Gods, Afterlife & Mummification
What do we call the preserved body of an ancient Egyptian?
A Mummy
Which Pharaoh had the most preserved royal tomb ever discovered?
King Tutankhamun
What is a primary source?
Evidence created at the time of the event — e.g. a photograph, diary, artefact, or eyewitness account
What do we call the traditional stories Aboriginal Australians use to explain the creation of the world and their connection to the land?
The Dreaming / Dreamtime
What do we call objects made or used by people in the past that historians study as evidence?
Artefacts
Name THREE gods from ancient Egypt.
Ra, Osiris, Isis, Anubis, Horus, Thoth, Ammit
What is the name of the valley in Egypt where Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered?
The Valley of the Kings
What is the difference between a primary and a secondary source?
A primary source is created at the time of the event; a secondary source is created later by someone interpreting or analysing the event
Name TWO dreamtime stories
The Rainbow Serpent, How the Kangaroo Got Its Tail, Tiddalik the Frog, How the birds got their colours
Why do historians rely heavily on archaeological evidence when studying ancient Australia?
Because Aboriginal Australians did not use a written language, so there are no written records — physical evidence like tools, rock art, and middens are the main sources available
What are the names of the jars used to store the removed organs during the mummification process?
Canopic jars
What did ancient Egyptians believe about the pharaoh's relationship with the gods?
They believed the pharaoh was a god on earth — a divine ruler who acted as a link between the gods and the people
A historian studying Ancient Egypt finds a letter written by an Egyptian scribe 3000 years ago. Is this a primary or secondary source?
Primary — it was created at the time by someone who lived in that period
Why was the dreaming important for Ancient Indigenous Australians?
It was a concept that explains how the world was created, how people should live, and the ongoing connection between people, land, animals, and ancestors.
When does science suggest humans first arrived in Australia?
Scientific research, including genetic studies and archaeological data, also suggests that people first arrived in Sahul about 65 000 years ago.
What did ancient Egyptians believe happened to a person's soul after they died?
They believed the soul journeyed to the afterlife, where their heart was weighed against a feather to judge whether they had lived a good life
How did Hatshepsut present herself in official statues and carvings, and why?
She depicted herself wearing male clothing and a false beard — to be taken seriously as a ruler in a role traditionally held by men
Why is it important to consider who created a source and why when analysing it?
The creator's purpose, perspective, and bias can affect what information is included or left out — meaning the source may not give a complete or accurate picture
How does the Ancient Indigenous Australian view on how humans got to Australia differ from modern takes?
Ancient Indigenous Australians believed humans came from the earth and sky, where as modern takes lean on scientific evidence that humans originated in Africa, before later spreading across the planet
What were the THREE key climatic events that took place in Ancient Australia.
1 - Large parts of the continent were thriving wetlands, lush and green
2- The last Ice Age. Everything froze over. Only hospitable places were near the coast
3 - The earth began to heat up. Everything melted, but large areas of Australia became dry deserts
Why was the heart left inside the body during mummification when all other organs were removed?
It was needed for the weighing of the heart ceremony before Osiris, where it was measured against the feather of Ma'at to determine if the person was worthy of the afterlif
How did pharaohs use architecture and monuments like temples and statues to maintain their power?
Monumental buildings and giant statues projected the pharaoh's power, wealth, and divine status to both their own people and neighbouring civilisations — they were tools of propaganda as much as religious devotion
What is the difference between a source being reliable and a source being useful to a historian? Give an example of a source that is useful but not reliable.
Reliable means the source is accurate and trustworthy; useful means it helps a historian answer their question — even an unreliable source like biased propaganda can be useful because it reveals what people believed or were told at the time
What was the name of the central God that Torres Strait Islanders believed in?
Tagai
Name ONE example of megafauna that once lived in ancient Australia.
Diprotodon (giant wombat), Thylacoleo (marsupial lion), Megalania (giant goanna), Procoptodon (giant kangaroo), Thylacosmilus (marsupial sabre-tooth))