Ancient Egypt Test Flashcards
Why was Upper Egypt in the south and Lower Egypt in the north?
The areas are named for how The Nile River flows. The Nile flows south to north, emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, Upper Egypt, where the Nile begins is located in the south, and Lower Egypt, where it ends, is in the north.
What is a cataract on The Nile River?
A cataract is a waterfall and usually has rapid waters.
What did The Nile leave behind after it flooded every year?
After the flooding season, fertile silt was left behind, which was then used to grow crops.
What are the three seasons of the Nile? Please put both the English name and the Egyptian name.
The three seasons of the Nile are the harvesting season (called: Shemu), the flooding season (called Ahket), and the planting season (called: Peret).
What was the general process for building the Great Pyramid of Giza?
In summarization, first, the construction site had to be chosen, the foundation was created, large rocks of limestone and granite were pulled with ropes over to the pyramid site, then some limestone ramps were built to move stones into place on the pyramid (number of ramps and location is still hotly debated by historians), three burial chambers were built, the pyramid was encased with white limestone and a capstone was placed on top.
Who was Hemiunu and why was he important to the Great Pyramid of Giza?
Hemiunu was the Great Pyramid of Giza’s chief architect. He planned out the entire structure of the pyramid and how it was to be built.
What characterized the Old Kingdom period (meaning: what were some attributes of this period was Egypt like)?
The Old Kingdom was the period in which Egypt was united under effective pharaohs and government administration. They also grew in trade, the arts, and other technologies. It was the period in which most, but not all, pyramids were built.
Why were pyramids important?
The pyramids were important because they symbolized the civilization’s wealth and power and demonstrated the Egyptians’s belief in the afterlife.
How did King Djoser change history?
King Djoser was the first pharaoh to build a tomb that was not a low mud-brick building. Instead, he created a 200-foot-high step pyramid with many chambers for his items in the afterlife.
What tools did people use to build the Great Pyramid of Giza?
Builders used copper tools, ropes, sleds, some ramps, and thousands of workers.
How big was The Great Pyramid (in square feet and height)?
The Great Pyramid was 571,158 square feet and 481 feet high.
Was Egyptian religion mono or polytheistic? How do you know?
The Ancient Egyptians were polytheistic. We know this because they believed in many gods and goddesses.
What were some main gods and goddesses in Ancient Egyptian religion and what was their domain? Please name at least five.
Answers will vary Re, Osiris, Hathor, Isis, Mut, Horus, Nut, Sobek, Anubis, Thoth, Sekhmet, etc.
What is the process of being mummified?
The process, in general, went like this (depending on what source you are looking at this process can vary a bit): the body is washed, the brain is taken out through the nose, sawdust is stuffed in the brain, the organs are taken out and put in canopic jars, the body is covered with natron (salt) and sits for 40 days, wax or resin is put on mummy, mummy is wrapped in linen, sometimes mummies will have amulets in the folds of the linen for protection).
Why did people mummify their dead?
People were mummified because it was believed that the afterlife was similar to life on Earth, thus a person’s body was needed in the afterlife. Preserving the body and the organs as much as possible was important so the person could have a satisfying afterlife.
What was thought to happen to your soul after you died?
After you died, according to Ancient Egyptians you had to pass through the duat or Underworld. In the Underworld, the person must, with the protection of The Book of The Dead, navigate through a maze of monsters, fire, and a snake called Apep. The goal was to get to the Hall of Ma’at, where a person would be judged by 42 gods which must acknowledge the person lived a good life. Lastly, the person’s heart would be weighed by Anubis to see if it is lighter than a feather. If it is lighter then the person can go to Osisris and will be able to enter the afterlife. If it is heavier than a feather, weighed down by his wrongdoings, the person would be eaten by Ammit.
