MIDTERM 1 KEY TERMS Flashcards
Abydos
The site of the first capital of Egypt
lots of archeological evidence found at this site of buried kings and queens
capital was created during unification and centralization of power based on king burial practices in Abydos
Eventually became an inconvenient place to rule from and capital was moved
Ahmose
pharaoh that founded the 18th dynasty to unify Egypt again. - expelled the Hyksos
Amenemhet I
first pharaoh of the 12th dynasty that moved the capital to Itj-tawi to concentrate power. and united Egypt Ruled for about 30 years. Founded Avaris
Apepi
Last of the six kings of Hyksos rule that constituted relatively stable governments, 15th dynasty and was a ruler of lower Egypt, Hyksos were driven out of Egypt shortly after his death
Aswan
city that served as gateway to the south for Egyptians. provided granite for many sculptures.
Avaris
Hyksos capital of Egypt, founded by Amenemhet, diversity of Egyptian and Asiatic burials and remenants, built as shipping port
ba
spiritual force, could be shown as a manifestation of the dead, served as internal conflict between a man and his ba (spirit)
benben stone
the top stone of a pyramid, modeled after the sacred ground on which Atum created the world and organized it, symbolized the sun’s rays, on the temple of Ra in Heliopolis
Beni Hassan
burials of Middle Kingdom kings and nomarchs, showed increasing cooperation between the kings and lower regional powers, tomb paintings here showed foreigners coming into Egypt (Hyksos)
Bent Pyramid
one of the 3 pyramids Sneferu built in Old Kingdom, In Dahshur, messed up angle of the pyramid. Granite was in the inside and showed a outer casing
Coptic
last phase/dialect of Egyptian language spoken from 1st century to 11th century CE, derived from Greek script when Egypt brought into Mesopotanian society, history of Coptic in Egyptian christianity
co-regency
practice of allowing the king-in-waiting to rule alongside his father in order to gain legitimacy and achieve a power base - seemed to have been practiced in 12th dynasty
cultural hybridity
Eastern asiatic elements mixed with Egyptian cultural elements and merged together. Shown during Hyksos rule as many Egyptian traditions continued and new Asiatic innovations improved current states
demotic (Language)
widely spoken from 650 BC to 5th century CE
demotic (script)
much quicker to write with lots of sketches but harder to decipher, became more pictorial and segue to only images in Egyptian script. - was the most advance form
Djoser
Pharoah of Old Kingdom 3rd Dynasty - had first pyramid built for him (the Step Pyramid) and commisoned many other architectural structures
donkey burials
found in various areas including Abydos that suggested relations between Egypt, Avaris, and Levant, cultural hybridity -
Early Dynastic Period
Dynasties 0-2, followed the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt - beginning of Ancient Egypt culture and artistic conventions as well as organized burials
The Ennead
a group of nine Egyptian gods that were worshipped in the ancient city of Heliopolis - included Atum as ultimate creator- represented the Heliopolis creation myth
execration texts
show what Egyptian relation were like with Nubia, Asia and Libya. Texts were used to ritually and symbollically destroy their neighbors and enemies. Where written on ceramic statues/ figurines and then smashed, percieved to bring destruction to those people smashed
First Cataract
set of rapids in the Nile River that becomes difficult to navigate boats through. - in southern portion, markt eh boundary between Egypt and Nubia
First intermediate period
multiple dynasties ruled and power was decentralized. - period of social breakdown and disorder but still shown to have political instability but cultural stability.
giza
center of royal burials, has 3 major pyramids, Great sphinx built in Old Kingdom and some during 4th dynasty of Old Kingdom
Great Pyramid
largest pyramid, in Giza, burial for Khufu - dovoted to solar cult and shown in the pyramid
Great Sphinx
In Giza, built for and to represent pharaoh Khafra, body of lion and head of human
Heliopolis
one of oldest cities in Egypt with inhabitants in prehistoric Egypt, many archeological findings and though to have been place of creation
Heliopolitan Theology
ancient Egyptian story about the creation of the world and the gods, centered around Heliopolis, “City of the Sun. emphasizes the role of the sun god, Atum, in the creation of the world, and the transition from chaos to order
Hequa-Khasut
meaning: rulers of foreign lands – stem of Hyksos,
Herakleopolis
center of power in 9th and 10th dynasties, replaced Memphis, lower Egypt
Heriankopolis
prehistoric royal residence of the kings of Upper Egypt most important site of the beginning of Egypt’s history. Evidence indicates a royal presence at Hierakonpolis, then called Nekhen, which enjoyed its period of greatest importance to the beginning of the Old Kingdom
hieratic (script)
more of a cursive system derived from hieroglyphics but quickly written, used in longer documents, but died out because it was mostly a priest system that common people did not know
Horus
one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, god of kingship, healing, protection, the sun, and the sky, merged with Ra, - from Isis and Osirus
Hyksos
group of West Asians that eventually took power in 15th dynasty for six stable kings that used cultural hybridity,
Imhotep
chief architect of first pyramids and stone mortuary complexes in Saqqara, under orders of Djoser,
Isis
goddess, Osiris’s wife that put back together the parts of his body and became pregnant with his child and bears Horus, was seen as protector and healer
Itj-tawi
capital and royal city of Egypt in Middle Kingdom in 13th dynasty - established by amenemhat - exact location not known but mentioned in literary texts and remains,
Josephus
Jewish priest and historian that created king lists and told history of Ancient Egypt in Rome in 30 AD - claimed that pyramids were built by enslaved Hebrews
king lists
many have been found and collected listing all royal powers in ancient history by historians, but all have differences and have been compiled from combination and cross examining them
ka
a vital aspect of the soul that distinguished a living person from a dead one: life force that made person alive, comes into existence at birth. believed to survive the death of the body and continue to exist in the afterlife
kamose
last king of the 17th dynasty that wanted reunification and to drive out Hyksos. Kamose’s war that ultimately militarily defeated foreigners and power was back to Egyptians
Kerma
city where Nubia’s power was centered in Kingdom of Kush. had a religious and cultural distinctiveness that showed wealth
King Scorpion
Dynasty 0 king, wore white crown of Upper Egypt, and portrayed as building canals - united workforce to build stable and improved infrastructure,
Khafra/Chefren
4th dynasty king who had the best perserved and elaborate mortuary complex built with the Great Sphinx and 2nd of pyramids of Giza. Son of Khufu
Khnumhotep II
last of the Beni Hasan governors in 12th dynasty, his tomb showed painting of foreigners coming into Egypt
Khufu/Cheops
Built first of 3 pyramids of Giza
Son of Sneferu and Father of Khafra, devoted to solar cult but was very cruel and demanding
Kush
Nubian kingdom that was centered on Kerma - sjowed independence of lower nubia, Egyptian occupation ended of this area due to lack of resources
Lower Egypt
northern part of Egypt, mostly separated geographically but culture similar to Upper - red crown with curled area
Ma’at
goddess and a central concept in Egyptian culture that represented truth, order, justice, and balance
Manetho
egyptian priest that lived in Ptolemaic period who authored a major chronological shource of kings that reigned - showed low levels of stability in kingship - wrote the 31 dynasties
mastaba
bench tombs that were low, flat buildings that served as a marker for an underground burial tomb. Held royalty and luxury trade goods. King’s family and servants would be killed to be buried with them in the mastabas in Dynasty 1- would later be a basis for pyramid building
Memphis
capital after Abydos was deemed not fit, more north toward the delta to reach center of power - became political center - old Kingdom - showed remnants of it
Menes
First king of united Upper and Lower egypt, no actual archeological evidence of him but from many lists and oral traditions - united and founded the 1st Dynasty - same as Narmer
Menkaure
king in 4th dynasty, had the smallest of the 3 great pyramids and accompanied by three small pyramids for his wife
Mentuhotep II
Reasserted a central power in the 11th Dynasty that lasted 400 years, ruled about 51 years and made incremental advances northward ,became uniter of Two Lands in 39th year leading to Middle Kingdom
Middle Kingdom
known for literature of this time, centered in Itj-tawi, primary goal was to imperialize Nubia, period of transformation - established many future practices, important literature, administrative practices and foreign policies
Narmer
unifier of Egypt and founder of the First Dynasty, and in turn the first king of a unified Egypt - portrayed on Palette - same as Menes
Narmer Palette
depiction on the ceremonial palette - shows Narmer taking control of Northern Egypt - this doesn’t necessarily show the story and history but shows symbols that show ideology, asserts his power to consolidate
Nile Delta
important geographic feature that protected Egypt as it blocks off land from the other side
Nile River
where Egypt stems from most important feature to promote agriculture and fertility, would flood yearly and provide black soil that was full of nutrients
nomarchs
regional governments that help power alongside the central kings, were appointed by Kings, - were fairly powerful and had money, but ebbed and flowed with how much power they had in 12th dynasty but relatively stable compared to central royalty,
nomes
the administrative divisions of the country that varied throughout time, would sometimes be centers of power (6th dynasty)
Nubia
population south of the First Cataract below Egypt, took control in Third Intermediate Period, Egypt wanted to acquire throughout history, Kingdom of Kush in Nubia,
Old Kingdom
When pyramids were built, Dynasties 3-5, kings would plan own burials, showed organization and centralization of kingdom,
Osiris
a major god who represented the afterlife, fertility, resurrection, and the cycle of the Nile River’s annual flooding: - killed by brother, Seth. lord of the dead. The Cult of Osiris - Changes in funerary religions - people sought connection to kings in death
Ostraca
pot sherds, from pottery that broke and then were used for small notes to write = cheaper than papyrus, archeological evidence found
papyri
plant grows by the Nile that can be flattened and dried that becomes a writing surface - represented northern region
Papyrus was expensive and limited so many texts overlapped making historical research difficult to transcribe and encode
evidence of many facts from papyri records
Pepy II
65 year ruler in 6th dynasty, began to show regionalization during his reign, last ruler of the Old Kingdom, his successors were weak - king conditions deteriorated in the 7th and 8th dynasties
Ra
major Egyptian god and the sun deity, creator of all gods and humans, and was associated with light, warmth, growth, kingship, power, and heaven. conflated or merged with Horus in the form Ra-Horakhty
Ra-Horakhty
-Atum
Ra, Horus of the two horizons
A melding of divine attributes, all centered on the sun, Egyptian god who is a combination of the gods Ra and Horus, and is associated with the rising sun, light, warmth, and growth
red crown
crown of lower egypt with curled area worn by rulers
Red Pyramid
in Dahshur - first real pyramid, debris at the foot of the pyramid - one of Sneferu’s 3 pyramids constructed in 4th dynasty
Saqqara
archaeological site located by Cairo. It was the burial ground of Memphis and home to many pyramids, tombs, and funerary complexes
Second Intermediate Period
split kingdom again, Hyksos
sed festival
a celebration of kingship in ancient Egypt that was held to renew the pharaoh’s physical and supernatural energies
Sedge and honeybee
sedge represented southern region and honeybee represented Northern - shown together to symbolize unity and joining of two lands
sedge and papyrus
sedge represented southern region and papyrus represented Northern - shown together to symbolize unity and joining of two lands.These are combined to create hieroglyphic that shows both
Lung depicted two halves of Egypt coming together
seth
was identified with Syro-Palestinian Baal but sometimes, Seth was closely aligned with Horus. In myth killed his brother Osiris.
Senusret I
ruler in 12th dynasty that took stance to annex lower Nubia region
Seqenenre Taa
king of 17th dynasty whose mummy showed he dies violently by axe to head that is blamed by Hyksos and show a potential conflict
serekhe
In hieroglyphs - a rectangular enclosure representing a gated palace surmounted by (usually) the Horus falcon, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name.
shawabti
a small, human-shaped figurine that was placed in ancient Egyptian tombs as part of a burial ritual
To perform tasks for the deceased in the afterlife
Sneferu
First king of 4th dynasty, built 3 pyramids (Step, Red, Bent) - introduced major innovations in the design and construction of pyramid
Father of Khufu
Sobekneferu
4 year queen, Seems to have been either the daughter or wife of the king, Represents herself as a queen and woman
Statues of her showed a feminine figure but also wears the typical make headdress - a representation of kingship
ending of 12th dynasty
Solar temple
fifth dynasty alternative to pyramids, built by kings that focused on worship of the sun - big open courtyards
Still show some affinities with pyramids
state formation
unification of Upper and Lower Egypt due to chaos when not united, became large powerful king, by menes (Narmer) that would rule for dynasties to come
Step Pyramid
one of first pyramids that were mastabas stacked on top of each other that showed basic traingular shape the built up
Thebes
capital starting in 7th dynasty, a very religious capital
Tomb U-J
unidentified people - first of tombs that showed to hold people of special status, surrounded by goods and items from all over Egypt, a result of centralization,
Unas
last king of 5th Dynasty, his pyramids showed first pyramid texts that explain beliefs about creation, afterlife, and identity
upper Egypt
in the south, white crown represented
white crown
represented upper Egypt, looked taller like a bowling pin,
