Pre-Dynastic & Early Dynastic
Medu Netjer
"The gods’ words”
Theocracy
Government rule which is based on religious authority
Tekhenu
"To pierce”
(Egyptian name for obelisk)
Damnatio Memoriae
"Condemnation of memory”
Library of Alexandria
Most vital cultural center of ancient world
Pharaoh
A king of ancient Egypt
God-kings
What animals/beings is the Sphinx?
A lion with the head of a Pharaoh
Hyksos
"Foreign rulers"
Egyptian name for this group of rulers
Why is Hatshepsut unique among male and female pharaohs?
Known for depicting herself “as a man” in statues and art: Headdress and beard
What happens at the end of the Macedonian period?
Empire splits into smaller regions
Ptolemy becomes ruler of Egypt
What is the mythology of hieroglyphs?
Egyptian god, Thoth, created writing
Gave the ability to write to selected scribes
What do the pyramids represent between this world and the afterlife?
Built as a tomb for the pharaoh
The pharaoh's soul would travel between this world and the afterlife through the point
Why is the Middle Kingdom considered Egypt's "Classical Age"?
Explosion of artistic expression through inscriptions, pyramid texts, theological works, sculpture, painting
Painting focused on daily life
Temple building focused on relationship between structure and landscape
What is the legacy of the Third Intermediate Period?
Long been regarded as an even darker age of chaos and collapse in Egyptian history
Views were influenced by their times and form of government
How did Ptolemy I legitimize his rule to Egyptians?
Respected Egyptian priests and rebuilt destroyed temples
Established a Cult of Alexander
Deified Alexander and Ptolemy became his Priest
What does the Narmer Palette show?
Shows the unification of Egypt
What is A'Aru?
The Field of Reeds
What are two advancements and two losses that happened during the Second Intermediate Period?
Advancements: Composite bow, Use of horses, Chariot, Crop rotation, Developments in bronze and ceramics
Losses: Never approached height of Middle Kingdom, Records are confused or missing, Loss of ability to write in hieroglyphic script
Who began the Amarna period and what happened during it?
Akhenaten instituted monotheism in Egypt and banished the old gods (religious reform banned polytheism and instituted monotheism)
Aten became the one true gods
Only the Cult of Aten was viewed as legitimate religious body
Who is Cleopatra?
Last ruler of Egypt before the Roman Empire
Most famous Egyptian queen, but was (likely) Greek
Connected to Julius Caesar and Mark Antony
Dies by suicide after losing a battle to Augustus
List the 12 Egyptian periods in order:
Pre-Dynastic, Early Dynastic, Old Kingdom, First Intermediate Period, Middle Kingdom, Second Intermediate Period, New Kingdom, Third Intermediate Period, Late Period, Macedonian Period, Ptolemaic Period, Roman Period
What is the Egyptian Book of the Dead and how can it help someone?
Title translates to “The Book of Coming Forth by Day”
Collection of spells to enable a soul to navigate the afterlife
What to expect after death
Knowledge to reach paradise
What is the legacy of the Second Intermediate Period?
Written as a time of discord by Egyptian historians and scribes
Egyptian “Dark Age”
A period of weakness and chaos due to “foreign invaders”
What defines a Kingdom Period and what defines an Intermediate Period?
Strong central rule (Kingdom period) seen as good while disunity (intermediate period) seen as bad
What is significant about the Rosetta Stone?
Written in Hieroglyphic, Demotic, Greek
Helped to finally decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics