sometimes sounds.
800
How many years did the Great Pyramid of Giza take to build?
23
Most likely by the venom from a snake bite.